 |
|
 |
Dallos
 Home/Change Series
"Dallos", directed by Mamoru Oshii and supervised by Hisayuki Toriumi, is a four volume OVA, which was released from 1983-84. Volume 2, "Order to Destroy Dallos", is the very first OVA ever released (Yes, you read it right, volume 2 in the series was released before volume 1). In 1985 the four volumes were cut, spliced together with some additional footage (mostly still sketches shown before the opening), packaged with cover art by Amano, and sold as a one volume 90 minute "Dallos Special". The "Dallos Special" was further cut, for content, to 87 minutes and released in the US by Celebrity Kids Video under the title "Battle for Moon Station: Dallos", and then, later in 1995, as just "Dallos". In Japan in 1995, the four volumes were put together again as a 120-minute feature. There is also a short documentary on the making of "Dallos", titled “Remember Dallos”, which is included in the 2003 Japanese DVD release.
In the 21st Century, mankind has colonized the Moon (it could happen… maybe… we still have time). On the moon, the colonists of "Moonopolis" have been reduced to slave-laborers in the Moon’s mineral rich mines, for the gain of planet Earth. A violent terrorist group, headed by Doug McCoy, opposes Earth’s victimization of the Moon people, by turning the Moon into a consistently chaotic environment. Earth rule is enforced by Alex Ryger; who heads a Gestapo-like police force to suppress the masses on the Moon. With a police force that treats them as sub-human, and a terrorist group that makes it impossible to maintain order, the miners pray to an ancient structure on the face of the Moon: Dallos.
Tensions further heat-up between police force and terrorists after Doug kidnaps Alex’s fiancée, Melinda. Young, eager, Moon-born Shun Nonomura becomes entangled in the mess after befriending Doug, and then later being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"Dallos" takes a very interesting viewpoint in that neither Alex, nor Doug, is portrayed as being either all good or all bad. Both sides feel justified in their actions because of what they feel is their duty. In the end, nothing is resolved, because the portrayed self-destructiveness of Man lies within himself; and it isn’t a moral failing, as much as it is Man’s inborn nature, since the dawn of time.
While this idea is profound for a cartoon, the execution favors violent action scenes over character development. Scenes of characters talking are done in one or two still camera shots; while action scenes are shot from many arresting angles, with hundreds of bullet shells flying towards the viewer as cyborg police-dogs rip apart “freedom fighting” terrorists. I like it. But "Dallos" seems to be too preachy for fans of violence; too action oriented for Anime snobs. And it was also very badly dubbed in the English version.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
8.65/10 
9.12/10
8.70/10 
65 votes