Audience reviews
15 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
KozureOkami
There's not much of a story to talk about but art and animations are great imo. Kind of reminded me of Miyazaki's art in some areas, especially Nausicaa and Laputa. Great action sequences, highly reccomended for military sci-fi fans. I also got strong Starcraft vibes from it especially the monobikes. They really reminded of Vulture units from Starcraft. Tanks kind of look like Terran siege tanks and Soviet Mammoth tank from Red Alert. Overall aesthetic reminded me the first Starcraft game. The buildings, monobikes riding on the sandy wastelands, battle scenes etc. It's a good watch. Enjoyed the 80's anime goodness.
Read at the sourceiThink
「Venus Senki」 proudly describes itself as a war movie with a strongly pronounced anti-war sentiment.
Unfortunately, it doesn't quite understand what that phrase means.
The story is set in the near future on a partially terraformed Venus, a fact that matters for the opening text blurb and never again: the planetary environment, which might as well be vaguely post-apocalyptic Tokyo metropolitan ruins for all the difference it makes, never plays into the story in any meaningful way, and looks just like every other drab exoplanetary landscape of its contemporary sci-fi anime.
The sci-fi elements of this movie are of the hard and grounded variety, to the point of being outright primitive; most of what you see is intimately familiar from the mundane reality, with the exception of some vehicles…
Read at the sourceToran71
This honestly may be my favorite war movie of all time simply because it manages to be both a highly gripping take on war but also very entertaining. You don't have to endure the extremely harsh and frankly dull monotony of death that actually makes up most of war yet you are still shown realistic fates of those thrust into a conflict in a beautifully realized world. Venus Wars excels in showing the individual in war, not just at their most futile but at their most powerful. The climax of the movie had me almost breathless and the ending made was one of the most respectful I've seen of it's characters. I hate a story that destroys it's characters at the end, real life is grim enough to waste your time watching entertainment that aims to depress.
But speaking of the futility of war and thi…
Read at the sourceBeatnik
Look, I'm just going to say it: I like Venus Wars more than Akira.
Let's get two things out of the way.
1) Reasons to compare the two movies. One came out only a year after the other. They're both about rebellious youth living in a cyberpunk landscape who are thrust into an apocalyptic conflict that is drawn painstakingly well in that 80s anime way.
2) I wrote a 4000 word dissertation on Akira at university, so I am not what you would call a 'hater'. It was one of the first anime I ever saw, so it holds a special place in my heart. It is a seminal piece of work, but I now feel Venus Wars has been in its shadow for long enough and deserves its time in the limelight, hence this review to get more eyes on it (and hence why Sentai released it on bluray).
Both Akira and Venus Wars suffer…
Read at the sourceBiisoo
This is a criminally underrated movie and when I found it, it just baffled my mind as to why it had such few members. So I went into it with zero expectation and I've gotta say, I was blown away by what was presented and the quality of the presentation.
The story isnt special, its actually barely serviceable but it makes up for its lack of story with nicely written characters and an amazingly made world. I have a soft spot for post apocalyptic war torn stuff, especially in the far future where we have flying bikes and etc.
The animation is some of the most gorgeous I've ever seen and so is the soundtrack equally good. I can definitely see why people may not like this but me being a fan of the above mentioned things, I actually enjoyed the heck out of it.
At times it even reminded me of…
Read at the sourceDISKOWN
Venus Senki has great animation, compelling characters, is well paced, and is extremely re-watchable. Despite a simple narrative, lackluster ending, and some questionable character motivations; it is a really good movie. The animation is not at all dated and holds up well. There is not much character depth, but they are mostly likable. It is extremely well paced, spending just enough time on each plot point. The narrative, while simple, is good enough, and its lack of hard substance matter makes it easily watchable. The only negative is that the ending is less climatic than expected, and the “villain” does some questionable things. Venus Senki is an anime that holds up well and is a really enjoyable watch.
Read at the sourceCiaran_Zagami
Honestly. Nothing special.
Beautiful animation, a lot of gifs from this movie cycle all over anime aesthetic and vintage anime type forums.
But the story is as cliche as it gets. Your basic boring "war is hell" drama cept it can't even get the HELL part right. Hardly anyone dies, zero gore. The protagonist "Hiro" is just a jerk who disagrees with everyone around him all the time no mater what unless the plot absolutely needs him to honour his word or get involved in something stupid.
The plot also doesn't kick in until way too late, and for the dumbest reasons. The protagonist just decides to commit terrorism and kill the crew of some random tank because its parked at the race track he used to drive at??????
Multiple key characters never get named. Even once, and yet the movie expect…
Read at the sourcejadedXotaku
I first saw this in 1994 during the Sci-Fi Channel's 2nd Annual Festival Of Anime (called Animation Marathon Anime '94 on air, it was hosted by Ralph Bakshi, and also featured Dominion Tank Police, Odin: Photon Space Sailor Starlight, and Project A-ko), and it's been a favorite of mine ever since. While I've never been much a fan of war films, this one particularly grabbed me. Centering around an Earth reporter and a motorcycle team who are essentially drafted into war after taking matters into their own hands against an invading army, the Venus Wars is a rather grim look at wartime life. Helped by the color palette of the film being gritty and muted, it doesn't have a bright and vibrant appearance, which gives it a tone that certainly isn't cheerful. Which I don't mind, this is war after…
Read at the sourceMalfegor
Venus Wars plays a little bit like the abbreviated version of a slightly longer story and while it definitely could flesh out some of the side characters more (Miranda is too cool to not do that much), it is nowhere near the ridiculous level of highlight-reel-pacing of your average anime compilation movie.
It concerns itself with the (very common in 80s sci-fi anime) theme of war and points at how silly large scale human conflict and nationalism is by changing the location from Earth and asking the question "why would a relatively young space colony on Venus go to war with itself?"
well, that's just what we do isn't it?
regardless, the real star of the show here is obviously the visuals.
this movie is only a hair below, if not on the same high level as, Akira in that regard.
gorgeousl…
Read at the sourceRedruum
I felt inclined to write this review because so many of you reading this were probably born in the 90s, and really have no decent appreciation of how awesome 80's and 90 anime truly was. Now listen, I get it, the art style may not be packed full of lens flares and sharp lines that you modern otaku go crazy for, but each frame is bursting with detail. Honestly if your an "anime fan", then you owe it to yourself to go back and watch some of the classics like this one. Gritty, futuristic wars on distant planets . . . all while the main character is rocking a monobike???? Give this anime a shot, suspend your disbelief and look past the old art style, and Redruum promises you will enjoy it.
Read at the sourceVoivodian
If you want a gritty war anime full of tanks, look no further! This sci fi ova embodies the charm of 80s anime; though very flawed, the aesthetics and love put into its making is enough for an enjoyable watch.
The premise is sound if not a bit basic. Humans have colonised Venus (out of all the planets in Sol) but thanks to ecological disasters, it is a backwater hellhole far from the supposed utopia of this world's Earth. Its people have a reckless, fatalistic and at times apathetic view towards life and peace (the ridiculously deadly bike racing games they have!). The nation Ishtar launches a surprise attack on Aphrodian's capital, Io and conquer it in one day. The anime then chronicles a bike racing gang's involvement in the war to recapture Io. The simple plot is made up for by a sense…
Read at the sourceHuntsman
In the not so distant future Venus has been colonized by settlers from Earth that has come to be controlled by two nations that are Ishtar and Aphordia. The two new independent nations are vying for control of Venus as tensions between the nations quickly spiral toward war Susan Sommers a carefree reporter from Earth who is arriving on Venus to report on the growing tensions between the two Venus nations. As war breaks out with Ishtar invading Aphordia's capital with giant flying ships that drop huge advanced tanks into the city Susan encounters Hiro and the other members of the "Killer Commandos" who are a Venus bike racing team. The rag tag group is soon faced with the horrors of war, and is forced to make tough decisions as their homes and nation collapse around them.
I had originally…
Read at the sourceShura-shurato
Original Tape version 9, Remastered 16:9 widescreen edition dvd, 5,5 at best because it rapes the texture and recording of its time, while it shows too much at the colors and stuff. Original i like it best because i saw it the 1st time on t.v back in 1994,95, and its just sooo enjoyable that way, the music tracks, the grainy resolution, sigaretburns inscreen and the shady yet movable animation thats NOT like static body movement on the remaster! A good movie in the HEYDAYS of sci-fi and cyberpunk anime that had an nice storyline to it and good fitting chara. that are involved the whole millitary wars thing! ok weapons design, more beautyful mortorcycle and vehicledesigns wich in 1 scene come's to and good chase!
really, some anime's shoul'nd be remastered unless its really a priority
Read at the sourceacceleratum
Venus wars is to me a classic, Its not very very good but I watched it many years ago and by the standart back then it was quite good.
Probably not the best choice for younger fans who cant stomach the outdated animation but it is a fine example of 80's sci fi anime.
Its a decent quick watch, and a peek into the 80's, the golden era of anime, and by this I mean it's better than 90% of modern animes easily...
Read at the sourcedarKagami
I don't usually do review but after seeing this movie I had to, because I can't really recommend this to anyone.
Basically the story is very ordinary! I have seen many movies from late 80s that are written in same way and this also borrows many elements. I felt that this movie was re-written less bloody version of Akira. These two movies have many things in common!
And the characters are forgettable. I didn't even remember anyone's names.
Only one thing that is good in this anime is its artwork. I really liked how the tanks and other vehicles were drawn.
Overall an unfinished anime, which needed deeper more complex story and better written characters.
Read at the source