I'm gonna try something here. It might not work, but... *In the Defense of Susan Sommers* She's the type of opportunistic journalist who rolls into a war zone without truly considering that she herself could die. She views everything through the lens of her camera, which makes it less real. This gives her the luxury of treating her situation with recklessness, while also trying to convince (or goad) others to do the same. It's only after Will dies that reality sinks in. With the sudden reality check, she has the realization that she has been encouraging people to go fight in a war they would die in, and one of those people was a lover. At this epiphany, she loses it and goes on an assassination attempt to end the war by targeting the man she sees as responsible for it all, but she's too untrained to pull it off, panicking and leaving the safety on. The above is a logical explanation of the character's actions and motivations. What follows is pure speculation. They didn't kill her outright because, as a high profile off-worlder journalist, she could be more valuable as a hostage, possibly to trade back to earth in exchange for political prisoners from Venus. Eventually, after the general dies, plans fall apart, things get disorganized, and large numbers of prisoners escape. She was one of them, and eventually made her way to the refugee camps with the rest of the prisoners, and then eventually back to earth.
I absolutely love this anime. I love EVERYTHING about it. The animation. The artwork. The soundtrack. The final battle. I've bought it three times. I bought the manga.
This anime is sooooo underrated!!! 80´s and 90's anime will always be the best looking anime. It felt so raw, I've tried watching new anime and It just doesn't work for me really. Love your channel, man. Found it last night and have been bingeing all the classical reviews. Love the historical/societal/economical background you add to give those movies some context! New subscriber indeed.
I don't mean to trash them too much, but they're not capable of making an anime like this today. Edge Runners may be a great show, but it was supposed to be some sort of gritty cyberpunk, yet it didn't really look like it. This movie was filthy and decrepit and shitty, but absolutely beautiful at the same time. The whole movie was like that. It's just not possible for them to do anime like this anymore.
@@Strideo1 agreed. I try to check out what’s new out there but it doesn’t look appealing. Also old school anime had better story telling. It’s like they had creative imagination compared to todays anime
I agree with you with how it's a shame some anime these days don't really feel like they capture the same kind of detail that anime from this era had. and ouch do I feel bad for the MHA and Bakugo fans who saw you use that clip of him to describe how even his explosions (or rather the animation that went into his explosion) be described as clean compared to what came before.
Thank you for the balanced review. So many RUclips reviewers (and certain specific ones) can be so hyperbolic and extreme. A flawed but pretty damn good anime.
Also...that final battle is my favorite battle in anything ever. A giant tank vs a motocycle. with a mounted anti-tank canon. It's a David vs Goliath Battle Fortress vs Glass Canon. The scene is just incredible.
Seriously I was literally at the edge of my seat breathless during that final battle which I never do watching a movie. This movie made me feel things almost nothing else has it's it will forever mystify me why it isn't one of the biggest anime movies of all time, at least as big as Akira
Venus Wars is one of the best animations ever. The soundtrack is brilliant, and my personal favourite of Joe Hisaishis. I think Miranda is really mothering over hero and Suzanne Summers is intended to be an annoying sassy diva. I absolutely love this film.
Make sure to pick up the new fully remastered Bluray release from sentai film works. Hands down the best the film has ever looked, very crisp and clean.
@@GreenTygur He did praise the soundtrack and pointed out it was from Joe Hisaishi. Not sure if you missed it or if you meant you wanted him to talk about the soundtrack more.
This movie has and still is a huge inspiration for me as an artist. I think it still looks fantastic. I borrowed this from a friend on VHS and used to watch it over and over while drawing.
This is one of my all time favorites! I was stoked when they released the blu ray, and had wondered for years why none of my artist peers or anime buddies never talked about it or brought it up. Venus Wars will always have a special place in my heart, it was one of the first animes I had in '91. A teacher dubbed, Char's Counter Attack, Project A-KO on to one VHS tape and Cyber City OEDO and Venus Wars on another VHS and I had them shits all the way through college lol I've been watching a lot of the videos you have on some of these titles so it's interesting to see the perspective of a younger viewer who is watching these after being more immersed in contemporary anime (well, I guess by standards 3 years ago). Either way, I'm digging your channel!
Its a bummer that this movie's failure was such a blow to the guy because everything else I've seen from him is dope. Giant Gorg and Crusher Joe are fantastic. Honestly, might just revisit Venus Wars because I love his character designs so much.
Same here. It also came put at a time when warhammer 40k and Epic 40k were kicking off. The huge mega tanks from 40k like the baseblade and shadowsword were amazing designs. Seeing them animated like this was was the best part for me. My next favorite part is when the reporter chick Busts out those fresh packs cigarettes from earth. That reminded me a lot of when I was in the marines
@@Laidengizer011 'Cos story's shit mate. And that's coming from someone who had his parents rent the VHS so often that they just gave up and bought him a copy in the early '90s!
@@Amanojaku8 That's the common thing people say, but I don't see what's so wrong with it. It just seems like a very normal, run-of-the-mill storyline. Really not bad. And obviously, the visuals are just of the highest caliber. People are just being snobby
You pretty much feel about this movie as I do. I first watched it back around 95 or 96 on the sci-fi channel and something about it just really stood out to me. I didn't know its name for around a decade. I would constantly ask fellow anime fans if they'd ever seen a movie with a kid on a motorcycle going up a wall. It for sure has a lot of flaws, but as you said, its strengths more than make up for them. I ended up buying a DVD copy around the mid aughts, but I loaned it to a friend and never got it back. Thankfully, I got a blu-ray copy a few years ago. I recently saw that another blu-ray edition has been released, but I'm fairly sure that the English dub has been changed, so I'm not that interested in it. Chances are that I'll eventually buy it anyway because of the different artwork. Great video. It touched upon what I already knew and appreciate about Venus Wars, but it also taught me new things.
One of my favorite movies from the end of the bubble era, the blu rays are also absolutely beautiful.im also not surprised the animation during this era was absolutely responsible for ending that golden age
That's because Ben's shtick is being really negative and insulting. He's funny a lot of times, but I think he's way too hard on anime much of the time. He just sort of took one of his big stupid dumps on this great film. And for what???
Welp that would explain why I always thought Venus Wars reminded me a lot of UC Gundam, both in tone and artstyle. I'll have to look up more of Yas' stuff.
Thanks for this very well made video tribute. Have immediately subscribed to your channel. I adore Venus Wars. It was one of my first anime I bought on VHS and despite the shallow characters and formulaic "rebel punks vs. evil oppressor" plot I find the story engaging enough to enjoy the whole thing very much. And as it is said in the video the presentation is great, good enough not to mind the not so great script. Visually it's only surpassed by Akira and Wings Of Honneamise in the 80s.
I just watched this film again for the first time in a while. I originally had the old Central Park Media DVD from back in the day and didn't know how blurry it was until I got my first HD TV. A few years back, I upgraded to the Discotek DVD. It was less expensive than the blu ray and DVD works fine for me most of the time. I only even mention that because the DVD has gorgeous picture quality. I bet the blu ray looks amazing too. To be brief, I loved Venus Wars back on Sci Fi Channel and it was a genuine surprise in those days. There are definitely fair criticisms of the plot, pacing, and characters, things that are typical of squeezing a larger story into a feature film. Still, I came away from it liking the characters and enjoying the story it told. Yes, it felt like there was more to the story, like the film was just a chapter, but it also felt coherent and satisfying. I wasn't sure I was going to still like it, but I'm glad to say that I did. In an odd little coincidence, right before I watched Venus Wars this last time, I decided to watch Crusher Joe(movie) for a second time not realizing that Yasuhiko was the director of both films. I ended up enjoying Crusher Joe more this time than the first time I watched it.
I watched this for the first time last night and it's undoubtedly my favorite war movie of all time. I've never seen a movie that better exemplifies everything that makes a war movie great and gripping while also being incredibly entertaining. It's one of the most flawless productions I've ever seen and I can't believe it's not mentioned at least as much as Akira if not more, I don't understand why Akira became so known in the west but this didn't especially considering how much it played on cable channels in the 90s. And let me just say - I really freakin loved the live action sequences, they look cool and still hold just as much charm today as they did back then
I adore Venus Wars. It was part of the first crop ok UK releases by Manga Video in the early 90s. I used to get my grandmother to rent these videos because I was far too young.
I think it's hilarious that the average kid on RUclips today has a better recording setup than the people who dubbed these things do. I definitely remember all the old SciFi Channel Saturday morning anime, and this was definitely one of them. This, Dominion Tank Police ("Oh, my poor Bonaparte!" she's now stuck in your head and I'm not sorry), that really weird Lensman anime, Galaxy Express 999, and a couple of others. So many memories of amazing animation with lousy dubbing. 😄
Ive got the new Sentai Film works bluray release which uses the new remaster. Its never looked better. They dont have many copies left on their online store. Get your copy asap. Also Arion is getting released on remastered bluray from Discotek media in the US. Cant wait to get it
@@GreenTygur Yes it does, its the only dub thats been done for the release. You can snag a regular edition copy from sentai film works website. If the dub hadnt been included that's no reason to not own it. Especially since its subbed you can still watch and enjoy the release.
This is one of the first anime movies I ever watched back in the day! This is one of my top 3 faves and what got me hooked on full-feature anime movies. I have been a fan ever since! I wish more of their anime films from the '80s and '90s were dubbed. into English, I would never run out of things to watch. 1. Dominion Tank Police: The OG English dub. directors cut. (My friend Wayne suggested this movie to be my first full-feature anime film to watch after discovering they were a thing.) 2. Guyver: OG English dub. directors cut. (I don't think all the OG Guyver story Ark was ever finished either. After he came out of the egg cacoon the sires just stopped and I was sad.) 3. Venus Wars: OG English dub. (Good story, I just wish there was more movies about this story Ark!)
I hope you eventually cover Arion and violence jack, however I can’t lie when I say anime from this particular era gives me nightmares. Devilman ovas would be better BUT THE EDGE😂
I don't think Venus Wars is a bad anime at all. I think it's story's fine. I always hated some of the goofball characters in the gang, but most of them are alright. Visually speaking, it's a masterpiece. It's only because we're such a cynical, jaded, hyper nit-picky society that we can only begin to think of something like Venus Wars as bad. *Cough* Ben The Sage.
I've never heard the english dub in my life, omg I hate it. Venus Wars will forever be dear to my heart, one of my early VHS rentals that stuck forever. I ride an electric unicycle because of this movie
See l love it for the reasons why you say people hate it. The characters are natural more real than the evil ones in other anime like Akira. Those are too over the top. Here we have more common people and the feel is real not pushed to make believe. Thats the charm in this movie and the mood of the animation is also it's strength. The dreariness of the environment, the light all create a real mood. It's missing in those polished anime like gundam and macross, although the movie was much better than the series. Maybe people like over the top characters but I don't necessarily think so. l found this one relatable and felt more realism in the characters than Akira.
Honestly a lot of the story problems come from changes from the original manga. The part this movie adapted was supposed to be a tragedy but the movie opted for a happy ending instead. I'd highly recommend reading it, as a biased Yas fan lol
There is probably A LOT we don't directly know about this production. But it has MAJOR "interference" fingerprints all over it. This isn't as obvious if you don't know the manga (or really mostly Vol 1. Vol 2 is an Ishtar story). Lots of money? check. "Star" who had never done voice work before? (and never would again) check. (Seriously, my non-Japanese-speaking friends have pointed out how flat Hiro is in delivery). A manga that is sort of a "war in the age of the UN" Heinlein juvenile, instead of a "War is bad kids" after school special that the movie became? For that matter a manga that has.. No Susan. Her role is taken by an Earth (here read UN) observer. No Will, and Hiro (or to use the English Manga name, Ken) signs up as a bike-gunner BEFORE the invasion starts (though he doesn't enlist). No Gary (the Commandos are a couple years older and Miranda is THE BOSS). LIEUTENANT Kurtz. Hiro's CO is a mirror of what he could have been (and roughly the same age), and is trying to find his feet being "the leader" (he's still a great pilot). No stupid glorious last-minute victory. Aphrodita survives, but its government is taken over by a cult, and most of the second half of the story is a refugee train trying to get clear. Oh, and no stupid gay-stereotype (someone wanted to protect our lead's bono-fides?). Over at Ani-zone 23 we're looking at this as something that got out of Yaz's control early and only shows off his talent (the "co-writing" credit should be a red Flag). It's not a BAD after-school special (it looks really good and the Moebius-style bikes are pretty neat). But it has executive meddling fingerprints all over it (trying to do Akira for the 13-14 crowd of "new Human beings").
I've watched two reviews from this channel so far and you sir have my respect and you have definitely earned my subscription because even though I'll be turning 41 years old this year I am an old anime fan at heart and I think how you did a fair and balanced analysis on this anime and why so many people enjoy it to begin with while addressing the obvious problems the film has. You are an intelligent underrated gem of a channel and I sincerely hope more and more people subscribe to you. I think you summed it up pretty well, in that the film is an easy enjoyable watch just on animation, look, style, music and action set pieces even if the characters are hard to handle. This is one of the reasons why I love the anime so much is because it is a beautifully animated action movie which is one of the reasons why I hold the movie in such high regard with regards to my own individual taste because I've watched too many reviews on this anime that find no redeemable factors about it , yet all my old school anime friends love this film and it's great to watch a review that emphasizes why so many people have and can enjoy this film to begin with. This is a film that I can never get sick and tired of watching it because in my eyes it's like a futuristic red dawn and my enjoyment of a lot of older anime is really based on how action packed it is. I don't overly look for a deep enthralling experience, I just want to be entertained and this anime is a perfect example of keeping me entertained even if it doesn't have the best cast or the best story.
I really like the way he ended it. That last sentence really says a lot. However, I disagree with him on putting this movie on in the background and not watching it closely. This is high art. Nearly every scene of it has so much character and beauty and detail. It deserves your full attention.
You ought to watch it subbed at least once. Even from the clips the video has shown of the dub, i can sadly say many of the changes were for the worse.
Even with all the problems of the narrative, there's a really good story in there. It just needed to worked on for a few drafts. Past that, I still liked VW a lot.
24:20 she is supposed to show how evil the villain is... and yet he spares her, all he does is scare her, then sends her away, unhurt, and obviously lets her go...
I havent watched Venus Wars but the description of good and bad kinda applies to Yaz' other anime Giant Gorg.....I enjoyed the fun story and adventure but at the same time...characters were just kinda genetic aside from 1-2 of them.
Hold up 😅 Her name was Susan Summers 🤣 Suzanne Summers. This man put Suzanne Summers from Three's Company in his anime, and I'm just realizing that after so many years. 😂
25:40 " the kind of anime you let playing on the background while doing someting else" !!! AH AH AHAHAH !!! MAN !! Do you realize how on point that quote is ? Do you realize how accurate it is ? This is PRECISELY what I was doing when I was a kid. I did not really pay attention to the story but I was just enjoying the nice animations. Those days : no youtube and no netflix. When there were no good show on tv, i was putting Venus Wars on the background to just have a presence. ah ah !
I remember a younger anime fan introduce this to me in the 90s. I just couldn't stand how ridiculous the mono bike is and the characters but the kid who introduced this to me likes it so much >_
Susan was slightly less irritating in the Japanese version, mostly because of the terrible script, and Eriko Hara, who also did Patty in _Gall Force,_ had a better voice (yet even Patty was a character Gall Force seemed to have no idea what to do since she was the blandest of the seven and I still can't pin down what her personality was). At 21:57, she wasn't spouting that in the Japanese version, all she said was "Maybe I'm just some crummy Terran...but you can't...you can't..." showing how she really was worried about Will getting killed instead of some dumb thing I'd expect to hear from wacko on Twitter or something. But I laugh at 22:57, she sounds like a mouse getting trodden on, and I even laugh at 17:29, that's like a TF2 taunt. 😝 And while I do like this movie...Chris is definitely a problematic element to where they actually removed Chris' offensive scenes when they aired it on Sci Fi back then from what I heard (even had an AIDS joke, and 18:28 used to be offensive in that context), that's how little he actually contributes to the plot (I actually uploaded an edited version of the subbed version on Bitchute) and it stains the film greatly and makes me question Yasuhiko a bit, unless he had nothing to do with it (I don't remember Chris being in the manga). And please, somebody tell me, *why the heck does he have a Southern accent in the dub at **18:54**?* Offensive stereotypes and unfunny spank-bank joke aside, the idea of an openly gay man saying things like that in the Deep South/Bible Belt in the late 1980s/early 1990s would have been completely unheard of!! 😵💫 I'm sure the manga is far better, probably the sole reason for the flaws is they compressed what was like one arc of that manga into one film (but I'm not sure about that as Susan wasn't in the manga and her story feels like there's pieces/scenes missing, maybe if she had a partner who was like a rival journalist it would have helped), and you can't beat Yoshikazu Yasuhiko's art though, I'd frame any of his paintings on my bedroom wall. But sadly, the manga's unfinished (even ending on a low note), due to Yasuhiko temporarily retiring after the film bombed, and whilst he returned to do the _Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin_ manga, (and even did one on the story of Jesus of all things, with its protagonist looking like Amuro in Biblical times), he never finished _Venus Wars,_ being unable to bring himself to face the property again. 😢 Ironically enough, based on the phrase "good performer", Hiro's Japanese seiyuu, Katsuhide Uekusa, actually is a pop idol, although this was the only anime he's ever starred in, probably because of his idol status, and listening to it, Uekusa is a much better singer than he is a seiyuu; his acting here is wooden and he struggles to emote properly.
I think that so many people unfairly review this movie because they don't understand how to frame it, which is something that the movie unfortunately sets itself up for; it doesn't seem to shoot for any particular demographic of people. When I look at Venus Wars, the prime demographic is young people ages 15-20. Maybe even something shorter like 15-18. People that are able to put themselves in that age range mindset would also be able to relate to the movie but that won't be many. I say this because the essence of this movie is about young people that just want to be free but are stuck in the world of adults that ruin everything . Nevertheless, young people still retain hope and a generally optimistic view on the future and will still attempt to do extraordinary things. Young people will easily be able to identify with the mostly young cast while those that would review this movie will be out of the demographic and therefore frame it incorrectly. It would be like watching a movie set in WW II but not putting your mindset in that time in history and then blame the movie for your confusion. Furthermore, even the prime demographic (15-20) may not all relate to the movie since kids even in the late 80's would have a hard time putting themselves in the shoes of kids who deal with war. This movie attempts to give an action experience to a specific group of people and I believe it knocks it out of the park. But unfortunately if you watch this movie and are 21 or over you will no longer have the sense of wonder and energy of that of a young person so you will not have the same experience. And unfortunately you can only blame the movie for that since its scope is so small to get the most enjoyment out of it. I myself happened to first watch this movie at the perfect age of 17 and it has stayed with me for decades and I always go back to it for the wonderful memories and inspiration it has provided me.
Yes. you are supposed to be irritated by her. But with most people , she still has a good side. I think she was a well developed character. You see her strengths and weaknesses.
people like you criticize works of genius based on a lack of conformity to standardized plot conventions and beats and it annoys me. My appreciation of films like Akira would not be enhanced by breaking them apart and remolding to a more balanced 3 arc structure with strict adherence to some academically agreed standard of what qualities a character should possess is particular quantity. Not ereything needs to be star wars. Its about communicating feeling, a sense of truth and authenticity, and an escalating crescendo of emotion and memory exploded thru this fantastical lens. It's not all in artificial service of a plot to keep your brain entertained and distracted for the next five seconds. These are my thoughts and opinions. Beyond that, you make some excellent points about the decline in animation quality. Different strokes. keep on truckin'.
After watching this it's clear that you watched this dubbed not subbed so I'll just say this regarding the dub - every scene you showed in this review had arguably significant changes to the script in the dub but even if it didn't it still sounds much worse than the sub which would probably make a significant impact on how you view the characters considering someone's voice and accent/mannerisms is one of if not the most important part of their character. Watching it with much worse voice acting is bound to create a negative impression compared to the much more expensive original subbed version with the original voice acting and script. You should rewatch the film subbed to make sure it actually matches what you saw in the dubbed version.
yeah its flawed but i still love it tho. the soundtrack and animation alone make it most watch also its the first and only anime soundtrack i went way out of the way to get.
man, i have a real soft spot for the shitty dub on this one, too. i remember finding a copy in a on cue in spencer iowa back when you had to scour the VHS sections of stores for the one or two anime tapes they might have
Well shit, another animated movie that I watched in our German TV. Trash channel VOX really had everything back in the day, it seems. At least I liked this one better than M. D. Geist
"Instead it's more about working-class punks being grunts in the military"... Yeah, you mean, like the manga? Because that's what's happened. So your argument is not valid there.
@@Spirit_Chaser I think it's because it's the writing is so average, there's not much to say or elaborate on. If something is really good or extremely bad, then there's lots to say since it leaves a big impression.
With you reviewing big-budget anime films from the 80s that were utter bombs at the box office, it's only a matter of time before you tackle the monstrosity that is Odin: Photon Space Sailer Starlight. I have a high tolerance for bad anime, and even /I/ Couldn't make it through the movie without fast-forwarding.
I bet Venus Wars failed simply because of the strong western association of "Venus" with womanhood, which makes it sound like an explicit movie. A western English localizer with strong creative control might have been able to convince them to rename the anime for NA and EU. Even "Battle on Venus" would have been better.
I don't think that is the explaination, in the late 80's, the profitability of a movie or OVA was entirely done in Japan, The West had an endless amount of anime they could buy dirt cheap because those anime's had no purpose anymore, their explotation time in Japan was already done. It bombed in Japan but I don't know why as it is to me on my top tiers list of best anime from that era. (I would even rather watch Venus wars than Akira), it is sad that YAS ended his career because of that
@@stefanswiss3760 Actually, it most likely bombed because it had to compete with _Kiki's Delivery Service_ as both premiered in theaters in July 1989 (and _Little Nemo_ which also was a competitor flopped at the time), and audiences in Japan were too busy watching Kiki.
Susan's just a Lois Lane. Trust me. That's all she is. Even if you look up the history of the character, it'll show her as a scoop hungry journalist that'll stop at nothing to get her story...even at the cost of her life.
It sounds like Hiro is an Everyman Protagonist, which at least to me, is almost never a good thing. Nothing wrong with Everyman characters, but using them as protagonists creates a character with not only basic looks, but a boring, neutral personality too. There's a reason I love Twilight Sparkle in MLP G4, and dislike Sunny Starscout in G5. Both protags, but Sunny is an Everyman, Twilight is not.
I'm gonna try something here. It might not work, but... *In the Defense of Susan Sommers*
She's the type of opportunistic journalist who rolls into a war zone without truly considering that she herself could die. She views everything through the lens of her camera, which makes it less real. This gives her the luxury of treating her situation with recklessness, while also trying to convince (or goad) others to do the same. It's only after Will dies that reality sinks in. With the sudden reality check, she has the realization that she has been encouraging people to go fight in a war they would die in, and one of those people was a lover. At this epiphany, she loses it and goes on an assassination attempt to end the war by targeting the man she sees as responsible for it all, but she's too untrained to pull it off, panicking and leaving the safety on.
The above is a logical explanation of the character's actions and motivations. What follows is pure speculation. They didn't kill her outright because, as a high profile off-worlder journalist, she could be more valuable as a hostage, possibly to trade back to earth in exchange for political prisoners from Venus. Eventually, after the general dies, plans fall apart, things get disorganized, and large numbers of prisoners escape. She was one of them, and eventually made her way to the refugee camps with the rest of the prisoners, and then eventually back to earth.
I absolutely love this anime. I love EVERYTHING about it. The animation. The artwork. The soundtrack. The final battle. I've bought it three times. I bought the manga.
I own the tape, the DVD, some of the manga and am possibly on my way to owning the Blu-ray or digital.
First anime I ever owned on vhs, flaws or not I bloody love this film, yasuhikos designs just sing, he’s my fave designer
This anime is sooooo underrated!!! 80´s and 90's anime will always be the best looking anime. It felt so raw, I've tried watching new anime and It just doesn't work for me really. Love your channel, man. Found it last night and have been bingeing all the classical reviews. Love the historical/societal/economical background you add to give those movies some context!
New subscriber indeed.
So true, o so true, anime now, is not the same
I don't mean to trash them too much, but they're not capable of making an anime like this today. Edge Runners may be a great show, but it was supposed to be some sort of gritty cyberpunk, yet it didn't really look like it. This movie was filthy and decrepit and shitty, but absolutely beautiful at the same time. The whole movie was like that. It's just not possible for them to do anime like this anymore.
Old anime is better than new anime. You got a new sub buddy
Im high agreement, the old animes were better.
It's not just the stunning hand drawn and hand painted animation either. There was something culturally different about the anime from back then.
@@Strideo1 it was less high school bullshit for sure
Can’t wait until he covers Legend of Galactic Heroes.
@@Strideo1 agreed. I try to check out what’s new out there but it doesn’t look appealing. Also old school anime had better story telling. It’s like they had creative imagination compared to todays anime
I agree with you with how it's a shame some anime these days don't really feel like they capture the same kind of detail that anime from this era had. and ouch do I feel bad for the MHA and Bakugo fans who saw you use that clip of him to describe how even his explosions (or rather the animation that went into his explosion) be described as clean compared to what came before.
Thank you for the balanced review.
So many RUclips reviewers (and certain specific ones) can be so hyperbolic and extreme.
A flawed but pretty damn good anime.
Just discovered your channel and working through your backlog. Great stuff! Keep em coming!
Also...that final battle is my favorite battle in anything ever. A giant tank vs a motocycle. with a mounted anti-tank canon. It's a David vs Goliath Battle Fortress vs Glass Canon. The scene is just incredible.
Seriously I was literally at the edge of my seat breathless during that final battle which I never do watching a movie. This movie made me feel things almost nothing else has it's it will forever mystify me why it isn't one of the biggest anime movies of all time, at least as big as Akira
I remember watching this on scifi channel on a Saturday morning. I thought it was awesome. It was one of my first animes.
Venus Wars is one of the best animations ever. The soundtrack is brilliant, and my personal favourite of Joe Hisaishis. I think Miranda is really mothering over hero and Suzanne Summers is intended to be an annoying sassy diva. I absolutely love this film.
Yep. This reviewer didn't talk at all about the incredible soundtrack.
Make sure to pick up the new fully remastered Bluray release from sentai film works. Hands down the best the film has ever looked, very crisp and clean.
@@GreenTygur He did praise the soundtrack and pointed out it was from Joe Hisaishi. Not sure if you missed it or if you meant you wanted him to talk about the soundtrack more.
@@Strideo1 I share this comment's enthusiasm (its a reason i ride an electric unicycle) but one line about the music doesn't do justice.
Too bad everything else falls flat.
I love your reviews so much! I feel like they should be so much more popular
This movie has and still is a huge inspiration for me as an artist. I think it still looks fantastic. I borrowed this from a friend on VHS and used to watch it over and over while drawing.
I mean the Akira movie was made before the manga was finished, it even helped allow for some prototyping for the manga
This is one of my all time favorites! I was stoked when they released the blu ray, and had wondered for years why none of my artist peers or anime buddies never talked about it or brought it up. Venus Wars will always have a special place in my heart, it was one of the first animes I had in '91. A teacher dubbed, Char's Counter Attack, Project A-KO on to one VHS tape and Cyber City OEDO and Venus Wars on another VHS and I had them shits all the way through college lol I've been watching a lot of the videos you have on some of these titles so it's interesting to see the perspective of a younger viewer who is watching these after being more immersed in contemporary anime (well, I guess by standards 3 years ago). Either way, I'm digging your channel!
Its a bummer that this movie's failure was such a blow to the guy because everything else I've seen from him is dope. Giant Gorg and Crusher Joe are fantastic. Honestly, might just revisit Venus Wars because I love his character designs so much.
Venus Wars is a sort of guilty pleasure of mine, I love the animation and the setting.
Same here. It also came put at a time when warhammer 40k and Epic 40k were kicking off. The huge mega tanks from 40k like the baseblade and shadowsword were amazing designs. Seeing them animated like this was was the best part for me. My next favorite part is when the reporter chick Busts out those fresh packs cigarettes from earth. That reminded me a lot of when I was in the marines
Why guilty though??
@@Laidengizer011 'Cos story's shit mate.
And that's coming from someone who had his parents rent the VHS so often that they just gave up and bought him a copy in the early '90s!
@@Amanojaku8 That's the common thing people say, but I don't see what's so wrong with it. It just seems like a very normal, run-of-the-mill storyline. Really not bad. And obviously, the visuals are just of the highest caliber. People are just being snobby
You pretty much feel about this movie as I do. I first watched it back around 95 or 96 on the sci-fi channel and something about it just really stood out to me. I didn't know its name for around a decade. I would constantly ask fellow anime fans if they'd ever seen a movie with a kid on a motorcycle going up a wall. It for sure has a lot of flaws, but as you said, its strengths more than make up for them. I ended up buying a DVD copy around the mid aughts, but I loaned it to a friend and never got it back. Thankfully, I got a blu-ray copy a few years ago. I recently saw that another blu-ray edition has been released, but I'm fairly sure that the English dub has been changed, so I'm not that interested in it. Chances are that I'll eventually buy it anyway because of the different artwork. Great video. It touched upon what I already knew and appreciate about Venus Wars, but it also taught me new things.
Thankyou I rented this with my sister in the late 90s and been trying to remember the name for almost 20 years
Love this anime and it doesn't get enough credit.
I read some of the director's manga and his art is really something
One of my favorite movies from the end of the bubble era, the blu rays are also absolutely beautiful.im also not surprised the animation during this era was absolutely responsible for ending that golden age
Even though you made a reference to BennetttheSage, I think you handled this anime (and by extension Susan) a whole lot better than he did.
I agree.
Agreed
That's because Ben's shtick is being really negative and insulting. He's funny a lot of times, but I think he's way too hard on anime much of the time. He just sort of took one of his big stupid dumps on this great film. And for what???
Welp that would explain why I always thought Venus Wars reminded me a lot of UC Gundam, both in tone and artstyle. I'll have to look up more of Yas' stuff.
Agreed... Over 30 years later, I don't remember what the plot was. I just remembered it being cool.
Thanks for this very well made video tribute. Have immediately subscribed to your channel. I adore Venus Wars. It was one of my first anime I bought on VHS and despite the shallow characters and formulaic "rebel punks vs. evil oppressor" plot I find the story engaging enough to enjoy the whole thing very much. And as it is said in the video the presentation is great, good enough not to mind the not so great script. Visually it's only surpassed by Akira and Wings Of Honneamise in the 80s.
I remember owning this on VHS
6:46 *Sniff* I miss them. They were a fun bunch.
I just watched this film again for the first time in a while. I originally had the old Central Park Media DVD from back in the day and didn't know how blurry it was until I got my first HD TV. A few years back, I upgraded to the Discotek DVD. It was less expensive than the blu ray and DVD works fine for me most of the time. I only even mention that because the DVD has gorgeous picture quality. I bet the blu ray looks amazing too. To be brief, I loved Venus Wars back on Sci Fi Channel and it was a genuine surprise in those days. There are definitely fair criticisms of the plot, pacing, and characters, things that are typical of squeezing a larger story into a feature film. Still, I came away from it liking the characters and enjoying the story it told. Yes, it felt like there was more to the story, like the film was just a chapter, but it also felt coherent and satisfying. I wasn't sure I was going to still like it, but I'm glad to say that I did.
In an odd little coincidence, right before I watched Venus Wars this last time, I decided to watch Crusher Joe(movie) for a second time not realizing that Yasuhiko was the director of both films. I ended up enjoying Crusher Joe more this time than the first time I watched it.
I watched this for the first time last night and it's undoubtedly my favorite war movie of all time. I've never seen a movie that better exemplifies everything that makes a war movie great and gripping while also being incredibly entertaining. It's one of the most flawless productions I've ever seen and I can't believe it's not mentioned at least as much as Akira if not more, I don't understand why Akira became so known in the west but this didn't especially considering how much it played on cable channels in the 90s.
And let me just say - I really freakin loved the live action sequences, they look cool and still hold just as much charm today as they did back then
It's amazing how you can talk about so-so anime and make them sound like the most important cultural milestones!
you earned a sub buddy your vids are a welcome trip down memory lane
I adore Venus Wars. It was part of the first crop ok UK releases by Manga Video in the early 90s. I used to get my grandmother to rent these videos because I was far too young.
I’ve just found my new favourite RUclips Channel, thanks!
Hell yeah, Venus wars slaps
nice to find some hollow, like Kaiserbeamz still appreciates pen, pencil drawn anime ;3
Tomino also created/directed Zambot 3
I love this anime. The positives and negatives that I hear about this movie sounds almost identical to why people hate or love Zack Snyder films.
I think it's hilarious that the average kid on RUclips today has a better recording setup than the people who dubbed these things do. I definitely remember all the old SciFi Channel Saturday morning anime, and this was definitely one of them. This, Dominion Tank Police ("Oh, my poor Bonaparte!" she's now stuck in your head and I'm not sorry), that really weird Lensman anime, Galaxy Express 999, and a couple of others. So many memories of amazing animation with lousy dubbing. 😄
I like the colors of anime back then...
Ive got the new Sentai Film works bluray release which uses the new remaster. Its never looked better. They dont have many copies left on their online store. Get your copy asap. Also Arion is getting released on remastered bluray from Discotek media in the US. Cant wait to get it
Does the Sentai Film works use the original English dub from the U.S. Manga corps? If not , then hard pass.
@@GreenTygur Yes it does, its the only dub thats been done for the release. You can snag a regular edition copy from sentai film works website. If the dub hadnt been included that's no reason to not own it. Especially since its subbed you can still watch and enjoy the release.
This is one of the first anime movies I ever watched back in the day! This is one of my top 3 faves and what got me hooked on full-feature anime movies. I have been a fan ever since! I wish more of their anime films from the '80s and '90s were dubbed. into English, I would never run out of things to watch.
1. Dominion Tank Police: The OG English dub. directors cut. (My friend Wayne suggested this movie to be my first full-feature anime film to watch after discovering they were a thing.)
2. Guyver: OG English dub. directors cut. (I don't think all the OG Guyver story Ark was ever finished either. After he came out of the egg cacoon the sires just stopped and I was sad.)
3. Venus Wars: OG English dub. (Good story, I just wish there was more movies about this story Ark!)
dammmmn ! now thats a channel opening !
Heil Honey, I'm Home is legitimately hilarious. Underrated.
I hope you eventually cover Arion and violence jack, however I can’t lie when I say anime from this particular era gives me nightmares. Devilman ovas would be better BUT THE EDGE😂
Not to spoil too much for what's ahead, but stay tuned for October.
Your videos are so wholesome
I don't think Venus Wars is a bad anime at all. I think it's story's fine. I always hated some of the goofball characters in the gang, but most of them are alright. Visually speaking, it's a masterpiece. It's only because we're such a cynical, jaded, hyper nit-picky society that we can only begin to think of something like Venus Wars as bad. *Cough* Ben The Sage.
14:45 That wordplay is pure GOLD!
Susan sounds like the first English Dubbed voice of Berthier/Bertie from DiC's 1995 Sailor Moon dub.
I've never heard the english dub in my life, omg I hate it.
Venus Wars will forever be dear to my heart, one of my early VHS rentals that stuck forever.
I ride an electric unicycle because of this movie
See l love it for the reasons why you say people hate it. The characters are natural more real than the evil ones in other anime like Akira. Those are too over the top. Here we have more common people and the feel is real not pushed to make believe. Thats the charm in this movie and the mood of the animation is also it's strength. The dreariness of the environment, the light all create a real mood. It's missing in those polished anime like gundam and macross, although the movie was much better than the series. Maybe people like over the top characters but I don't necessarily think so. l found this one relatable and felt more realism in the characters than Akira.
Ah I love this anime. Also Armitage 111
20:12 Um...... 🎵Springtime for Hitler and Germany......🎵
Sachiko also did the character designs of Arslan Senki. Her designs were the absolute best, far better than the remake.
Just here in 2023 to comment that Susan Summers is the most accurate depiction of a journalist ever put to film.
Amen! Journalists are garbage humans.
Honestly a lot of the story problems come from changes from the original manga. The part this movie adapted was supposed to be a tragedy but the movie opted for a happy ending instead. I'd highly recommend reading it, as a biased Yas fan lol
Only seen the Scifi Edition but I love that one.
There is probably A LOT we don't directly know about this production. But it has MAJOR "interference" fingerprints all over it. This isn't as obvious if you don't know the manga (or really mostly Vol 1. Vol 2 is an Ishtar story). Lots of money? check. "Star" who had never done voice work before? (and never would again) check. (Seriously, my non-Japanese-speaking friends have pointed out how flat Hiro is in delivery). A manga that is sort of a "war in the age of the UN" Heinlein juvenile, instead of a "War is bad kids" after school special that the movie became? For that matter a manga that has..
No Susan. Her role is taken by an Earth (here read UN) observer.
No Will, and Hiro (or to use the English Manga name, Ken) signs up as a bike-gunner BEFORE the invasion starts (though he doesn't enlist).
No Gary (the Commandos are a couple years older and Miranda is THE BOSS).
LIEUTENANT Kurtz. Hiro's CO is a mirror of what he could have been (and roughly the same age), and is trying to find his feet being "the leader" (he's still a great pilot).
No stupid glorious last-minute victory. Aphrodita survives, but its government is taken over by a cult, and most of the second half of the story is a refugee train trying to get clear.
Oh, and no stupid gay-stereotype (someone wanted to protect our lead's bono-fides?).
Over at Ani-zone 23 we're looking at this as something that got out of Yaz's control early and only shows off his talent (the "co-writing" credit should be a red Flag). It's not a BAD after-school special (it looks really good and the Moebius-style bikes are pretty neat). But it has executive meddling fingerprints all over it (trying to do Akira for the 13-14 crowd of "new Human beings").
I've watched two reviews from this channel so far and you sir have my respect and you have definitely earned my subscription because even though I'll be turning 41 years old this year I am an old anime fan at heart and I think how you did a fair and balanced analysis on this anime and why so many people enjoy it to begin with while addressing the obvious problems the film has.
You are an intelligent underrated gem of a channel and I sincerely hope more and more people subscribe to you.
I think you summed it up pretty well, in that the film is an easy enjoyable watch just on animation, look, style, music and action set pieces even if the characters are hard to handle. This is one of the reasons why I love the anime so much is because it is a beautifully animated action movie which is one of the reasons why I hold the movie in such high regard with regards to my own individual taste because I've watched too many reviews on this anime that find no redeemable factors about it , yet all my old school anime friends love this film and it's great to watch a review that emphasizes why so many people have and can enjoy this film to begin with.
This is a film that I can never get sick and tired of watching it because in my eyes it's like a futuristic red dawn and my enjoyment of a lot of older anime is really based on how action packed it is. I don't overly look for a deep enthralling experience, I just want to be entertained and this anime is a perfect example of keeping me entertained even if it doesn't have the best cast or the best story.
6:46 Wow, DesuDesu Brigade, that's a name I havent heard in a long time.
Arkada is the only one from that group who is still active as far as I know.
I really like the way he ended it. That last sentence really says a lot. However, I disagree with him on putting this movie on in the background and not watching it closely. This is high art. Nearly every scene of it has so much character and beauty and detail. It deserves your full attention.
You ought to watch it subbed at least once. Even from the clips the video has shown of the dub, i can sadly say many of the changes were for the worse.
Yo who else hears the freedom planet soundtrack in this review at 7:42 because that is amazing
'WAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAH!'
'Shut that kid up!'
Pretty clicked because of Venus Wars
Wonder what folks' thoughts are on the 2021 Sentai redub of this...
Even with all the problems of the narrative, there's a really good story in there. It just needed to worked on for a few drafts.
Past that, I still liked VW a lot.
the bad bits don't make it bad, just stop it from being too good
wasnt ready for long haired gihren zabi lol
24:20 she is supposed to show how evil the villain is... and yet he spares her, all he does is scare her, then sends her away, unhurt, and obviously lets her go...
what a nice fella
@@recs5685 mostly pointing out that the scene kind of completely fails at showing how evil he is, which is supposed to be the point of the scene.
@@Maioly I know, I was adding to your comment, not being sarcastic. At least not in the way you're thinking.
@@recs5685 you never know with this hellsite if its sarcastic or not :P
@@Maioly true that
I havent watched Venus Wars but the description of good and bad kinda applies to Yaz' other anime Giant Gorg.....I enjoyed the fun story and adventure but at the same time...characters were just kinda genetic aside from 1-2 of them.
Hold up 😅 Her name was Susan Summers 🤣 Suzanne Summers. This man put Suzanne Summers from Three's Company in his anime, and I'm just realizing that after so many years. 😂
25:40 " the kind of anime you let playing on the background while doing someting else" !!! AH AH AHAHAH !!! MAN !!
Do you realize how on point that quote is ? Do you realize how accurate it is ? This is PRECISELY what I was doing when I was a kid. I did not really pay attention to the story but I was just enjoying the nice animations. Those days : no youtube and no netflix. When there were no good show on tv, i was putting Venus Wars on the background to just have a presence. ah ah !
Shut that kid up.
I remember a younger anime fan introduce this to me in the 90s. I just couldn't stand how ridiculous the mono bike is and the characters but the kid who introduced this to me likes it so much >_
Susan was slightly less irritating in the Japanese version, mostly because of the terrible script, and Eriko Hara, who also did Patty in _Gall Force,_ had a better voice (yet even Patty was a character Gall Force seemed to have no idea what to do since she was the blandest of the seven and I still can't pin down what her personality was). At 21:57, she wasn't spouting that in the Japanese version, all she said was "Maybe I'm just some crummy Terran...but you can't...you can't..." showing how she really was worried about Will getting killed instead of some dumb thing I'd expect to hear from wacko on Twitter or something. But I laugh at 22:57, she sounds like a mouse getting trodden on, and I even laugh at 17:29, that's like a TF2 taunt. 😝
And while I do like this movie...Chris is definitely a problematic element to where they actually removed Chris' offensive scenes when they aired it on Sci Fi back then from what I heard (even had an AIDS joke, and 18:28 used to be offensive in that context), that's how little he actually contributes to the plot (I actually uploaded an edited version of the subbed version on Bitchute) and it stains the film greatly and makes me question Yasuhiko a bit, unless he had nothing to do with it (I don't remember Chris being in the manga). And please, somebody tell me, *why the heck does he have a Southern accent in the dub at **18:54**?* Offensive stereotypes and unfunny spank-bank joke aside, the idea of an openly gay man saying things like that in the Deep South/Bible Belt in the late 1980s/early 1990s would have been completely unheard of!! 😵💫
I'm sure the manga is far better, probably the sole reason for the flaws is they compressed what was like one arc of that manga into one film (but I'm not sure about that as Susan wasn't in the manga and her story feels like there's pieces/scenes missing, maybe if she had a partner who was like a rival journalist it would have helped), and you can't beat Yoshikazu Yasuhiko's art though, I'd frame any of his paintings on my bedroom wall. But sadly, the manga's unfinished (even ending on a low note), due to Yasuhiko temporarily retiring after the film bombed, and whilst he returned to do the _Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin_ manga, (and even did one on the story of Jesus of all things, with its protagonist looking like Amuro in Biblical times), he never finished _Venus Wars,_ being unable to bring himself to face the property again. 😢
Ironically enough, based on the phrase "good performer", Hiro's Japanese seiyuu, Katsuhide Uekusa, actually is a pop idol, although this was the only anime he's ever starred in, probably because of his idol status, and listening to it, Uekusa is a much better singer than he is a seiyuu; his acting here is wooden and he struggles to emote properly.
I think that so many people unfairly review this movie because they don't understand how to frame it, which is something that the movie unfortunately sets itself up for; it doesn't seem to shoot for any particular demographic of people. When I look at Venus Wars, the prime demographic is young people ages 15-20. Maybe even something shorter like 15-18. People that are able to put themselves in that age range mindset would also be able to relate to the movie but that won't be many. I say this because the essence of this movie is about young people that just want to be free but are stuck in the world of adults that ruin everything . Nevertheless, young people still retain hope and a generally optimistic view on the future and will still attempt to do extraordinary things. Young people will easily be able to identify with the mostly young cast while those that would review this movie will be out of the demographic and therefore frame it incorrectly. It would be like watching a movie set in WW II but not putting your mindset in that time in history and then blame the movie for your confusion. Furthermore, even the prime demographic (15-20) may not all relate to the movie since kids even in the late 80's would have a hard time putting themselves in the shoes of kids who deal with war. This movie attempts to give an action experience to a specific group of people and I believe it knocks it out of the park. But unfortunately if you watch this movie and are 21 or over you will no longer have the sense of wonder and energy of that of a young person so you will not have the same experience. And unfortunately you can only blame the movie for that since its scope is so small to get the most enjoyment out of it. I myself happened to first watch this movie at the perfect age of 17 and it has stayed with me for decades and I always go back to it for the wonderful memories and inspiration it has provided me.
True originals will enjoy it at 40 too
And Susan Summers the reporter behaves like a young spoil millenial in fact I think she is the most realistic character compare to the youth of today.
Yes. you are supposed to be irritated by her. But with most people , she still has a good side. I think she was a well developed character. You see her strengths and weaknesses.
Miranda done so dirty by this anime. Genuinely feels like she should be the main protagonist for 60% of this dang thing.
I would like to ask if anyone knows the anime in intro in 0:16 where a girl backflip to the statue of Liberty?
Read or Die OVA
@@SpandanDash Thank you very much!!!!!
Is part 2 of that looney tunes video ever gonna come out?
Never really understood the hate. Other than it dragging a bit in the second act, it's a pretty, and compelling anime.
name intro??
people like you criticize works of genius based on a lack of conformity to standardized plot conventions and beats and it annoys me. My appreciation of films like Akira would not be enhanced by breaking them apart and remolding to a more balanced 3 arc structure with strict adherence to some academically agreed standard of what qualities a character should possess is particular quantity. Not ereything needs to be star wars. Its about communicating feeling, a sense of truth and authenticity, and an escalating crescendo of emotion and memory exploded thru this fantastical lens. It's not all in artificial service of a plot to keep your brain entertained and distracted for the next five seconds. These are my thoughts and opinions. Beyond that, you make some excellent points about the decline in animation quality. Different strokes. keep on truckin'.
Can you do the second part of the merrie history of looney tubes
Yah can you do the second part of the merrie history of looney tunes
After watching this it's clear that you watched this dubbed not subbed so I'll just say this regarding the dub - every scene you showed in this review had arguably significant changes to the script in the dub but even if it didn't it still sounds much worse than the sub which would probably make a significant impact on how you view the characters considering someone's voice and accent/mannerisms is one of if not the most important part of their character. Watching it with much worse voice acting is bound to create a negative impression compared to the much more expensive original subbed version with the original voice acting and script.
You should rewatch the film subbed to make sure it actually matches what you saw in the dubbed version.
yeah its flawed but i still love it tho. the soundtrack and animation alone make it most watch also its the first and only anime soundtrack i went way out of the way to get.
How is it flawed?
Kinda dumb yet visually appealing: also the reason I stayed with my crappy gf so long
If you watch the subtitled version instead of the horrible english dub, it's actually a much better movie.
man, i have a real soft spot for the shitty dub on this one, too. i remember finding a copy in a on cue in spencer iowa back when you had to scour the VHS sections of stores for the one or two anime tapes they might have
Will you review Five Star Monogatari?
Just curious...
Well shit, another animated movie that I watched in our German TV. Trash channel VOX really had everything back in the day, it seems. At least I liked this one better than M. D. Geist
"Instead it's more about working-class punks being grunts in the military"... Yeah, you mean, like the manga? Because that's what's happened. So your argument is not valid there.
So?.
Venus Wars: A pretty movie that has meh writing.
Meh how? No one ever seems to elaborate on this.
@@Spirit_Chaser I think it's because it's the writing is so average, there's not much to say or elaborate on. If something is really good or extremely bad, then there's lots to say since it leaves a big impression.
With you reviewing big-budget anime films from the 80s that were utter bombs at the box office, it's only a matter of time before you tackle the monstrosity that is Odin: Photon Space Sailer Starlight. I have a high tolerance for bad anime, and even /I/ Couldn't make it through the movie without fast-forwarding.
I bet Venus Wars failed simply because of the strong western association of "Venus" with womanhood, which makes it sound like an explicit movie. A western English localizer with strong creative control might have been able to convince them to rename the anime for NA and EU. Even "Battle on Venus" would have been better.
I don't think that is the explaination,
in the late 80's, the profitability of a movie or OVA was entirely done in Japan,
The West had an endless amount of anime they could buy dirt cheap because those anime's had no purpose anymore, their explotation time in Japan was already done.
It bombed in Japan but I don't know why as it is to me on my top tiers list of best anime from that era. (I would even rather watch Venus wars than Akira), it is sad that YAS ended his career because of that
@@stefanswiss3760 Actually, it most likely bombed because it had to compete with _Kiki's Delivery Service_ as both premiered in theaters in July 1989 (and _Little Nemo_ which also was a competitor flopped at the time), and audiences in Japan were too busy watching Kiki.
Old anime was better, but there we are cherry picking the best of the past and ignoring the dreck.
Susan's just a Lois Lane. Trust me. That's all she is. Even if you look up the history of the character, it'll show her as a scoop hungry journalist that'll stop at nothing to get her story...even at the cost of her life.
It sounds like Hiro is an Everyman Protagonist, which at least to me, is almost never a good thing.
Nothing wrong with Everyman characters, but using them as protagonists creates a character with not only basic looks, but a boring, neutral personality too.
There's a reason I love Twilight Sparkle in MLP G4, and dislike Sunny Starscout in G5. Both protags, but Sunny is an Everyman, Twilight is not.
ISHTAR MUST DIE THE DEATH! Also Venus Wars rules imo, the graphics anyways....