Search - Irresponsible Captain Tylor Ova Series Remastered DVD Collection on DVD

Pretty good, but get the TV show first

Percy Fish | Minnesota United States | 11/18/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Captain Tylor and the crew of the Soyokaze are back in this 10 episode sequel OVA, and almost as good as ever. One stand-alone story and nine interlocking episodes make up this collection, though there are several major differences between the TV series and the OVA. For one, aside from the stand alone episode on the first disk, only one of the episodes actually has the crew back on the Soyokaze: instead, much of the OVA details a period in which the crew is split up and assigned to planet side duty. Another major difference is the major change in tone, taking a more serious mood than the original show, which is too bad. The original series is most notable in its comedy, an aspect sadly lacking in most of these episodes.

The stand alone "An Exceptional Episode" OVA is the first real gem of this collection. In it, the captain accepts a mission from Admiral Mifune to take out the Raalgon's latest weapon. But Tylor's infamous luck has apparently run out and the entire crew is captured by the Raalgons, a certain death sentence. This episode is probably one of the funniest of the entire anime, tv show included, simply because of the interrogation scene of the crew by Captains Dome and Shia Has, and Tylor's confrontation with Prime Minister Wang. There are a couple uncomfortable moments as well, though, that can taint the episode because several of the characters almost seem, well, out of character. However, this is still a great episode, and is the primary content of the first disk.

The second and third disks are the main downside of the collection. They contain the first six of nine interlinked OVAs and with them comes a change in animation and character design, updating the characters' looks from the TV show. This update is an improvement in some ways but does take away some of the original's charm, especially in regards to Yuriko, who is made much more bland looking, and Tylor, who doesn't seem updated enough and looks even more like a 12 year old than before. The first three episodes revolve around minor characters Ensign Kojiro, Azylin, and the marines, who aren't really filled out enough on their own to make a satisfying view. And in a show titled The Irresponsible Captain Tylor, one would expect more of the titular character than a cameo or two in still photographs. The second three episodes are better, with Tylor even being a central character in one. Yuriko and Yamamoto make up the center of the other two, and having been better developed as characters during the course of the TV series, also make much more interesting focuses. These episodes also contain the most jarring tonal shift, though, and can create a sense of mood whiplash when taken in context of the whole. They also further set up an intriguing over arching plot of an increasing build for another war that in the fourth disk is brought into context.

The fourth disk, containing the two part "From Here to Eternity" story line, is the second reason to buy this set. The mood is still rather somber, but the story kicks into high gear, especially in the second part, which showcases both the political tension in the Raalgon Empire and in the UPSF. The tension builds to a crescendo in which all the characters are brought back and woven into a pretty awesome set up for a show which doesn't exist, because the fourth disk also contains the greatest disappointment of the series: the end thus far of said series. It has a cliff hanger-esque ending in which the various plot points are only resolved in the disk's liner notes.

This collection also offers some bonus content, including trailers for other shows and a schematic of the Soyokaze. The weirdest bonus is a set of 13 music videos using the music from the tv series and unique animation in the tv show's style. They don't connect to the plots of either the tv series or the OVA in any obvious way, though a couple of them seem to illustrate character motivations, maybe. The ones focusing on Yuriko and Tylor are the best, Yuriko's because it has a nice song, Tylor's because it's funny and fitting for his character. There are a couple that seem completely nonsensical and strange, especially "Tylorgar," in which Cryborg is apparently a super hero, but at least half of the videos are actually pretty boring. An interesting bonus, but nothing to get very excited about.

Still, I really enjoyed this collection for what it is. The first and final OVAs are really great, and the middle isn't so bad either if you like the characters enough, and that final climactic scene is, to me, an epic win that distills down what makes Tylor such an appealing show: a great ensemble cast with real emotional appeal."