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[Box cover for the Cosmic Fantasy 4 video game.  Placeholder until I can rescan the Japanese release VHS cover.]
AKA: コズミック・ファンタジー 銀河女豹の罠 (Cosmic Fantasy Ginga Mehyo no Wana)
Genre: Science-fiction space action comedy
Length: OAV, 45 minutes
Distributor: Currently unlicensed in North America
Content Rating: PG-13 (nudity, sexual innuendo, off-color humor)
Related Series: N/A
Also Recommended: Galactic Pirates / The Enemy's the Pirates, Lost Universe
Notes: Based on the popular Turbografx / PC-Engine RPG series, the Cosmic Fantasy OAV is a side-story that takes place somewhere between the events of the second and third game.
Rating:

Cosmic Fantasy

Synopsis

[Yuu showing off the power of his sword.]

Yuu and Saya are two of the top Cosmic Hunters in the galaxy, and Yuu is enjoying a bit of fame after his most recent adventure. The two are on a date when they are interrupted from a distress signal from their "ally" (and we use this term loosely), the feline pervert Nyan. In the meantime, the space pirate Belga begins attacking space freighters in an attempt to lure out Yuu ... so she can take him to bed with her. (Seriously.) Of course, when he spurns her (he's already got a girlfriend, after all), she decides that if she can't have him, then no one can.


Review

[Saya is rather impressed.]

Remember those early '80s giant robot or superhero shows? Like Voltron and Superfriends? Add in loads of sexual innuendoes, feline mecha, and Lina Inverse-style magical powers, and you've got Cosmic Fantasy, which is fluffier than lemon meringue pie, and just as good, too.

This OAV is incredibly faithful to the spirit of the original RPG series, and it's beautifully animated, with well-paced action. Though the plot is thin, this OAV was never meant to be anything deep and engrossing. Neither was the game, for that matter. The point of this show is to have some fun with some familiar characters.

If you aren't familiar with the Cosmic Fantasy series, you may be a bit lost. Most of the in-jokes require you to have played at least one game, especially since they don't really bother to develop the characters much. It's easy to dismiss the characters as stereotypical when you haven't had time to familiarize yourself with them. And most American viewers don't have that experience, unless you were one of the few who bought a TurboGrafx-CD in the early '90s and played this little game put out by Working Designs (oddly enough, the first CD console role-playing game released in the US).

Fans of the games will be disappointed that not all the characters are in this. This OAV primarily revolves around Yuu and Saya - Nyan and Monmo have what amount to cameo roles, and Van and Babette (Rimu) don't even appear at all, save for the opening sequence. Apparently, this was meant to be the opening for a series, but, alas, that doesn't seem to have gone through. Which is a shame, as this is a really, really fun show that, though logic-bending at times (like Yuu's excessive usage of extremely powerful magic he's not supposed to have), is still quite entertaining.

Even the music is appropriately fruity. And remember - it's not Cosmic Fantasy if (1) Saya doesn't lose her clothes at least once, and (2) Nyan doesn't get anyone into trouble/compromising positions. Of course, we could've gone without knowing exactly where the gatling gun setting was on Belga's cat mecha... *big sweatdrop*

It's not going to make much sense except for fans of the RPG series, who can go ahead and add a star for good measure.Carlos/Giancarla Ross

Recommended Audience: The inclusion of fan service and off-color humor means that this is one for teens and up. Of course, this is based off a game series whose claim to fame was the then-risque bathing and shower scenes of the female characters, so this really isn't any surprise.



Version(s) Viewed: Japanese VHS
Review Status: Full (1/1)
Cosmic Fantasy © 1994 Ochi Kazuhiro / Telenet Japan
 
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