\\Wild 7
While it is frequently brought up on this site that OVAs of the 90s often acted as advertisement for manga, and didn’t necessarily come to a satisfying conclusion, Wild 7 is definitely not a case of this. These two videos offer a concise, engaging look into the world of this classic manga. The show has a good sense of closure while at the same time leaving the viewer wanting more.It is based on a manga series that first came out in the 1960s. During that period in Japan, there was a lot more political unrest. Students and miners were protesting a government that was seen by some as highly corrupt. There were far more people who had their doubts how the country was being run and were quick to voice their opinions. It was very different from the far more harmonious veneer that Japan displays today. The manga tapped into this by assembling a squad of motorcycle cops where every member was a convicted felon. They were given the green light by the police force to be as violent as necessary to stop crime, and these guys were more than happy to comply.
With that sort of backdrop, Wild 7 was actually quite a good fit for the ultra violent onslaught of OVAs that dominated the 90s. For this series, the show kept the rough and tumble, no holds barred spirit of the manga, but updated the setting for what was at the time contemporary Japan.
The show focuses on a corrupt politician and his underlings who are trying to bring down the Wild 7 while at the same time forcibly take over a major television station so that they can brainwash Japan’s electorate. Of course, it’s up to the Wild 7 to stop this, usually through the most violent means possible. Each member has a back story, but there isn’t much time to flesh them out in the videos. As such, they come off more as caricatures whittled down to Big Strong Guy, Dude with the Missile Launcher, Person with the Amazing Moustache, and so on. This isn’t to say that the show isn’t entertaining. It’s loads of fun; just don’t expect much character development. What viewers get is a fun, straightforward tale of intrigue and corruption with health doses of explosions, car chases, and fist fights. It’s an exciting romp through the more cynical side of Japanese society.
Meanwhile, the art is quite detailed, and the character design is on point. Each character is supposed to be larger than life, and they look the part. While their police uniforms is what holds them together visually, one can see that beneath those, they all have very unique looks, as was alluded to earlier. Moreover, their motorcycles are pretty crazy. One has a huge rear axle with extra wheels on it to support the weight of the giant riding it, another has a bunch of rocket launchers on it, then their leader has one with tiny jets that come out and allow the bike to go airborne temporarily. Surprisingly, there weren’t any figures released to coincide with the show, which is a shame, because ones based on these characters and their bikes could have been really neat.
In any case, the Wild 7 OVAs are certainly worth spending some time with. They provide an exciting story and a brief glimpse into a much larger manga world. Viewers who just want to watch these episodes and be on their way will be plenty satisfied, while others may like what they see and track down the manga after. Either way, there are plenty of good times to be had here.
- IroIro
June 7, 2019
Studio: Pierrot Plus
Released: 1994 / 1995
Episodes: 2
