Nana Toshi Monogatari

Here's another project that BlueFixer asked Orphan to redo: the two-part sci-fi OVA Nana Toshi Monogatari: Hokkyokukai Sensen (A Tale of Seven Cities: The Arctic Front). Released in 1992 and 1994, the OVA is based on the opening section of a novel by Tanaka Yoshiki, who also wrote other sci-fi and fantasy novels with a military theme, including Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Tytania, and The Legend of Arslan.

Nana Toshi Monogatari is set in 2190 A.D. More than a century earlier, in 2086 A.D., Earth had suffered a catastrophic realignment of its axis of rotation, basically wiping out the population. A small fraction of humanity survived in colonies on the moon (Planet B?). In 2091 A.D., the lunar colonists started resettling the Earth, founding seven city-states, based on climate, resources, and crust stability:

• Prince Harald, in the former Antarctica
• Buenos Zonte, in the former Amazonian rain forest
• Tademecca, on the Niger River in Africa, now a subtropical grassland
• New Camelot, in the former Great Britain
• Aquir(l)onia, on the Lena River in former Siberia
• Kunlun, on the Tibetan plateau, now fallen to 2000 meters above sea level
• Sandara, in the former Borneo
  

However, to prevent any future incursions from Earth, the lunar government set up a system of military satellites to shoot down any object that flew higher than 500 meters. Then, in 2136 A.D., the lunar colonies were wiped out by a meteor-borne virus (there is no Planet B!). Earth society, bound to the planet surface by the orbiting military satellites, had to compete for supremacy the old-fashioned way: with armies and navies. And all this is set out in the first two minutes!

Now, the viewer can be forgiven for thinking this is all preposterous; an excuse for exploring warfare with early 20th century technologies. The anachronisms extend to the city settings too, with the cars all looking like survivors from the 1930s. The warships all look like classic dreadnoughts, and there is no radar.

The OVA relates the attempted invasion of Aquironia by New Camelot. The rationale for the attack is somewhat confusing. It is led by Charles Morbridge Jr, son of the former leader of Aquironia. Following his father's death, Junior's corruption was exposed, and he was forced to defect to New Camelot. Now, he wants to conquer his former homeland and become its ruler by force.

At first, the war favors the New Camelot invaders, thanks to the clever tactics of Commander Kenneth Guilford. In desperation, Aquironia dispatches its best strategist, Liu Wei, to Kunlun, to strike up an alliance for diverting New Camelot. Meanwhile, the idiosyncratic Aquironian fighter Almarick Aswaer (known as A.A.) counters Guilford with a clever riposte. However, the battle continues. Morbridge decides to lead a direct invasion of Aquironia up the Lena River, with Guilford playing a diversionary role. Guilford's diversion is unexpectedly successful.

However, he is called away to defend against the invasion from Kunlun. Meanwhile, Morbridge's direct attack is stymied by Aswaer. Morbridge flees. Aquilona is victorious. However, its leader decides that Liu Wei is too dangerous to his power. Liu Wei flees to Tademecca, taking Important Secrets™ with him. And the novel has four more major arcs.

The voice cast is sterling:

• Yamadera Kouichi (Almarick Aswaer) played many leading roles, including Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop, Sukeroku in Shouwa Ginroku Rakugo Shinju, Ryouga in all the Ranma 1/2 properties, and the nameless hero of Otaku no Seiza. He plaued the title role in Hashire! Melos, Benten in Oedo ga Nemurenai!, Happyaku in Wild 7, and Ryouan in Hidamari no Ki, all Orphan releases. 
• Ootsuka Akio (Kenneth Guildford) played the title roles in most of the Black Jack properties, Ambassador Magma, Blade, and Montana Jones. He also played Gozo in the Aika franchise, Batou in the Ghost in the Shell franchise, the villain All for One in Boku no Hero Academia, and Nyanko Big in one memorable episode of Tada Never Falls in Love. He played George in Condition Green, the narrator in Fire Emblem, Nobunaga the boss crow in Ultra Nyan 2, Zilu in Eiyuu Banka Koushi-den, and Black Jack in Tezuka Osamu Disappears, all Orphan releases. 
• Horikawa Ryou (Liu Wei) played Shutendou in Shuten Douji, Vegeta in Dragon Ball, Naoto in Slow Step, Anthony Brown in Candy Candy, Reinhard in LOGH, Tadao in Ghost Sweeper Mikami, Kai in Kizuna, Shinya in Okama Report, and Andromeda in Saint Seiya. He also appeared in Chameleon, Hi-Speed Jecy, Lunn no Kaze, and the first two Sangokushi movies, all Orphan releases. 
• Yao Kazuki (Charles Corrin Morbridge Jr) played Franky in One Piece, the lead in Makyou Gaiden Le Deus, the title role in Rance, Dark Schneider in Bastard!!, Chivas in Sorcerer on the Rocks, Yoki in Fullmetal Alchemist (both versions), and Hamel in Violinist of Hamelin. He appeared as K.K. in Elf 17, Date Ikkaku in Akai Hayate, Ryougaku in Wild 7, and Sofue Akira in Boyfriend, all Orphan releases. 
• Hisakawa Aya (Marine) has had a prolific career. She played the title roles in Mamono Hunter Youko, Voogie's Angel, and Iria: Zeiram, Skuld in the Ah! My Goddess franchise, Cerberus in Card Captor Sakura, Sailor Mercury in the Sailor Moon franchise, Yuki in Fruits Basket, Haruka in RahXephon, Youko in The Twelve Kingdoms, and Storm in X-Men. She played Shizuka in Sotsugyou: Graduation, Mishima Misako in Yume Tsukai, Shana in Al Caral no Isan, Sonia in Ziggy Sore Yuke! R&R Band, Tomoko in Sensou Douwa: Boku no Boukuugou, and Koneko in Ear of the Golden Dragon, all Orphan releases. 
• Inoue Kikuko (Chamberlain, Guilford's executive officer) played Kasumi in Ranma 1/2, Chigusa in Kekko Kamen, Mizuho in Onegai Teacher and Onegai Twins, Yayoi in the Happy Lesson properties, Momozono Mei in Mouse, Maria in Gungrave, Emeraldas in Space Symphony Maetel, Belldandy in the Ah My Goddess franchise, Lust in Full Metal Alchemist, Goei in Ikkitousen, and the mother in the Uchouten Kazoku series. She also played Stasia in Megami Paradise, Shouta in The Girl from Phantasia, Narusawa in Doukyuusei 2, Doria in D4 Princess, and Mai in Hand Maid May, all Orphan releases. 
• Okiayu Ryoutarou (Nicholas Broom, Duce of Aquironia) starred as Aoyama-kun in Keppeki Danshi! Aoyama-kun, Mitsui Hisashi in Slam Dunk, Matsura Yuu in Marmalade Boy, Jinnai Katsuhiko in the El-Hazard franchise, Nueno Meisuke in the Hell Teacher Nube series, the title roles in Gambler Densetsu Tetsuya and Toriko, Samejima Ranmaru in Kizuna, Souma Shigure in Fruits Basket (2003), Berserker in Fate/Zero, Hideyoshi in Sengoku Basara, and Atsushi in Recorder to Ransel. He also played Akram in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 2, Takao-san in Let's Nupu Nupu, Abel in Fire Emblem, and Gion in Okane ga Nai!, all Orphan releases. 
• Sogabe Kazuyuki (Madison) played Oda Nobunaga in Black Lion, Rei Ginsei in Vampire Hunter D, Kaei in To-Y, and Meyer in Hi-Speed Jecy. The last two are Orphan releases. 
• Koseiki Hajime (Prime Minister of New Camelot) played Michael Commando in Kosuke-sama, Rikimaru-sama: Konpeitou no Ryuu and appeared in Izumo (1991) and Akai Hayate, all Orphan releases. 
• Nakamura Hidetoshi (Posts Minister of New Caledonia) appeared in Ai no Kusabi and Exper Zenon, both Orphan releases. 
• Yanada Kiyoyuki (Bosswell) played Takenori in Slam Dunk, Gateau Mocha in Bakuretsu Hunter, and Kuroinu the black cat in Chii's Sweet Home. He also played Townsend Harris in Hidamari no Ki, Sesuran in Hayou no Tsurugi, Exper Venom in Exper Zenon, Kuroda in Akai Hayate, Ooniwa in Nozomi Witches, and multiple roles in Ai no Kusabi, all Orphan releases. 
• Tsukui Kyousei (Secretary of Aquironia) appeared in many featured roles, including Cherry no Manma, Meisou-ou Border, and Call Me Tonight, all Orphan releases.
  

The chief director, Nagaoka Akinori, helmed Tokimeki Tonight and most of the Sore Ike! Anpanman franchise. The director, Kanbe Mamoru, also directed Elfen Lied, I"s Pure, Tegami Bachi, and Kimi to Boku.

Nana Toshi Monogatari has a lot of English, including all the signs and credits, but the transcription leaves something to be desired. For example, Aquironia was probably intended to be Aquilonia, because of its Italianate setting, and Olympos should have been Olympus; but the English signs dictated the translation.

Iri (Bluefixer) did the original and revised translation. Yogicat timed. I edited and typeset; the title screen is the only real typesetting. ImAWasteOfHair, Nemesis, and Uchuu all QCed. Intrepid encoded from a Domesday Duplicator rip of a Japanese laserdisc. The soundtrack is digital, so the audio is FLAC.

Nana Toshi Monogatari is an interesting spin on the typical sci-fi military space opera, with the admittedly mechanistic "pre-history" providing the excuse for the use of ship-to-ship naval combat as the principal means of conflict. You can get the show from the usual torrent site or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net.