Bakuen Campus Guardress

When I first watched Bakuen Campus Guardress (Combustible Campus Guardress), a four-episode episode OVA from 1994, I was gobsmacked by how trope-ridden it was. Ancient conflict between Light and Dark Worlds dating back millennia! An overpowered school girl who is obsessed with her (not-related-by-blood) brother! Outlandish named attacks! Amazing power-ups pulled out of nowhere! And then I realized - with a lot of help from Perevodildo - that it's a parody of the "save the world" anime genre. For a detailed look at the show and summaries of the episodes, see this web page from NoName Anime.

Bakuen Campus Guardress has a long fansubbing history dating back to the VHS era. The most commonly available rip was done by ToyRC back in 2009. All available versions are hardsubbed. When the laserdiscs surfaced on Japanese media sites at reasonable cost, I bought them and commissioned new Domesday Duplicator rips and encodes. Then the actual ToyRC scripts showed up from "somewhere." (I don't know where. I don't ask questions.) Perevodildo agreed to go over the scripts with his usual microscope. We were in business.

According to Bakuen, 30,000 years ago, forces from the Dark World tried to invade our world through an interdimensional gate. Thanks to the sacrifice of a human called the Key, they were defeated, and the gate was closed. However, some of Dark World warriors were stranded in our world; they are called Remnants. Opposing them, and guarding the gate, are the descendants (or reincarnations) of the original warriors for Good, called Guardians. The Remnants believe that the reopening of the gate to the Dark World is imminent, and they launch a broad assault on the Guardians. The conflict centers on the Tobira (Gateway) campus of Monzen (Before the Gate) City High School. There, the defenders are led by uber bro-con Jinno Hazumi, who is totally overpowered and utterly hung up on her sibling Takumi, a basketball star and all-around good guy. But Takumi is also the new Key to the gate, and, just like 30,000 years ago, he must die to keep the Gate closed. (By the way, the campus is shaped like a keyhole.)

The Remnants are a gang of eccentric idiots, including McCoy, a muscleman who wears makeup and uses feminine speech; Lady Aoi, a seductive beauty who uses her Sexy Whip attack to go after the bodies (and more) of good-looking boys; Michel Yamada, an exaggerated parody of an amorous Frenchman; and so on. 

The Guardians are equally goofy. Chiryuu, when he isn't pounding Remnants, is looking up Hazumi's skirt. 

Kazuma, another strong Guardian, after defeating Murasaki, aka Lady Freeze, tries to glom a kiss from Hazumi by pretending to be mortally wounded. Hazumi's mother fights with spells named after dishes and recipes. Hime, a cheerleader and rival for Takumi's affections, uses her cheerleading props to fight. Honda, the student council president, is perpetually apoplectic about the chaos around him. Only the leader of the Remnants, the fearsome Kijima, and Takumi himself take this all seriously. Perhaps they're not in on the joke.

The voice cast is a who's who of famous 90s seiyuu:

• Matsumoto Rika (Hazumi) starred as the title role in Ninku and Jim Hawking in Outlaw Star. She played Satoshi in the Pokemon franchise, Kei in Dirty Pair Flash, Sushi Tori in Let's Nupu Nupu, and Okon in Hidimari no Ki. The last two are Orphan releases.
• Ishida Akira (Takumi) starred as Sasuke in Samurai Deeper Kyou, Chrno in Chrno Crusade, Howard in Uninhabited Planet Survive, Rion in Galerians: Rion, Komugi in Hen Zemi, and Arima in Princess Lover. He played Abe no Yasuaki in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de: Hachyoushou, Gaara in the Naruto franchise, Shinichi in Nana, Athrun Zala in the Gundam Seed Destiny properties, Cho Hokkai in the Saiyuki franchise, Xellos in the Slayers franchise, Natori in the Natsume Yuujinchou franchise, Tsukasa in the Shokugei no Souma franchise, and Kuchiki in the Genshiken series. He played brother Oomori in Let's Nupu Nupu, Gordon in Fire Emblem, Abe no Yasutsugu in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 2, and Ridvan in Haruka Naru Toki no Nake de 3, all Orphan releases.
• Morikawa Toshiyuki (Kazuma) took over the role of dad Nohara Hiroshi in the Crayon Shin-chan franchise. He played lead roles in Gallery Fake, Yami no Matsui, Kyou Kara Maou, and numerous other shows. He's also a regular in Orphan's releases. He played the lead role in Ear of the Golden Dragon, Wolf Guy, and Nozomi Witches, as well as delinquent student Fuwa in Mellow and Inspector Kendo in the Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo series. He delivered a scene-stealing performance as Panda Mama in Shirokuma Cafe. He also appeared in Al Caral no Isan, Akai Hayate, Dragon Fist, Kiss wa Mi ni Shite, Blazing Transfer Student, and Wild 7.
• Tsujitani Kouji (Honda, the student council prez) played the title role in the Captain Tylor franchise and the lead role in the 3x3 Eyes OVAs. He also played Takei, Reiko's would-be fiance, in Sotsugyou: Graduation, Guy in Ai no Kusabi, Homare in Okane ga Nai, Shou in Condition Green, Saburou in Kasei Yakyoku, Kotarou in Genji, Part 1, and Seishirou in Yuukan Club, all Orphan releases.
• Tachiki Fumihiko (McCoy) played Taizou in Gintama, the narrator in Golden Kamuy, Ddraig in the High School DxD franchise, Ginpei in Nana, Gendou Ikari in the Evangelion franchise, and Daisuke in Oreimo.. He appeared in Sanada 10 and Jikuu Bouken, both Orphan releases.
• Hayami Kei (Kasumi, Hazumi's mother) appeared in Barakamon, Yuri!! on Ice, and other shows.
• Yamadera Kouichi (Chiryuu, the upskirt peeker) 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 played the title role in Hashire! Melos, Benten in Oedo ga Nemurenai!, Almarick Aswaer in Nana Toshi Monogatari, Happyaku in Wild 7, and Ryouan in Hidamari no Ki, all Orphan releases. 
• Takehito Koyasu (Tenkuu) is reputed to be the most prolific voice actor currently active, with more than 365 roles under his belt. He played the title roles in Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo and Master of Mosquitron, Olivie in the Angelique franchise, Zeke in the Shingeki no Kyoujin franchise, Shinsuke in the Gintama franchise, Ryousuke in the Initial D franchise, Dio in the JoJo's Bizarre Adventures franchise, Sarutobi Sasuke in the Sengoku Basara franchise, Doujima Gin in the Shokugeki no Souma franchise, Thirteen in the Zero no Tsutaima franchise, and the lead roles in several Happy Science films. He played Izumi in Zetsuai and Bronze, Lennon O'Sullivan in Yamato 2520, and Bidou Granmarnier in Yuukan Club, and appeared in Kiss wa Me ni Shite and Dragon Fist, all Orphan releases.
• Kanai Mika (Hime) played the title role in the Licca-chan franchise, Normad in the Galaxy Angel franchise, Histoire in the Hyperdimension Neptunia franchise, Melonpanda in the Soreike! Anpanman franchise, Misato in Nana, and Lotte in Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko.
• Sakuma Rei (Lady Aoi, blonde Remnant) played Batako in Soreike! Appanman, April in Sol Bianca, Peorth in Ah! My Goddess, the title role in Aika, Shampoo in Ranma 1/2, Vena in Dragon Half, Kitty White in Hello Kitty, and Mii in Muumin. She also played Yukihime in Tengai Makyou, Naru in Blue Sonnet, Carmencita in Starship Troopers, and Belga the pirate in Cosmic Fantasy, all Orphan releases.
• Amano Yuri (Lady Freeze, purple-haired Remnant) played the title role in The Legend of Snow White, Julia in Daddy Long Legs, Kiyone in the Tenchi Muyo franchise, and Moemi in Video Girl Ai. She appeared as Catherine in Okama Hakusho, Kuzunoha in Akuemon, Angie in Condition Green, Elthena in Eien no Filena, Kitagawa in Nozomi Witches, Noriko in Singles, and Yuko in St. Michaela Gakuen Hyouryuuki, as well as multiple roles in Fukuyama Gekijou, all Orphan releases.
• Shiratori Yuri (Yuka, Hazumi's classmate) played the title roles in the Kiko Lala and Angelique franchises, Cherry in the Saber Marionette franchise, Aki in Boys Be..., and Hatoko in Angelic Layer. She appeared as Maria in Inochi no Chikyuu: Dioxin no Natsu and Lilith in Megami Paradise, both Orphan release. 
• Ohtsuka Akio (Kijima Touta, Remnant leader) 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 Kenneth Guildford in Nana Toshi Monogatari, 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.

The director, Nishikubo Toshihiko, is an alias for Nishikubo Mizuho, who directed Miyuki, Karuizawa Syndrome, Purple Eyes in the Dark, Oruorane the Cat Player, Heart Cocktail Again, and other favorite shows of mine.

The original scripts are by ToyRC. Perevodildo translation checked and filled in the prayers. ninjacloud timed. I edited and typeset. bananadoyouwanna, Topper3000, and Uchuu QCed. The raws are from Japanese laserdiscs, ripped on a Domesday Duplicated and encoded by an anonymous friend. The first two episodes are AAC; the last two are FLAC. Dunno why.

Bakuen Campus Guardress is action-packed, over-the-top, and utterly goofy. The ending is conclusively inconclusive and seems to show that the stakes were considerably lower than everyone thought. If you try to analyze it, you can blow a thousand holes in the story; but if you just let it wash over you, it's pretty good fun, if not exactly "must see" anime. 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. In addition, you can get a folder of scans, including end papers and LD covers, here.