Cyber City Oedo 808
Encyclopedia
is a seminal Cyberpunk
anime
set in the year 2808 in the megalopolis
of Oedo (Tokyo). It was directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri
.
ese city of Oedo has restarted the feudal practice of hōmen (放免), employing hardened criminals with a history of hi-tech offences and other crimes such as murder as officers themselves.
Three such criminals are Sengoku, Gogol and Benten who are serving their 300-or-more year sentences in an orbital
penitentiary
. For duty served, each criminal will receive a reduction in their prison time. Desperate to get away from the boredom and monotony of jail life, they half-heartedly agree to the deal. They answer to police chief Hasegawa who keeps them in check thanks to an explosive collar that each criminal wears around his neck. Hasegawa can blow this collar from a distance and it will also explode if they fail to complete their missions within an allocated time period.
Although there are no specifics to what kind of society the series is based in, it is presented as very high-tech but also with a very dystopian feel. In the first episode for example, a man under pressure confesses to a murder (which he did commit) and which is responsible for the present crisis. This is enough for Hasegawa to order Sengoku to kill the man there and then without so much as a trial. When Sengoku fails to do so his sentence is increased.
There are three episodes, each one serving to focus more on the personal exploits of one of the three-man team. The UK release had different titles for these episodes than other markets did.
in Japanese and by Bruce Martin
in English.
, also known as In the opening title sequence his name is also given as Go:gl. A blinded ex-heavyweight boxer, the punk-like Gogol is a brilliant combination of brains and brawn, being a musclebound expert on many subjects ranging from computers to medicine. He has an electronic visor for eyes, and wears a mohawk hairstyle
. He is infamous as an expert computer hacker who once used his talents to hack into government data sites and hold them for ransom. Gogol is more stoic with his lot: he realises that hunting down cyber criminals is better fare than rotting away in orbital prison. Gogol is serving a sentence of 310 years, with a 0.013% chance of parole. Gogol is voiced by Tesshō Genda
in Japanese and Sean Barrett
in English.
, also known as , seemingly a person meticulous in his job, whose main weapon is a mono wire which can cut through anything. A man of androgynous and Bishōnen
appearance, he's also an expert gymnast and something of an astrologer: He is often found to be reading bad omens from the alignment (or misalignment) of the stars. While clearly not afraid to kill, the third episode of the OVA (which primarily features him) implies that he is still capable of compassion as shown through his care for vampire woman, Remi. Benten is serving a 295 year sentence, with a 0.008% chance of parole. Benten is voiced by Kaneto Shiozawa
in Japanese and by Daniel Flynn
in English.
, the Cyber Police officer responsible for controlling the cyber criminals utilized by the police. He possesses a device that acts as a communicator between police and the three cyber criminals: a dual detonation/reset device for the explosive collars and cigarette lighter. Hasegawa is voiced by Norio Wakamoto
in Japanese and by Bob Sherman
in English.
, a police officer, who assists the crooks-turned-cops in their investigations. She openly appreciates their talents and skills better than Hasegawa. She appears to be romantically interested in Sengoku, who also appears to care for her, though the fact that they come from different sides of the law makes him hesitant in going any further.
, the robotic liaison between the cyber criminals and the police. Often accompanies Sengoku (see above), to keep him in line, provide mission information and be on the receiving end of Sengoku's frustration and insults. Varsus is voiced by Kyousei Tukui in Japanese and by Nigel Greaves in English.
released on March 15, 1991 for the PC-Engine CD-ROM²
by Nippon Computer System exclusively in Japan. The storyline is completely original and not an adaptation of any episode.
circa 1995) features a more rock-centric 23 track score composed by Rory McFarlane
not present on the US or Japanese versions. McFarlane's score combined metal, electronica and ambient styles. It has been out of print for years and, as such, is very rare to find on CD, but it is known to be available on the internet. The UK edition score is considered by some fans to be better suited to the violent, dark, and stylish atmosphere of the anime than the original (more pop-like) Japanese score. Due to Manga Entertainment
, UK losing the rights to the Cyber City series this edition of the score is unavailable on western DVD releases and remains available only on the old VHS versions from the mid nineties.
Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a postmodern and science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is a portmanteau of cybernetics and punk, and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983...
anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
set in the year 2808 in the megalopolis
Megalopolis (city type)
A megalopolis is typically defined as a chain of roughly adjacent metropolitan areas. The term was used by Oswald Spengler in his 1918 book, The Decline of the West, and Lewis Mumford in his 1938 book, The Culture of Cities, which described it as the first stage in urban overdevelopment and...
of Oedo (Tokyo). It was directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Yoshiaki Kawajiri
is a critically acclaimed writer and director of Japanese animation. He is the creator of titles such as Wicked City, Ninja Scroll, and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust.-Career:...
.
Plot
To combat computerised crime more effectively, the Cyber Police unit of the future JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese city of Oedo has restarted the feudal practice of hōmen (放免), employing hardened criminals with a history of hi-tech offences and other crimes such as murder as officers themselves.
Three such criminals are Sengoku, Gogol and Benten who are serving their 300-or-more year sentences in an orbital
Orbital spaceflight
An orbital spaceflight is a spaceflight in which a spacecraft is placed on a trajectory where it could remain in space for at least one orbit. To do this around the Earth, it must be on a free trajectory which has an altitude at perigee above...
penitentiary
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
. For duty served, each criminal will receive a reduction in their prison time. Desperate to get away from the boredom and monotony of jail life, they half-heartedly agree to the deal. They answer to police chief Hasegawa who keeps them in check thanks to an explosive collar that each criminal wears around his neck. Hasegawa can blow this collar from a distance and it will also explode if they fail to complete their missions within an allocated time period.
Although there are no specifics to what kind of society the series is based in, it is presented as very high-tech but also with a very dystopian feel. In the first episode for example, a man under pressure confesses to a murder (which he did commit) and which is responsible for the present crisis. This is enough for Hasegawa to order Sengoku to kill the man there and then without so much as a trial. When Sengoku fails to do so his sentence is increased.
There are three episodes, each one serving to focus more on the personal exploits of one of the three-man team. The UK release had different titles for these episodes than other markets did.
- Episode 1; "Virtual Death" (aka "Time Bomb" or "Memories Of The Past"): Sengoku is sent to save 50,000 people trapped in Oedo's largest skyscraper after its central computer is mysteriously taken over. Along the way, he finds that the only suspect is a dead man.
- Episode 2; "Psychic Trooper" (aka "The Decoy" or "The Decoy Program"): Gogol's investigation of a murder pits him against an experimental military cyborgCyborgA cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
as he tries to rescue his ex-partner. Of note is that during this episode we see at least one other cyber-criminal trying to (unsuccessfully) remove his collar, so we know that there are more than our three anti-heroes being employed by the Cyber Police unit.
- Episode 3; "Blood Lust" (aka "The Vampire" or "Crimson Media" ): The freak murder of three geneticists leads Benten to investigate one man's quest for immortality, as well as finding a young woman transformed into a psychic vampirePsychic vampireA psychic vampire is a person or being who claims to feed off the "life force" of other living creatures. Psychic vampires are represented in the occult beliefs of various cultures and in fiction...
because of this quest.
Characters
is a renegade, and very anti-social (most notably in the English dub, where he swears constantly). He uses a high velocity .44 Magnum revolver as his weapon of choice. He is fond of teasing Benten for his effeminate looks. Seemingly contractually obligated to be followed everywhere by Varsus (see below), who monitors his behavior, keeping him in line while occasionally helping Sengoku out of tight spots. Sengoku is serving a sentence of 375 years, with a 0.005% chance of parole. Sengoku is voiced by Hiroya IshimaruHiroya Ishimaru
is a Japanese voice actor most famous for performing the role of Kouji Kabuto in the 1972 series Mazinger Z and its sequels. He also gave voice to Tutty from Bosco Adventure and recently voiced Ultraman Taro in Ultraman Story, Ultraman Mebius, and Ultraman Mebius and Ultra Brothers He is also the...
in Japanese and by Bruce Martin
Bruce Martin
Bruce Philip Martin is a New Zealand cricketer who played for the Northern Districts for 10 years, in the State Championship and Northland in the Hawke Cup, and in 2011 debuted for The Auckland Aces...
in English.
, also known as In the opening title sequence his name is also given as Go:gl. A blinded ex-heavyweight boxer, the punk-like Gogol is a brilliant combination of brains and brawn, being a musclebound expert on many subjects ranging from computers to medicine. He has an electronic visor for eyes, and wears a mohawk hairstyle
Mohawk hairstyle
The mohawk is a hairstyle in which, in the most common variety, both sides of the head are shaven, leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair...
. He is infamous as an expert computer hacker who once used his talents to hack into government data sites and hold them for ransom. Gogol is more stoic with his lot: he realises that hunting down cyber criminals is better fare than rotting away in orbital prison. Gogol is serving a sentence of 310 years, with a 0.013% chance of parole. Gogol is voiced by Tesshō Genda
Tessho Genda
is a Japanese voice actor. He is employed by the talent management firm 81 Produce. When he debuted, he used his real name, . as artist name. Because he had experience with ballet, he was known by the nickname "Pirouette Genda."...
in Japanese and Sean Barrett
Sean Barrett (actor)
Seán Barrett is a British actor and voice actor.He began acting as a child appearing on BBC children's television and in films such as Bang! You're Dead, War and Peace, The Genie and Four Sided Triangle.Years later he made many appearances in television and films including ITV Television...
in English.
, also known as , seemingly a person meticulous in his job, whose main weapon is a mono wire which can cut through anything. A man of androgynous and Bishōnen
Bishonen
is a Japanese term literally meaning "beautiful youth ". The equivalent English concept is a "pretty boy".The term describes an aesthetic that can be found in disparate areas in East Asia: a young man whose beauty transcends the boundary of gender or sexual orientation...
appearance, he's also an expert gymnast and something of an astrologer: He is often found to be reading bad omens from the alignment (or misalignment) of the stars. While clearly not afraid to kill, the third episode of the OVA (which primarily features him) implies that he is still capable of compassion as shown through his care for vampire woman, Remi. Benten is serving a 295 year sentence, with a 0.008% chance of parole. Benten is voiced by Kaneto Shiozawa
Kaneto Shiozawa
Kaneto Shiozawa , real name was a Japanese voice actor from Tokyo affiliated with Aoni Production. He had a distinctive cold, calm voice which usually typecast him in roles as villains or anti-heroes....
in Japanese and by Daniel Flynn
Daniel Flynn (Actor)
Daniel Flynn is an English actor born in 1961 in Evesham, Worcestershire but moved to Bromley, Kent as a baby. He is the son of actor Eric Flynn and the brother of actor Jerome Flynn...
in English.
, the Cyber Police officer responsible for controlling the cyber criminals utilized by the police. He possesses a device that acts as a communicator between police and the three cyber criminals: a dual detonation/reset device for the explosive collars and cigarette lighter. Hasegawa is voiced by Norio Wakamoto
Norio Wakamoto
is a veteran male seiyū and budō expert affiliated with Sigma Seven. He was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and was raised in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. He graduated from Waseda University...
in Japanese and by Bob Sherman
Bob Sherman (actor)
Robert Sherman was an American-born dramaturge, playwright, and film and television actor, best remembered for his role as CIA agent Jeff Ross in the British television series The Sandbaggers.-Select television:...
in English.
, a police officer, who assists the crooks-turned-cops in their investigations. She openly appreciates their talents and skills better than Hasegawa. She appears to be romantically interested in Sengoku, who also appears to care for her, though the fact that they come from different sides of the law makes him hesitant in going any further.
, the robotic liaison between the cyber criminals and the police. Often accompanies Sengoku (see above), to keep him in line, provide mission information and be on the receiving end of Sengoku's frustration and insults. Varsus is voiced by Kyousei Tukui in Japanese and by Nigel Greaves in English.
Video game
is a graphic adventure gameGraphic adventure game
A graphic adventure game is a form of adventure game. They are distinct from text adventures. Whereas a player must actively observe using commands such as "look" in a text-based adventure, graphic adventures revolutionized gameplay by making use of natural human perception...
released on March 15, 1991 for the PC-Engine CD-ROM²
TurboGrafx-16
TurboGrafx-16, fully titled as TurboGrafx-16 Entertainment SuperSystem and known in Japan as the , is a video game console developed by Hudson Soft and NEC, released in Japan on October 30, 1987, and in North America on August 29, 1989....
by Nippon Computer System exclusively in Japan. The storyline is completely original and not an adaptation of any episode.
Music
The original British VHS release (also televised on Channel 4Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
circa 1995) features a more rock-centric 23 track score composed by Rory McFarlane
Rory McFarlane
Rory Mcfarlane is a British session musician and who has scored for anime and games, he is probably best known for his score to the influential Manga OVA "Cyber City Oedo 808"; he also composed a score for a game called "Buichi Terasawa's "Takeru: Letter of the Law"" in 1996.Other than scoring he...
not present on the US or Japanese versions. McFarlane's score combined metal, electronica and ambient styles. It has been out of print for years and, as such, is very rare to find on CD, but it is known to be available on the internet. The UK edition score is considered by some fans to be better suited to the violent, dark, and stylish atmosphere of the anime than the original (more pop-like) Japanese score. Due to Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment is a producer, licensor and distributor of Japanese animation in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand...
, UK losing the rights to the Cyber City series this edition of the score is unavailable on western DVD releases and remains available only on the old VHS versions from the mid nineties.