00:00Today we're tackling a big one. I don't know much about what is probably a
00:03one of the most well-known OVA series of its time, Iria or Iria Zeiram the Animation for its title
00:09internationally. 6 OVAs of approximately 25-30 minutes each, released in 1994 in Japan, and surprisingly
00:16as early as 1995 in France with VHS editions in original version with French subtitles from KZ, would come later
00:23A very high-quality French dub. A somewhat unusual case, Iria is neither an original creation,
00:28It's not an adaptation of a manga, but an animated prequel to a live-action film released in 1991.
00:34titled Zeiram. The feature film will have a sequel a few months after the release of the OVAs. So in
00:40The release order will be: one film, our 6 OVAs, and a second film, and in that order
00:46chronological of
00:47The story of Iria, the 6 OVAs, then the two films. I'll show you the trailer right now at
00:52base of opening credits and other sequences. The Tedenti Pedai, contrary to the recommendations
00:59which had been issued by the scientific councils, continued the development of
01:02The ultimate weapon, the legendary Zeiram. A group of bounty hunters from the planet Mycenae are after it.
01:08unfortunately discovers, to his detriment, when they attempt to rescue a spaceship
01:12Supposedly attacked by pirates, Iria, who is still only an apprentice, finds himself alone against them.
01:18Zeiram and certain governments are doing everything they can to suppress this affair.
01:42I'm up, which isn't on the planet. He's always disappointed, I have
02:00raised, which is not on the planet. I mean, it's all for everyone. I mean, the
02:12planet
02:42...
03:28To be frank, from my point of view,
03:30Iria is among the best OVA series of the 90s.
03:34Seeing that in 1995 was truly something unexpected.
03:37It is important to realize that at the time, there could often be a discrepancy of 3, 6,
03:4110 years between a release in Japan and in France.
03:44And then, they throw something at you that meets current Japanese standards, and which, incidentally, is a very good production.
03:49in itself.
03:49This gives us an unmissable animated series on the small screen, and is why Iria will be broadcast relatively quickly.
03:56on Canal+, with a French dub in 1997.
04:00So Iria is good, but why exactly, you might ask?
04:03First point, and one that puts a whole bunch of other productions of the time to shame, is its pacing.
04:08Even today, it's still a fast-paced adventure, without any lulls.
04:11which manages to satisfactorily vary the moments of action, dialogue, and introspection.
04:16There is virtually no moment when one would be tempted to take their eyes off the screen.
04:20And we don't let it go for anything else either: the visuals, the colors, the designs that make it all work.
04:24quite unique, and easily capture attention.
04:27Somewhat like certain armor designs from Dragon Ball or Fly,
04:31which at the time, with lines that were sometimes simple, but a good mix of colors and shapes,
04:35were able to offer beautiful things, effective concepts.
04:39So, in today's production, we'll add a touch of horror with a monster, the main antagonist.
04:44the Zeyram,
04:45which really has a good appearance and is reminiscent of the many demons and other delights that could be seen in plethora
04:51OVAs from the 80s and 90s.
04:53And if I'm talking about the antagonist, we must also mention our heroine, who also has a striking physique,
04:58outfits, a striking overall character design.
05:01So, to quickly recap, we have a good pace, good visuals, good character designs, and...
05:06Is it music or a script now?
05:08The story is flawless. With its well-paced rhythm, everything flows smoothly.
05:12The main quest, if I may say so, which is to stop the Zeyram, goes hand in hand with a red thread
05:17dramatic events set up in the first episode and which will accompany us until the end.
05:21A few short stories, and characters in particular, will be integrated to add some substance to the universe and develop...
05:28relationships, interactions between certain characters.
05:30Overall, the tone is lighter than dramatic, and it's not a film that fundamentally targets only...
05:36to adults.
05:37Even though there will indeed be some bloody massacres and the Zeyram may leave some bad memories for the most
05:42young or the most imaginative.
05:44The production tries to encompass as many viewers as possible, I get the impression, and it succeeds quite well.
05:49I think so.
05:49As for the music, this is perhaps the subject on which I had some reservations.
05:54I have some minor reservations about the use of certain pieces, which sometimes seemed to me to be underutilized.
05:59way,
06:00or in a register that is somewhat out of step with the scenes they accompany.
06:03It remains anecdotal, just like some of the scenes between Iria and her brother, which I would have liked to be more impactful, or a
06:09The final confrontation was something I would have liked to be more epic.
06:11One last essential point that I haven't mentioned is the animation.
06:14Once again, for a 6-OVA production from this era, there's nothing to complain about, it's Pépito.
06:19I would have just liked a few more direct confrontations with a bit more flair.
06:23But for that, you need the budget.
06:25And since everything else is almost flawless in my opinion, I don't hold it against her.
06:29One last piece of information: I mentioned in the introduction that Iria is not an adaptation of a manga.
06:34but there was indeed one produced in two volumes, published in 1996, which was
06:39proposed in France in 2023,
06:42limited edition by Black Box.
06:44I really enjoy the OVAs and recommend them to anyone who might be tempted by this mix.
06:48science fiction-action,
06:50The manga, on the other hand, is really inferior in my personal opinion.
06:54The dialogue often sounds hollow, and the artwork frequently lacks clarity during action scenes.
06:58The character design is less appealing, and the story of the painters that follows the first film also has less substance.
07:04of interest,
07:04which seems logical, with only two volumes to develop it.
07:08So don't have any regrets about skipping it.
07:11As for the film, I haven't watched them yet.
07:13I may add some related notes later in the description of what I don't know, once I've watched this.
07:19Logically, the final word is, go watch Iria, the empty scissors.
07:23That was Bleach, see you next time, bye.
07:25Subtitling by Radio-Canada
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