Cyber City Oedo 808

Release Date: 1994 

Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri 

Studio: Madhouse 

The 90s anime explosion. Violence, rape, swearing, these were the hallmarks of Manga Video releases in the early days and thanks to them, for all anime and manga in the eyes of the mainstream press at the time.  Flash forward several years to the back end of the decade and Channel 4 in the UK is showing various anime from the era including 3×3 Eyes, Battle Angel Alita, Doomed Megalopolis and this seminal cyberpunk mini-series. 

Cyber City Oedo 808 was released in England in 1994 by Manga Video as part of their vaunted Cyberpunk Collection and stands as easily the best of the three (the others being Genocyber and A.D Police.) Before every feature presentation on every single VHS tape, viewers were assaulted by the hallmark Manga Video advertising. I really shouldn't complain as it introduced me to Celtic Frost. Anyway, Cyber City always stood out with its cool visuals, action, character designs and concepts. As soon as I saw it was to be shown on terrestrial television, I recorded it on tape.  

Three criminals serving a lifetime sentence in a space prison are offered the chance to reduce their sentences via community service as police officers in the futuristic city of Oedo. Each of the three parts of this mini-series follows one of the criminals on a specific case with each being completely different to the last. 

Featuring cyber-crime, psychic cyborgs and vampires in a host of mysteries, corruption and deceit, Cyber City is smartly written despite the testosterone levels in the first episode, Virtual Death. Featuring the loud, foul-mouthed Sengoku investigating the takeover of Oedo’s tallest skyscraper, he uncovers a plot of what initially appears to be of supernatural phenomenon that is expertly set up within its science fictional world. 

True to Manga Video’s typical dub quality at the time, the results are mixed. Despite the profanity, the three main characters are entertaining although the constant swearing and complaining by Sengoku is either going to grate or amuse. I was massively disappointed that the voice actor behind Sengoku, Bruce Martin, changed his delivery completely for the final episode and effectively ruined the character. Despite this, Benten is an excellent, unique lead in episode 3 and admirably carries the story on his/her back. Alongside is Gogul, the oafish hacking expert voiced by stalwart Sean Barrett, an interesting juxtaposition of the other two and possibly the most likeable. 

The three main characters are a lot of fun when placed in the same room, with different conflicting personalities and traits that collide amusingly. It’s such a shame the story never continued further despite a manga release by U.S Manga Corps, but the one issue that I discovered was a verbatim adaptation of the anime series. 

Regarding the soundtrack, there is a lot to love. Archetypical J-rock makes up the original Japanese soundtrack but just like with so many of Manga Video’s releases, the score was redone for western release to appeal more to youth culture. Thanks to a certain Rory McFarlane, Cyber City features a synthesizer rock fusion with soaring guitar melodies which perfectly complement the characters. It's hard, it's grimy, it's dark but also oddly heroic. The opening sequence alone surely must be one of the finest anime intros ever. The credits piece, a slowed-down, more melancholic version of the main theme, may be one of my personal favourite pieces of music ever. I can’t even explain how much nostalgia I feel when I hear those beautiful piano notes. It added a lot of depth to my imagination of the characters long after each episode had finished. 

With great character art by classic studio Madhouse, an interesting social world, stunning visuals, and interesting technology fused with elements of horror, Cyber City is a feast for the 90’s anime junkie and cyberpunk enthusiast alike. While by no means on the same level as Akira or Ghost in the Shell, the intriguing plots for each case alleviate the proceedings above the typical gore/action festivals of the time. I simply can’t recommend this series enough.  

Aside from the aforementioned character assassination, my only other complaint is that there is simply not enough of Cyber City Oedo 808. Even as a kid I always wanted more stories set in this world.  

Recently released on Blu-ray for the first time, there is no excuse.

And remember - 'To make a mistake is human but if you really want to fuck things up, you need a computer.'