Maps

About Maps

Here is what Maps is about, retold in plain terms: an action, adventure and comedy anime by TMS Entertainment (1994). The setup: While looking for the ledgendary Mapman, the last surviving member of the Nomad Star tribe, Lipumira stumbles on him in Tokyo. His name is Gen Tokishima and he is the only one able to get one part of the starmap hidden within the Earth.

Further in, after retrieving the piece, Gen has to make a decision to follow Lipumira in her foolhardy search to find the remaining pieces of the starmap or stay on Earth. He makes his decision, only to find his girlfriend has beaten him to the spaceship as she wants to come as well. Unfortunately, as Gen learns the secret of the starmap, Lipumira's sisters have plans to stop her and will stop her at any cost.

With action at the core, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. It will appeal most to viewers who like fast, high-impact fights.

Production & Appeal

TMS Entertainment is the studio behind Maps, and its direction shapes everything from character design to motion. Because it leans on action, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. With a 5.8/10 score, it is more of a niche pick than a universal crowd-pleaser. It aired in 1994, which makes it easy to place in the wider anime calendar.