Area 88

About Area 88

Here is what Area 88 (エリア88) is about, retold in plain terms: an action, adventure and drama anime by Studio Pierrot (1985). At its core: In a cruel twist of fate, talented young pilot Shin Kazama is tricked into serving as a mercenary for Area 88. A hell on Earth where men survive by gunning down anyone who stands in their way.

Along the way, to return home, Shin has to sell his soul to the battlefield and pave the road back to Japan with the corpses of his fallen opponents.

With action at the core, fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. Micky Simon (Kei Tomiyama) and Shin Kazama (Kaneto Shiozawa) are two of the characters you will meet early. It will appeal most to viewers who like fast, high-impact fights. With 3 episodes in total, there is enough room for the story to develop.

Production & Appeal

Animation is handled by Studio Pierrot, so the studio's house style defines how Area 88 looks and moves on screen. The action focus matters here: fight choreography, pacing and sound design carry much of the weight. A 7.3/10 score points to a dependable, well-liked series. On the casting side, Kei Tomiyama voicing Micky Simon gives the lead role a recognizable voice. Released in 1985, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.