Seisenshi Dunbine OVA is loosely a sequel to the original TV series that began airing in 1983, but watching the original show is by no means mandatory. In fact, I’ve never seen the original run myself, and I still found that the three OVA episodes stand perfectly well on their own. Centuries separate the two narratives, and the OVAs can just as easily be viewed as a retelling or reimagining of a similar story. If you’re not keen on committing to a 50-episode series but want to sample this fantasy/sci-fi world and see whether it’s your cup of tea, starting with the three-episode OVA isa very reasonable approach. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at what Seisenshi Dunbine OVA does well.

Fans of Dirty Pair may be pleased to learn that the OVAs were directed by Toshifumi Takizawa, which already sets a certain baseline of quality. Production was handled by Sunrise, the well-established studio, and it shows: the artwork is consistently strong and often impressive. While this isn’t a high-budget production (the biomechanical mechs are frequently animated in a rather static way) their designs are intricate and beautifully detailed, which makes this limitation easier to forgive. The story itself is fast paced and moves quickly from one plot point to the next, leaving little time to fully explore character motivations or personalities. That’s perhaps the biggest disappointment here, as just a couple more episodes could have elevated this OVA into something closer to a cult classic.

Some reviewers here on MAL have been overly harsh, claiming that the story makes no sense (an assessment I strongly disagree wit) and dismissing the entire production largely because of the final scene’s intense flashing lights. While I can understand how that sequence might be uncomfortable for some viewers, it hardly justifies a scathing review that ignores key elements such as direction, animation, music, and overall production value. Is this the greatest OVA series of the 1980s? Certainly not. Is it worth watching if you enjoy fantasy settings and mech anime? Absolutely. And if these three episodes resonate with you, they may even inspire you to check out the original series afterward.

Story: 1/2
Direction: 1/2
Animation: 1/2
Characters: 1/2
Music: 1/2
Bonus points: 1/2

Final score: 6/10