I'm really glad these early Madhouse OVAs are finally getting subbed. Last summer it was Download, and now it's OZ. OZ is a two-episode OVA purportedly based off of The Wizard of Oz. I say purportedly because the connection is pretty flimsy. Instead, we've got a sci-fi thriller set in a post-apocalyptic North America. A young girl and her bodyguard set out on an adventure to find her brother, who supposedly rules over the mythical land of Oz. Except Oz is actually a weaponized fortress and the wizard is an absolute madman. Along their way, they come across an android who aims to acquire humanity. Andthen another android, except this one wants to kill the first android for not being perfect. And then there's another android whose motives I can't even recall. Seriously, there are at least 3 androids that look almost identical and it becomes a confusing mess.

Probably the best part of OZ are the action sequences. They spring out of nowhere accompanied by a musical sting, don't last any longer than 12 seconds, and usually end with someone getting gruesomely stabbed or decapitated. A couple of times I laughed out loud at the sheer absurdity when one suddenly popped up out of nowhere.

This review may have seemed disjointed, but that's what watching OZ really feels like. Characters get introduced left and right (and killed off left and right in episode 2), and the overall goal of the protagonists is never very well explained. But that's alright. You don't watch an old OVA for the plot, you watch it for the hamfisted action and the unintentional absurdness. And while OZ certainly isn't very good when examined under a critical lens, it's an enjoyable watch nontheless. Its runtime of 70 minutes means you aren't spending too much time even if you don't like it.