It's astounding to me that Green Legend Ran is as unknown as it is, and serves as yet another example of the hidden gems scattered in the depths of anime as a medium, waiting to be found by those who care enough to look. Green Legend Ran is a grand and exciting adventure with an otherworldly and invigorating atmosphere. In some ways it's a classic hero's journey, but in other ways, it's a soaring legend about aliens, warfare, prophecy, and the fate of all mankind. Its unique and bizarre worldbuilding strikes a balance which fuses fantasy with technology, finding itself in that bizarre genre inwhich many OVAs of the 80s and 90s would land. The story of an alien race of genocidal environmentalists around which a religion is formed, and one orphan's story of survival and revenge which blossoms into one of purpose and a total refashioning of the self through an almost impossible struggle for the survival of mankind, is an extremely creative and maverick sort of tale that could only really ever come out of a medium like anime. Above all, I find its moral gradients commendable, with the rebels not being plainly painted as the "good guys", instead posing them and their establishment foes as two forces opposed to each other at all costs, with only a small group having an actual orientation towards real moral ends. Indeed, many of the rebels are little more than petty bastards willing to steamroll women and children for their own goals, which is, in many ways, just a reflection of the powers that be. Over the course of its modest runtime, this anime manages to keep tensions high, moving from beat to beat in a manner which is snappy and exciting, fleshing out the intricacies of its strange desert world while not meandering too long in any one place, all in service of a story which is action-packed and nonetheless classic in its execution. Some might call it predictable OVA fare, but I think that wouldn't be doing this title the justice it really deserves when all of its elements are properly considered.

The art, however, is definitely the strongest aspect of this anime. It lives up to that pedigree of 90s anime as these richly animated, effulgently colored, high-detail works of hand-drawn art. Every second is extremely impressive, from the command of physical form and natural movement, to the weight of melee and incendiary combat, to the fine color gradients seen in a simple shot of the sprawling desert, or the glow of the setting sun. The art really brings this fascinating and distinct world fully to life, ensuring that not a single moment fails to catch your eye.

The sound is very solid, with a soaring, orchestral score that makes it feel like a movie, complete with grounded and realistic voice work, and of course richly detailed sounds of life that give the setting depth and variety, in regards to everything from the gentle trickling of water to the powerful crack of an explosive artillery round.

The characters fit well into the story, with a variety of flaws and quirks that serve to make them genuinely interesting rather than a cast of featureless action heroes. Of them, my favorites are the idealistic and rebellious Ran, and the magnanimous and jovial outlaw Jeke. Ran, the titular protagonist, feels like a fairly realistic depiction of a rebellious young orphan trying to cut his own destiny through a world that would just as soon see him dead. His defiance of impossible odds, and persistent humor throughout all trials, make him an easy character to root for. Meanwhile, Jeke's lighthearted yet competent character make him a refreshingly dependable person, especially in the life of Ran, and his unusual hobby of label-making serves to humanize him greatly. Together, their interplay makes for a fun dynamic in the second half of the show. Overall, Green Legend Ran is a home run of an adventure tale, and is certain to be a great time for whoever sits down and gives it a chance. Definitely a hidden gem, which I find easy to recommend.