Venus Wars is a masterclass in visual world building, imo. The unique architectural and cultural fingerprint of Venus is gorgeous to see throughout the film, even if it has its derp moments. Also one of my favorite anime "David and Goliath" showdowns. Sadly, this remains a surprisingly topical film.

Just re-watched Venus Wars. I was surprised at how grounded the technology is. Right up to the tanks taking penetrating shots and the film showing blown out bits of armor. Also was a massive nostalgia kick.

I did read a little bit of the Manga. The story begins in the 1990's when an ice meteor flies into Venus' orbit and crashes into its surface. The impact was strong enough to reverse the planet's spinning from west - east to east -west just like Earth. The water vapor also added to the terraforming and removed the CO2 and acidic atmosphere. Venus became a hospital planet which led to exploration and colonization in the early 21st Century.

Borrowed this on VHS from a friend back in the day. Watched it over and over. Now I at least have a DVD copy but I would love a Blu-ray release. To me, this movie is peak Anime.

Kids today have these motor unicycles. One of my favorite classic animes. Yes the Sci-Fi channel 🤟🏾 This is how I found Akira and IRIA too.

From the UK I feel the same way about this film, still come back to it years later. Thanks for posting this review.

Dude this Movie is amazing. Its war sequences are very realistic and intense!! The Ishtar Admiral A-1 (octopus tank) is still my most favorite sci fi tank to date.

Saw this on /r/retroanime and I'm glad I clicked on it. This is a good summary of Venus Wars, you have a pleasant voice to narrate, jokes that don't overstay their welcome, and knowledge of your subject. Can't wait to see what you do next. Also, talking about 80s anime is always great since that's the period I grew up with.

Sci Fi's Saturday Anime was wonderful in those days and I woke up early for it because it meant so much to me. I remember catching the promos for their anime week in 1995 and caught part of A-Ko The Versus OVAs. I didn't realize Saturday Anime was a thing until 1997. It was A-Ko that helped me to notice. I had heard so little about Venus Wars, though what I had heard was that it was good. It ended up being one of the highlights for me from that time, being better than I expected. I tried watching it again about ten years later, but didn't have a good time. That had more to do with chronic insomnia and the original Central Park Media DVD being so blurry. I got back into buying anime discs some years later and picked up the Discotek DVD version. The blu ray was also available, but there was enough of a cost difference that I decided to go with the DVD. I expect the blu ray is very good because the DVD has some of the best video I've ever seen on the format. It looks gorgeous. I've been squeezing in more anime this year, mostly before going to sleep. Recently, I've been watching the entirety of the Dirty Pair franchise. I decided that, instead of just going straight through it, I'd slip in a few detours in between entries. I was about to watch Venus Wars and then decided at the last minute to rewatch Crusher Joe(movie) first, which I ended up enjoying a lot more the second time. I mention that because of the coincidence of Crusher Joe and Venus Wars both having the same director in Yasuhiko-san. I was not aware of that, and it was great to realize it because I enjoyed the style of both very much. I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy Venus Wars this time around. Your critiques and some others I have seen and heard are fair. The plot and characters could have used more time than a feature film allowed, yet it all still worked. I know I enjoyed the story it told and liked most of the characters, and I can get picky about that. As for the animation overlaid onto video, I agree that it is jarring and was probably better off avoided. It also wasn't quite as bad as I remembered. Part of that is because it was wisely portrayed as a video feed within the movie. Another part is that the sequence itself is well done for what it is. But it still didn't belong there. With all that said, I'm so glad to have seen it again and I enjoyed it just like I did in 1997, though with more appreciation. Despite its shortcomings, when it was over, it stuck with me, and that really says a lot. That's why I was checking out video reviews, and I'm glad to have watched this one. Cheers!

Venus Wars still has one of the best visual scenes ever made. The clip when they're training for the war in the canyons. The tv goes blue and it's like they fused real content with anime art. The only other anime I know that's done it similar was Advent Children in the Cloud post credit scene. For me, as a kid I loved those scenes.

Still have my VHS tape that I recorded off of the scifi channel! I always masterfully cut out the commercials... Those were indeed magical days. Thanks to my buddy Joe in 8th grade for telling me that it was going to be on over the weekend 😊 RIDE AND CRASH CRASH AND BURN

I only wish they had done more with the reporter character. Give her a real character arc or just have her successfully pull off that hit at the end. I'm biased because I like the voice actress. B-Ko is bae.

Managed to buy All The Anime's Limited Edition UK Blu-Ray re-release of this, which came out on the Monday just gone (15/4/2024). I had seen it advertised on their official social media channels just two days earlier and, having loved the film since it was released by Manga Video on VHS here in the UK years earlier, I jumped at the chance to order it right there and then. The English dub on it is the same one as what we are hearing here, although there is now an option to watch it in Japanese with English subtitles. Oh, and the 76-page book that is exclusive to the Limited Edition version (as there is also a manilla Blu-Ray version) is really cool too. Yes, _Vinasu Senki_ does have its niggles, but somehow there is just something about it that compelled me to watch it repeatedly on that aforementioned VHS tape that I had back in the day, and I was so relieved that my admiration for the film had not dissipated in all that time.

I watched this for the first time last night and was amazed at how damn good it was, then I looked at the reviews - holy crap I can't believe this movie isn't considered one of the best anime films of all time let alone genuinely disliked. The film is probably my favorite war movie ever and all things considered I think it's nearly flawless. The characters, the animation, the world building (you can learn how to world-build just by watching this movie), the writing, the CLIMAX it was all just beautiful. The whole movie just oozes quality and the petty complaints are simply off base, I guess most people can't appreciate amazing art which makes it all the better when someone comes along that actually gets why Venus Wars is so great - loved the video! I'm off to watch Crusher Joe and everything else connected to the maker of Venus Wars now.

I'll die on the hill to bro. This was one of my favorites.

Dude! You NAILED it! The beginning of this video perfectly recounted my initial discovery of this film, and the wider universe of Anime by extension. I disagree a tad with your criticisms about the Plot, mainly because I just absorbed the story as it came. I too absolutely adored the Score music, thanks for pointing out the composer and J-Pop artists involved! GREAT review; on to Dominion Tank Police? Lol

showing venus wars to someone who hasnt seen anime before back then would have been amazing an great respect towards this awesome film

it was one of my first anime movies too. I still remember the amazing visuals but none of the plot :D Definitely a classic. On a side note. That was a great review. You really know how to edit!

I don't even remember Apollo Smile, but she will do

GOD!!! ... I miss the 90's ....

Dude, I saw this anime the same way: on Sci-Fi Channel's Saturday Japanime! When I first watched it, I immediately fell in love, especially with the soundtrack (still like to play Shakunetsu No Circuit when I'm driving to get me pumped). Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful review of this classic. Always nice to hear how others have enjoyed and have been inspired by this anime!

Great job on the video! Excited to see more!

Hahaha yeah man Rob is my little brother's favorite character in Venus Wars and way up there for me. When I think back on this movie Rob sticks out in my head. That makes him a great character.

i soooo needed this video, i have been wondering about this anime I had vivid memories of but had no idea what it was.... thanks sci fi for planting this mindworm in me

VEnus Wars is one of the animes that got me hooked to it.

Great review. For me the animation was the closest to Akira with the exception of that weird FMV part that you mentioned

The manga is phenomenal

Your taking me back bro

I haven’t seen this in years, I will have to pick this up on blu-ray.

I still love this film. Was glad that it got a BD release. I don't know if it has the new dub. I'm a sub guy. The art , music action and animation is tops. Yeah, the movie could have used more transitions to give us an idea of how much time has passed. I liked all the characters. Holy cow that was a tight suit on Apollo Smile...

Your comments at the end there, I felt the same after watching this film for the first time. They have re dubbed the film they have now.

It hurts so much ... 10:41 .... Why? I had already forgotten.

I bought it some years back for my collection. I rememeber back in 2003 or so I was trying to rememeber the name and asked a buddy at work and he thought I was messing with him. He just laughed when I said 1 wheel motorcycles on Venus lol but that's all I could rememeber. Anyways later I found it again and it's all good now :). I remember back in 98 or 99 the cartoon channel here kept showing the most amazing movies. Ninja Scroll,Macross Plus the movie,SFII the animated movie and Ghost in the shell and Patlabor. I had already seen Akira but just seeing all those other movies just blew my mind. Amazing memories :). One movie I missed and was really impressed by was Spriggan. Not sure how but only saw it a couple years ago. Anyhoo great review sir gonna have to watch it again it's been a while.

una de mis peliculas favoritas de anime

Will really reminds me of a young Matt Dillon. Which might be possible, because he acted since 1979 and the manga was made in 1986. He was already in 6-7 movies before the Manga was released.

Love it.....🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

This was my fav anime from childhood this and ninja scroll, golgo13 , fotns, guyver where amazing to me the visuals in Venus wars the music is like a high budget movie

very good anime. Jo hisaishi music. watched on VHS too. The design is awsome. I recommend another good anime but for children , dragon quest : the adventure of dai.thanks for the review.

Venus Wars needs a revival

I found out my dad has a shelf of old manga he read as a kid. I read through all of them and one of the series he had was Venus Wars. I quite enjoyed it =)

Enjoyed the vid and REALLY enjoyed Venus Wars. Take my sub, bub!

7 months late, however love the work and just like you I am old enough to cut my teeth on anime on sci fi channel.

i like the way he drove his motors bike out of his flat....or was that the other one with the other things um - the one in that city - macross related

i think i managed to get hold of a eng dub version of venus wars on dvd

I had the VHS then. Now, looking for Blu-ray version. It is a timeless classic. Thanks for this review.

Hello, Does anyone know here where there is official fan contact for Yoshikazu Yasuhiko to ask questions regarding Venus Wars? Been searching high and low and nothing. I am fairly new to the Anime and Manga world so any help would be greatly appreciated and welcomed. Thank you in advance ❤

Just another great anime in the pre-digital era. Man, I miss that stuff. Give me Ninja Scroll, Iria, Vampire Hunter D, Venus Wars, etc. over the modern digital junk.

This was a fun film

I wish this movie was available anywhere other than Amazon I would sub in a second

At least SCI FI UK channel did not have that cringe presentation intro featuring that person. Neon genesis evangelion, Blue Gender were the anime shows I watched on the SCI FI UK channel during the day. The midnight anime shows were also awesome. Got to see Street fighter 2, Wicked City, Gokus Midnight eye, Genocyborg, Red Bean, AD Police from what I remember from the early 2000's during the night.

Haven’t seen the movie or read the manga but it sounds like it would’ve had a much better reception with a tv show.

I own the dvd but looking at getting the blu ray.

ALWAYS listen to the original Japanese with English subtitles.

I wonder if I can upload an english copy on youtube for this I am digitizing a 20000 tapes tv recorded archive I have the copy from sci fi channal with tv adds wonder if i can upload without issues for all to see

To buy anime… was expensive

People always got to put down on dubs, but this movies original was fine. Hiro sounds way better in the first dub, and that's not even up for debate. Only his idiot biker friends were annoying. Pretty much a perfect film otherwise.

The one sequence in Venus Wars I could have done without is the GAY one, where Hiro is sort of recollecting all of the gayest quotes from the gayest character in the movie. It had no reason to exist and only leaves you thinking, "I didn't need to see and hear that." BTW, I owned a VHS of it, I think it was released through CPM back then.

What happened to anime we have stupid shit like miss kobayashi and horse shit like that i miss thr gory creepy unsettling vibes old school anime had like akira ninja scroll fist of the north star

I had to stop this 3 minutes in. It's "fam-il-iar" not "feR-mill-iar". If you are making a video where all you are doing is speaking, you should learn to speak.