Synopsis

Two years have passed since the war between Earth and the Jovians. The two sides have now joined forces and cooperatively developed a large-scale boson jumping transportation network. Unfortunately, a Martian rebel movement has emerged from the shadows and is fighting for control of this new system.

Review

I had encountered quite a bit of dissatisfaction directed at this movie, mostly by fans of the Nadesico series, so I was somewhat reluctant to watch it. When I finally did, I found that, once again, the harsh criticisms leveled at it seemed mostly unfounded. I think much of the problem lies in the viewer's lack of understanding regarding the differences between a movie and a TV series and the resultant expectations.

In the original series, the plot was developed and revealed gradually, sometimes indirectly, allowing for more detail, coherence, and believability. A movie, however, lacks the luxury of time; therefore, it is necessary to frame a scenario with a brief background and provide ample time to reach the heart of the story.

The story revolves around the conflict over the network of Chulip portals known as the Hisago Plan. A sleeper group proclaiming to be Martian Successors has launched an assault on the recently allied Earth and Jovian forces in order to seize control of the Boson jumping technology. In order to combat this formidable threat, the original crew of the Nadesico is reassembled to lead the assault.

The events in Prince of Darkness take place two years after the conclusion of the series. The crew seems to have lost touch with each other, to some extent. Ruri is now the captain of the Nadesico B, and the whereabouts of both Akito and Yurika are unknown.

This was also the cause of some of the complaints regarding the movie, since the two most prominent characters from the series, though not my personal favorites, were missing from the onset and do not have as much screen time as some of the other characters. In all reality, none of the characters had a lion?s share of the spotlight. The cast of the series is far too large and the runtime far too short to allow the reintroduction and development of that many characters. With this in mind, I think the director did an admirable job of reuniting the characters without disrupting the story.

I was pleased to find that, despite this movie?s more somber tone, it still managed to incorporate some of the series? signature humor into the mix. The holographic viewscreens were back, chasing people and thrashing about wildly. The personalities of the characters seemed fairly intact as well, though Akito acknowledges that he has been forever altered by experiments, and Ruri seems a bit less jaded than before.

The video and audio were both excellent, and the animation is where the movie undoubtedly exceeds its ancestor. The action is crisp and fluid, allowing for some of the most exciting and fast-paced mech battles in Nadesico history. It?s great fun. Unfortunately, the ending did seem a bit rushed and anticlimactic. It definitely leaves you wanting more, much like the series.

With a movie based on a series, the creators typically expect a certain degree of familiarity with the plot and characters of the original in most cases, which allows them more room to be creative. In this case, The Prince of Darkness draws heavily on the background provided by the series to provide character development, which it did expertly. This approach narrows the potential audience significantly and may confuse some viewers, but the alternative is to create movies like Rahxephon the Movie and Evangelion: Death and Rebirth, which provide little fresh content and are essentially a remix of the parent series.

I prefer the approach taken by The Prince of Darkness, as it allows for much more capacity to expand the Nadesico universe. If the movie is viewed as essentially bonus episodes that explore a particular scenario, it becomes much more enjoyable. With that attitude in mind, I think most Nadesico fans will find the movie enjoyable.

Conclusion

While Martian Successor Nadesico: The Motion Picture will certainly fail to satisfy some, it is certainly a worthwhile watch for most fans. I wouldn?t recommend it for those new to the series, as it would be utterly confusing, but it provides a fun chance for a reunion of the series? great cast of characters. It also adds a bit more depth to the Nadesico universe, as it actually adds an entirely fresh and new scenario instead of merely recapping the original. For those who don?t take things too seriously, it?s a fun romp with some of the most entertaining anime characters of all time.

-Review by Reptile (23 Aug, 2006)

Audio:	Good voiceovers and crisp audio. Nice soundtrack.
Video:	Vivid and crisp animation nice action
Plot:	Basically a short arc that reunites the characters
Style:	Classic Nadesico mix of comedy and action
Characters:	Great but short appearances
Violence:	Moderate
Language:	Mild
Nudity:	None (suggestive)
Genre:	Scifi
Episodes:	1
Rating:	3.5 of 5
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