Name(s): Appleseed / アップル・シード
Format: Original video animation [OVA] (1 episode)
Studio(s): Gainax
Related: Appleseed (2004)

Appleseed is Masamune Shirow‘s non-Ghost in the Shell baby. I was lukewarm towards the 2004 CG movie, and my appreciation for this franchise hasn’t grown after this OVA. I recall the movie having more action than this OVA, which is a plus in this OVA’s favor, if you ask me. This focuses a lot more on the dynamic and banter between Deunan and Briareos, and I’m more of a “script” guy than an “action” guy.

For some reason, I also expected this to be the same story as the movie, but it’s entirely different. From what I remember, even the setting is significantly different. Deunan and Briareos are already working together, and Deunan’s clearly accepted his bioroid augmentations. The council of old men from the movie aren’t seen or mentioned anywhere, and neither is the OVA’s namesake.

I can’t recommend anyone start with this one, because it puts in next to no effort to establish the characters or setting, but it works fine if you watch outside of production order (as you should be willing to). There’s a bit more philosophy and psychology in this one, but nothing as impressive as Ghost in the Shell. It only really scratches the surface of how a sterile, utopian city like Olympus could impact society.

Appleseed is mostly a buddy cop-styled police procedural action story with the duo investigating a terrorist plot. Not much else to it, but I enjoyed the style and setting. Like Black Magic M-66, it’s not riddled with problems—it’s just lacking an extra spark.