Megazone 23 is a cyberpunk OVA that is well regarded. I've known of it for years, seeing it frequently mentioned in Manga Mania, Anime FX as well as on shelves at video stores but I had never got around to seeing it. I thought I'd put aside an hour and a half to check what the fuss was about.
I saw the film mentioned on numerous occasions in various manga and anime magazines.
Set in a neon-drenched, eternal 1980s Tokyo, the plot follows brash Shogo Yahagi, a cocky young biker who spends his nights tearing through the city streets. His life takes a sharp turn when an old friend entrusts him with a stolen military prototype: an advanced motorcycle that can transform into a powerful mecha. As the military hunts him down to reclaim their tech, Shogo begins to notice strange glitches in his perfect urban paradise. With the help of a popular virtual idol named Eve, Shogo uncovers a massive conspiracy that suggests the world he lives in - and the history he knows - is a carefully constructed illusion.
Having watched it, I can see now where The Matrix, They Live and Dark City got their ideas from; they are a haunting meditation on The Stagnation of Paradise, where the concepts of nostalgia, technology, and social control aren't just separate ideas, but layers of a singular, claustrophobic trap. The story posits that a society prioritizing comfort over truth is inherently fragile, existing in a "forever summer" designed to prevent anyone from looking closely enough at the seams of their reality - all pretty heady stuff for a 1985 anime.
The animation is stunning and holds up well, especially the amazing mech designs by Shinji Aramaki, who worked on Appleseed, Ghost in the Shell SAC and Metal Skin Panic Madox, and character work by the legendary Haruhiko Mikimoto, who worked on Macross and Gundam. The soundtrack slaps and there is no problematic etchi stuff, although there are a couple of love making scenes, but apart from that you're all good to go.
Overall, if you enjoy the vibe of 80s synth-pop, detailed mechanical animation, and "Big Truth" mysteries, this is essential viewing. Just be prepared as it trades the typical hero’s journey for something much more cynical and thought-provoking.
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