Martian Successor Nadesico, Vol. 1

When the Jovians, who have conquered Mars, attack the Earth, the Nergal Corporation (not trusting Earth's United Forces for defense) builds the space battleship Nadesico and independently sends it out to fight the enemy. The ship's misfit crew includes beautiful 20-year-old Captain Yurika Misumaru (a tactical genius but also a ditz) and her childhood boyfriend Akito Tenkawa, a Mars refugee who signed on as a cook but accidentally becomes a giant-robot pilot and hero. This dual-language two-disc set is the first of three collecting the entire 26-episode TV series. The show's fast-paced barrage of virtually everything--slapstick, drama, action, super-science, cute females, hilarious dialogue, intrigue, tragedy, romance, and multifarious parodies of standard anime conventions--will likely overwhelm any viewer new to anime, but seasoned fans are liable to find it all hugely entertaining. This new edition is preferable to the earlier Martian Successor Nadesico Complete Collection box set, as the various English-language visual overlays that bothered fans have been removed, and a one-episode commentary track by three voice actors from the fine English dub has been added. Rated 12-up, this entry in ADV's spotty "Essential Anime Collection" is actually nearly essential. Highly recommended. [Note: Martian Successor Nadesico, Vol. 2 is also available, with Vol. 3 slated for release on Jan. 25.] Aud: P. (S. Raiteri)