is a 1986

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

horror

original video animation , abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animation video), are Japanese animated films and special episodes of a series made specially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theaters, though the ...

directed by Hisashi Sugai. It was released on September 10, 1986. The story is that of a research crew on a space station find a desolate ship with only one survivor. The crew is then stalked by a psychic alien who wishes to kill them. The plot and setting bear a lot of similarities to the 1979 film ''

Alien Alien primarily refers to: * Alien (law), a person in a country who is not a national of that country ** Enemy alien, the above in times of war * Extraterrestrial life, life which does not originate from Earth ** Specifically, a lifeform with ext ...

''.

Plot

Research station, four scientists. A small ship, the Green Planet, falls out of hyperspace at this station. 9 crew members are dead, only Assistant Captain Buzz survived. Scientists carry the guy to the station, and with it - a strange alien who does not show signs of life. At the insistence of the chief, the alien body is thrown into space. And then scientists are haunted by the memories of the meanness they have committed in life, dead friends, acquaintances and lovers cry for vengeance. Scientists are dying all but the only lady who falls in love with Buzz. Alien claims he was sent by God to punish mankind for sins. Buzz and the girl blow up the station, but do not have time to escape themselves.

Voice actors

* Banjou Ginga as Norman *

Kenyuu Horiuchi is a Japanese voice actor. In 2002 he founded his own voice acting management office, Kenyu Office. He is best known for dubbing over Brad Pitt (Horiuchi met Pitt at Japan's Premiere of '' Bullet Train''), Charlie Sheen, Ben Stiller, Ben Affleck, ...

as Buzz * Osamu Kobayashi as Marcus *

Yusaku Yara is a Japanese actor, Voice acting in Japan, voice actor and narrator from Tokyo, Japan. His real name is , and his former stage name was . Previously, he was the representative director of the voice actor office vi-vo, but it was dissolved due to ...

as Alien X *

Hideyuki Tanaka is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator from Tokyo who is attached to Aoni Production. He is a graduate of the Toho Gakuen School of Music. He is most known for his roles in ''One Piece'' (as Donquixote Doflamingo), '' Dokaben'' (as Tarou ...

as Sander *

Kaneto Shiozawa Toshikazu Shiozawa (, January 28, 1954 – May 10, 2000), better known by the stage name Kaneto Shiozawa (), was a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator from Tokyo. At the time of his death, he was attached to Aoni Production. He had a distinc ...

as Scott *

Keiko Han is a Japanese actress and voice actress. She sang the theme songs in productions, such as '' Story of the Alps: My Annette'' and '' The Swiss Family Robinson: Flone of the Mysterious Island''. She is a fortune teller of western horoscopes. She ...

as Moira *

Michitaka Kobayashi is a Japanese voice actor. For a time, he was known as . He currently works for Aoni Production. Voice roles Television *'' Atashin'chi'' (????) (Mizushima Husband) *''Digimon Xros Wars'' (????) (Angemon) *'' Mirai Keisatsu Urashiman'' (????) ( ...

as Raymond *

Shigeru Muroi is a Japanese actress. She won the award for Best Supporting Actress at the 19th Hochi Film Awards for '' Izakaya Yūrei''. She is known for her role as Reiko Onda on Yappari Neko ga Suki series. she also starred in two television drama series ...

as Catherine

Production

Roots Search is directed by Hisashi Sugai, whose only other credit is as a producer for the

MD Geist is an anime and comic book series about a post-apocalyptic world. Geist (the main character) is colloquially referred to as ''Most Dangerous Soldier'', genetically engineered to outperform other soldiers during a long war on a planet known ...

Release

It was released on

laserdisc LaserDisc (LD) is a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium. It was developed by Philips, Pioneer Corporation, Pioneer, and the movie studio MCA Inc., MCA. The format was initially marketed in the United State ...

and VHS in the United States. The soundtrack was released on

vinyl record A phonograph record (also known as a gramophone record, especially in British English) or a vinyl record (for later varieties only) is an analog signal, analog sound Recording medium, storage medium in the form of a flat disc with an inscribed, ...

Reception

Anime News Network Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and ot ...

, Justin Sevakis said "There is simply nothing good about ''Roots Search''. It's stupid, ugly, badly dated, and annoying." Other reviewers noted the similarities to the film Alien, going so far as to call it "derivative dreck".

References

External links

* * 1980s science fiction horror films 1986 anime OVAs 1986 horror films Direct-to-video horror films Direct-to-video science fiction films Horror anime and manga Japanese direct-to-video films Japanese animated science fiction films Japanese science fiction horror films 1986 films 1986 science fiction films {{anime-film-stub