is a 1986 science fiction horror

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

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, intelligent extrater ...

''.

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 as Buzz * Osamu Kobayashi as Marcus *

Yusaku Yara is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator from Tokyo, Japan. He is affiliated with Vi-Vo. His real name is , and his former stage name was . He is best known for his roles in ''Saint Seiya'' as Sagittarius Aiolos, ''Chibi Maruko-chan'' as Hi ...

as Alien X * Hideyuki Tanaka as Sander * Kaneto Shiozawa as Scott * Keiko Han 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'' (????) (R ...

as Raymond * Shigeru Muroi as Catherine

Production

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

Release

It was released on

laserdisc The LaserDisc (LD) is a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium, initially licensed, sold and marketed as DiscoVision, MCA DiscoVision (also known simply as "DiscoVision") in the United States in 1978. Its diam ...

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

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 oth ...

, 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