is a

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel uni ...

OVA series released in 1983. It was conceptualized by Hisayuki Toriumi, who also wrote the script and directed it with

Mamoru Oshii is a Japanese filmmaker, television director and writer. Famous for his philosophy-oriented storytelling, Oshii has directed a number of acclaimed anime films, including '' Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer'' (1984), '' Angel's Egg'' (1985) ...

. It is widely considered not only the first OVA released but also the first animated direct-to-video production release. The storyline focuses on a rebellion on a

Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...

colony by

settler A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established a permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. A settler who migrates to an area previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited may be described as a pioneer. Settle ...

s and a mysterious artifact called Dallos. The story and setting take influence by past works such as the 1966 feature film ''

The Battle of Algiers ar, Maʿrakat al-Jazāʾir , director = Gillo Pontecorvo , producer = Antonio MusuSaadi Yacef , writer = Franco Solinas , story = Franco SolinasGillo Pontecorvo , starring = Jean MartinSaadi YacefBrahim H ...

'' and the 1966 novel ''

The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress ''The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress'' is a 1966 science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein about a lunar colony's revolt against absentee rule from Earth. The novel illustrates and discusses libertarian ideals. It is respected for i ...

''.

Story

In the near future, humanity has drained the Earth of its resources. To sustain Earth's populace, mining colonies are created on the Moon to provide vital natural resources. After generations of mistreatment from the Earth Federal Government, the colonists retaliate by performing acts of

terrorism Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of criminal violence to provoke a state of terror or fear, mostly with the intention to achieve political or religious aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violen ...

leading directly to a conflict with their overseers. A mysterious structure on the Moon called Dallos is worshipped by the colonists and gives them hope. A young colonist by the name of Shun Nonomura is caught into the fray as he joins the rebels, dramatically affecting the lives of those close to him with his actions. A generational divide between the younger natural born colonists and their older compatriots arises as the allegiance to Earth as humanity's motherland is questioned.

Cast

The compilation film ''Dallos Special'' has English and Spanish dubs, but of unknown actors. The Japanese cast is retained. The characters Alex Leiger, Doug McCoy, and Erna are sometimes known as Alex ''Riger'', ''Dog'' McCoy, and ''Elna''; respectively.

Episodes

The four episodes were edited together to create the 85 minute-long film ''Dallos Special'' in 1985.

Release

In 1991,

Celebrity Home Entertainment Celebrity Home Entertainment (also known as simply Celebrity Video), founded by Noel C. Bloom in 1987, was a home video distributor specializing in mostly obscure material from around the world, as well as B-grade action films and softcore adult ...

released an English dub of ''Dallos Special'' on VHS under the title ''Battle for Moon Station Dallos''. This feature version was later reissued by Best Film and Video Corp simply titled ''Dallos''.

Discotek Media Discotek Media is an American entertainment company based in Altamonte Springs, Florida, focused on distribution and licensing Japanese anime, films, and television series. Formed in 2005, Discotek primarily focuses on licensing retro titles fr ...

released the OVA series in uncut form on DVD in 2014. The streaming platform

Crunchyroll Crunchyroll is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Sony through a joint venture between Sony Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Aniplex. The service primarily distributes films and t ...

added the OVA series to its catalog in May 2015. In Spain, it was distributed, licensed, and dubbed onto VHS format by Chiqui Video during the 80's.

References

External links

*
Review of Dallos at Anime Bargain Bin
{{Mamoru Oshii 1983 anime OVAs Pierrot (company) Bandai Visual Science fiction anime and manga Discotek Media