''K.O. Beast'', known in Japan as , is an

OVA , 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 ...

anime is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...

series.

History

In 1993-1994, ''

Anime UK ''Anime UK'' was a British magazine founded in 1991 dedicated to Japanese animation and published for six years before ceasing publication in 1996. Peter Goll, Steve Kyte, Helen McCarthy, and Wil Overton founded the magazine in London. Published ...

'', a British-based magazine, brought the first three episodes to the UK market on its own label (this was ''Anime UKs only release). It was released in America by Right Stuf Inc. The American version made references to Pokémon due to the voice cast having also worked for the dub of Pokémon.

Story

The series is set in the distant future in which the Earth is split in two. The southern hemisphere is placed in another dimension while the inhabitants of the northern hemisphere are able to morph into beast-like humanoids. Eventually the humans of the southern hemisphere, led by Uranus, attack the Beasts. The Three Beasts, Wan Derbard (Wan Dabadadatta) of the Tiger Tribe, Bud Mint (Baado Mint) of the Bird Tribe, and Mei Mer (Mei Mah) of the

Mermaid In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including Europe, Asia, and Africa. Mermaids are sometimes ass ...

Tribe, are taken prisoner along with Mei Mer's companion Tuttle Millen (Mekka Mannen, also of the Mermaid tribe), but manage to escape thanks to a little girl named Yuuni Charm Password. Together they seek Gaia, which they believe to be a fabulous treasure, but they are pursued by Uranus's minions : V-Darn the vicious mage-knight, V-Sion the warrior woman and Akumako, V-Darn's sadistic

imp IMP or imp may refer to: * Imp, a fantasy creature Arts and entertainment Fictional characters * Imp (She-Ra), a character in ''She-Ra: Princess of Power'' * Imp a character in '' Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony'' * Imp, a character in the '' Cl ...

-like partner.

Characters

The series has three main characters: *Wan - the male leader who dresses in red *Bud Mint - the male loner *Mei Mer - the female. To these are added the child Yuni, who is female, and a bulky male Tuttle (so-written in the English subtitles) to complete a typical five-character adventure team. All but Yuni are "beasts" who usually appear in anthropomorphic form but who can easily

shapeshift In mythology, folklore and speculative fiction, shape-shifting is the ability to physically transform oneself through an inherently superhuman ability, divine intervention, demonic manipulation, sorcery, spells or having inherited the ...

. For instance, when Wan becomes angry or sneezes, he turns into a

tiger The tiger (''Panthera tigris'') is the largest living cat species and a member of the genus ''Panthera''. It is most recognisable for its dark vertical stripes on orange fur with a white underside. An apex predator, it primarily preys on ...

, though he still wears his trousers, as does Bud, who becomes a

rooster The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...

when he is frightened or disgusted. Mei Mer's legs are replaced by a porpoise's tail; Tuttle becomes a sea turtle, his cumbersome body becoming an armored sphere. The first three are heroes of their tribes of beasts, each committed to protecting a magical statue of their tribe, which are called "Jinn." Each has a stereotypical childish desire: Wan is hungry, Bud Mint wants girls, Mei Mer wants wealth. In addition, Bud often begins his responses with

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

expletives or sayings. The joke is that the symbol of the US is the

eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, j ...

, but he is a chicken. Their enemies are the human beings V-Darn and V-Sion, whose names involve a pun on the Japanese word for "beautiful," namely ''bi'' for ''v'', and the story begins with all heroes captured and taken to the enemy stronghold, and the three statues taken.

Voice cast

References

External links

* {{ann, anime, 884 1992 anime OVAs 1993 anime OVAs Environmental television Gainax Mecha anime and manga Post-apocalyptic anime and manga Television series about shapeshifting