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[R1 DVD box art.]
AKA: 無責任艦長タイラー (Musekinin Kanchou Tylor)
Genre: Sci-fi comedy / drama
Length: Movie, 10 episodes, 30 minutes each
Distributor: R1 DVD from Right Stuf International
Content Rating: PG-13 (fan service)
Related Series: The Irresponsible Captain Tylor TV, Irresponsible Galaxy Tylor (spinoff)
Also Recommended: If you like Star Trek, you'll love this series. Ditto for fans of space opera anime (MACROSS, etc.)
Notes: OAV continuation of the TV series, based on the light novel series by Hitoshi Yoshioka.
Rating:

The Irresponsible Captain Tylor OAV

Synopsis

Following the Soyokaze's encounters with the Raalgon in the original series, Captain Tylor's crew is tasked with investigating the particulars of a Raalgon secret weapon. This is followed by some "shore leave" in which we follow the exploits of individual members of the Soyokaze's crew (and, in one story, of Azalyn), but Raalgon Prime Minister Wang's secret machinations may finally force the long-dreaded war between the Raalgon and the UPSF.


Review

WARNING: THERE IS A TREMENDOUS SPOILER IN THIS REVIEW. I CAN'T HELP IT; IT'S IMPORTANT IN HELPING THE READER MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER TO BUY, OR EVEN WATCH, THIS SERIES.

Nozomi's included series notes (this time indispensable, for reasons we'll get into below) tell us that when this follow-up to the original Tylor series was created (years after the original), the writers wanted to bring it back into continuity with the Tylor novels. This meant that the mood of the series changes, becoming a lot more serious (and unfortunately, more conventional as well.)

The thing I most enjoyed in this OVA series was the focus on Lieutenant Yamamoto. Abandoning his principles again and again out of loyalty to Tylor, Yamamoto in the original series nevertheless seemed doomed to get neither respect nor Yuriko. This time we get to follow his struggles, his ups (and some pretty low "downs") as he finally DOES get one of the two things, and as for the other, he at least gets a consolation prize- a quite unexpected one, though, and one we never see him get in the series BECAUSE (SPOILER IMMINENT)-

THEY END IT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE BIG BATTLE!

Because the story isn't finished here, all the loose ends have to be wrapped up in Nozomi's notes. They include: the origin of the cloaked ship with the electromagnetic weapon (and the fact that it ties in with Azalyn's chapter, which otherwise seems disconnected from the rest of the series); who Tylor and Yamamoto end up with; the eventual fate of Azalyn and the Raalgon empire, and etc., and etc.

Well, I WAS cheering for Yamamoto, so I could forgive this lack of resolution. And as for some of the other characters: Tylor is certainly a major presence, but the episode featuring him the most, the Christmas episode, mainly just shows how easily distracted he is. (On the other hand, he's sometimes the one who asks the most pertinent questions.) Raalgon Captain Dom, who I'd kind of admired in the first series, in this one for a time becomes a sadistic lout (well, jealousy does that to some people.) Wang's political maneuverings are interesting to watch too, though his apparently deep knowledge of applied psychology finally runs aground against an unexpected development.

The character designs this time are much less "cartoony" than the first time, but the only character I really didn't recognize at first was Lieutenant Kim. Harumi doesn't return until late in the series, in a scene that's an homage to GHOST IN THE SHELL (nude, in a tank of liquid; I've got to say, the Raalgon who designed her was an artist!) The overall look of the series- the character designs, the spacecraft designs, etc.- has much improved from the previous one, befitting the tone of this one.

This would EASILY be a five-star series if they'd actually CONCLUDED it. Subtract a star if you really can't stand Lieutenant Yamamoto.Allen Moody

Recommended Audience: PG-13 or about there, and mainly because of how Harumi looked when she re-appeared late in the series. I CERTAINLY didn't object to it, but probably some people would. Azalyn also becomes undressed in the first story (though much less explicitly).



Version(s) Viewed: R1 DVD
Review Status: Full (10/10)
The Irresponsible Captain Tylor OAV © 1994 - 1996 Hitoshi Yoshioka / Kadokawa Shoten / Tylor Project
 
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