Grey

video sleeve

Official Blurb:

"BLAZING WAR ROCKS THE PLANET AS A GIANT, EVIL COMPUTER PITS ALL HUMANS AGAINST EACH OTHER - LEAVING ONLY THE HOPE OF TWO YOUNG LOVERS TO FIND A WAY OUT"

"In the year 2588, a central computer called BIG MAMA controls the world, and has all of society classified rigidly in six ranks, from A to F. Only the people belonging to Rank A can call themselves CITIZEN, and be guaranteed a humane life in an exclusive preserve known simply as CITY."

"To become CITIZEN, one must first become a warrior called a TROOPER, and kill many people in other towns to accumulate enough credits to be promoted into the upper ranks. The probability of surviVing the struggle up from Rank F to Rank A is only 0.3 percent."

"GREY is a Rank C TROOPER. He survives many tough battles, and Rank B comes within seemingly li easy reach for him. But GREY cannot forget the girlfriend who inspired his dreams of a peaceful life together in Rank A - the same girlfriend who died a horrible death in combat."

"GREY meets a new woman, NOVA, and they fall in love surviving a horrendous battle. Disregarding BIG MAMA's order, GREY and NOVA set out to rescue RED, GRAY's missing senior officer...".

Director:        Tetsu Dezaki
Screenplay:      Yasushi Hirano, Kazumi Koide & Tetsu Dezaki

Language Format: Japanese Language, English Subtitles
Running time:    80 mins
Certificate:     12
Label:           Western Connection
Catalogue no:    WEST 019
Price:           £12.99
Release Date:    12th September 1994

Review:

Grey: Digital Target is another OAV that has been on the fan circuit for some time. It was originally a manga, but has transferred well to anime. Like all good anime it contains many different elements. Like much anime it is set in the future, in a world which although is the Earth, is very different to our present world.

A central computer called BIG MAMA rules the planet, and society has been broken down into a strict hierarchy. All people have a rank A to F. But only rank A are citizens, who live in the luxury of the city. Classes B to F have to struggle to stay alive, and very few people get to become rank A.

Grey is a rank C who is trying to become a citizen. Will he be one of the lucky 0.3% to make it to rank A? Or will he die in the process?

It is well animated and is definitely a title for the true anime fan. It is both subtitled and a decent piece of sci-fi. The only bad point is that it isn't exactly an original plot, but it is a good story, nicely presented. [Steve Whitcher]