Burakku Majikku M-66

The animation of this 45 minute film is typical for Japanese anime of that era, but done really well. The attention to detail is very nice and the action scenes (humanoid military robots fighting in tandem) put to shame most of the modern animes and big budget films alike.

The plot is that of Terminator 2, basically, with the role of Arnie being taken by a feisty female reporter who needs to save a hapless girl from a killer robot. For some reason that is never revealed, the termination target is the creator's granddaughter.

I found the world in which all of this happens very chic, with very sci-fi concepts like machines routinely flying inside cities and killer robots combined with old fashioned ones like buttons to switch off robots and crappy looking vehicles. I think any anime fan would like this, even if it is not a masterpiece. The roots of a lot of the greatness of Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell is apparent in this OVA.

Ok, so it opens with the obligatory nekkid chick shot, the plot is basically The Terminator, the characterisation, dialogue and voice talent (in the English dubbed version) are just what you'd expect from a 12th grade media project, and the facial expressions are exaggerated Japanese home market stuff (this appears to be a series pilot).

However, this is a pacy little action flick, cleanly animated at an acceptable frame rate, with plenty of scene changes and none of the tedious long pauses or pans across static backgrounds typical of more artsy anime. It just gets on with telling an exciting story without delving into muddled metaphysical ramblings or over-stylised posturing. There are a few moments of genuine tension (spoiled only by the monotonous dubbed wails of Wimpy Female Victim) and in fact some of the English dub dialogue lines are delivered with something approaching real passion, an unusual treat.

Not a film to obsess over or watch 400 times, maybe not even worth a rent, but definitely worth catching on cable.

An entertaining OVA with a lot of science fiction essence and a cyberpunk style, offering an interesting premise and a predominant social critique.

"Black Magic M-66" is a pleasant experience within the world of anime that, in just 48 minutes, immerses us in a story of action, chase, survival, and a lot of technology. The short film focuses on demonstrating the characterization and importance of technological advancement, as well as its impact on society. The directors Shirow Masamune and Hiroyuki Kitakubo had their idea more than clear, having the opportunity to adapt this story and revolutionize anime, since one of them gifted us the universe of "Ghost in the Shell."

The musicalization is interesting, it has that 80s and classic signature of many works from those years. The sound is very efficient and the animation in general is well done, with a polished level of detail even better than current animes, of course, considering the resources used. The character design, the movement sequences, the line work, and the color tones, from my perspective, meet expectations.

Now then, "Black Magic M-66" could undoubtedly have been much better, whether in its script or more impactful scenes, by adding plot twists or any unforgettable event. However, it does have its great merit and for many anime fans, it can be a gem.

In his reflective messages, we have topics such as survival, love for work, skill, the importance of covering information from a journalistic perspective, problem situation analysis, the effect and/or consequences of technological developments, trust, teamwork, among others.

"Black Magic M-66" is an OVA with which you can easily make a direct connection to other products related to robots, androids, and action moments. For example, "The Terminator," "Ghost in the Shell," "Alita: Battle Angel," and many more.

Black Magic M66 is a anime OVA from the 80s is sort of like a mix between The Terminator and Ghost in the Shell with a plot involved two extremely dangerous cyborg from the military get loose in the jungle after an plane accident and started to killing all the people who get in their way to hunt down the main target.Because this is a short anime so don't hope the plot explain much,it also very chessy and some time a character make very dumb choice,Beside that the hand drawing animation is fantastic,the action scene is cool and violent although it not super gory like most of 80s anime but it enough to keep you entertain through out the movie

This is a real gem, 50 minutes of pure joy and brain-massage, ahhhh.

In a nutshell, it's Terminator gone animated, with a cutesy cast and some great fights with the killer robots - keep your overblown plots and twists which don't make sense, this is what entertainment is all about. Military VS murder machines, what a result! If nothing else, watch this once for those few scenes - some of the best sci-fi combat I've seen on any medium.

Although it's a only a short-film, there's nothing to really go wrong and the pace is so fast that you're too busy enjoying the ride to get nitpicky.

If you like sci-fi anime, Masamune Shirow or wearing a smile then this is headed for your DVD collection.