Goku Midnight Eye

Midnight Eye: Gokû (1989) is a two episode series that my daughter and I recently watched together on Prime. The storyline takes place in a futuristic society and follows a former detective turned private investigator. There has been a rash of police officers who have committed suicide. He follows the clues to a weapons dealer who has created some new technology that may be responsible for the suicides. After barely escaping being attacked by the weapons dealer, the PI is implanted with technology that allows him to see things with X-ray vision and tap into technology systems. He will use this new power to solve this and future cases...

This picture is directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Ninja Scroll) and has an absolutely amazing storyline, great soundtrack, interesting characters and takes place in a fascinating universe. I adored the animation which is classic 80s and a lot of fun. The suicide sequences were intense and the club scenes were excellent. They use a nice mix of nudity and technology to create cool characters like the motorcycle lady. The bugs in the first episode and the sewer dragon robots in the second episode were so good and the action scenes have nice gore and unpredictable elements. There's some nice twists in the storylines and the villains are over the top and worthwhile adversaries for our hero.

Overall, this is an underrated anime gem that I'd consider an absolute must see. I would score this an 8.5/10 and strongly recommend it.

Yoshiaki Kawajiri is so fun. You see, there are a lot of stereotypes about anime, labeling the genre as a shallow excuse to animate women being violated and blood spurting in every direction. Those stereotypes developed largely in response to the films of Yoshiaki Kawajiri. And if you can appreciate his movies for what they are, you'll have a blast watching them.

Goku: Midnight Eye is no different. It's an hour-long OVA set in a futuristic city where a sort of female peacock monster is causing police officers to kill themselves. Then it becomes sort of a dark superhero story when the lead character gets a bionic eye and a metal staff that can change to any length (he rams it through people and uses it to vault himself around like the old monk in Ninja Scroll). This is all handled in typical Kawajiri fashion, with well-designed monsters, gore, a cynical hero, frequently nude women, and a hissably evil supervillain.

If nothing else, the movie is a great little guilty pleasure, designed to make you wish you could do all the cool things that Goku does. Have fun with it, and be sure to watch it after midnight.

Midnight Eye goku is one of the most Hyped anime Ova I have watched last year, I know I am doing review now but who cares, All I want to say that this anime Ova Is good time spending on weekends with friends. You won't feel boring for second, it's keep you hooked with the story, This OVa got 2 episode runtime 30, After finishing this You will question your self that why there's no more Midnight eye Goku episode.

OK, what, a dude that wears a suit and tie and no shirt, a stripper that is part motorcycle, an implant, and a story that doesn't make any sense at all.

Bionic eyes and anime nudity.

Yeah, I can't say that I enjoyed this.

Funny that I too caught this film by chance on a movie channel(cinemax I think)one late late summer night in 2001. Perhaps we saw the same showing...

This film is just like that: spur of the moment, definitely watch it at night, and anime buffs, probably won't like this. I watch anime now and then and this one is particularly interesting because of its "in the dark" atmosphere... you learn what's going on along with the characters, and that makes it all the more fun. A sense of mischief almost broods in the scenes of our antihero darting around the city. What Goku does with his bestowed powers is what some of us might do had be also been given such a gift.

Though short, this film is very unique. I've yet to see an anima quite like it, with such a down to earth and sort of "in your face" story-telling feel. Usually we get the ol' Macross and Gundam style, which leaves you as a watcher of wars and conflicts that are incredibly larger than your own. Goku however has in him a bit of us, of our mischief that we don't let out and which gives us great pleasure when it's shown. If you liked this I recommend Vampire Hunter D.