This show seems to know how to display an action show without putting the focus on action itself.
Forgive me if I say that I have never read Robert A. Heinlein's novel, but I have seen the movie instead. In comparison to the movie, the anime tends to be a lot less action-focused, but rather focuses on the character Rico and how he copes with the war. For the people who also have seen the movie and expect the anime to be of the same level of breathtaking special effects and action, please go find something else; this is not your average war-flick. Most of the action displayed in the show is from either TV, or from training.
However, the show isn't worthless as an action show, as it offers plenty of atmosphere which is usually available in only action-based shows. This show seems to know how to display an action show without putting the focus on action itself, which is something to praise it for.
A minor problem the show suffers from is that it seems dull at times, despite the tense atmosphere.
Animation: Despite the abysmal character design, animation is done very well.
I was surprised to see very little reused frames and if I spot them, they were not nearly as annoying as in most other shows. Half of the time they were merely using it for 2-3 times, rather than reusing them over and over for tens of times, so even if they resorted to it, they moderated it. Which means the times they displayed it, it doesn't get annoying despite seeing them.
The animation by itself seems to be done really well too. Taking into consideration that the show dates from 1988, I expected much less of it, but they kept themselves up pretty decently. Backgrounds are done well, sometimes even pretty detailed, but the animation breathes an air of suspense, which is its major feat. Even when there is nothing happening, the animation keeps up that atmosphere, which means the show keeps that air of a war coming or going on.
Character DesignThis even despite the horrendous character design, which is easily displayed by the fact that Rico seems to suffer from overgrown eyebrows, which would put even mustaches to shame. Or the female counterpart, Carmencita, who can't seem to look anything different but threatening, rather than seductive. Or the sergeant Zim, who looks like he was colored by someone who didn't exactly know what skincolor he was supposed to get; instead of being black, or brown, he is now colored as if he fell in the mud and didn't clean himself properly to get rid of it.
All of these details are flat-out annoying and for some reason I simply couldn't get used to them, like one does when watching Initial D.
Sound: Excellent music, good voice acting – but a below par script.
First thing which caught my attention is that nearly all music was in English, executed by – I assume mostly – American singers. They make it feel like you're watching an American show, despite having watched the show with the Japanese dub. And oddly enough, this doesn't annoy as much as the usual American cartoon, because the music actually adds to the atmosphere. The quality of the songs and the singers might not be really high, but the songs and the music help bringing the show to a higher level.
The voice acting is done well, although their dialogues might be a bit awkward at times. I'm unsure whether this is due to the age of the show, the book or the inability of the script writers, but it results in voices which have a little trouble with the timing, like odd pauses between sentences.
Story: Fairly good story, but seems a bit dull.
I couldn't really find anything wrong with the story, except that it is fairly dull. While the entire story feels tense, there is nowhere a real climax to be found, nor is there any real action in the show which gives you the feeling the tensity of the show works towards something.
The only thing that really bothered me was that it was only 6 episodes long. Not that I have anything against short OVAs, but the story sometimes felt like it simply dismissed some tragic events. No aftermath with tears, nothing of the sort – just the next episode, life goes on. I believe that is one of the major aspects which cause the show to be fairly dull all the way. If they had lengthened it with only one or two more episodes, I believe there could've been made more space for more, well, emotion.
Characters: Exchangeable, despite them being remarkable.
There are plenty of characters in this show who are easy to recognize and put down a fairly good personality. Unfortunately, they do not bring forth any worth to the show, since they are filler-material so the protagonist doesn't play it out all by himself. That is sad, as his comrades are by far not bad characters. Each of them could've been easily the best supporting actor in a show, if they got a little more coverage.
Once again it seems like the show has been too short for its own good, as we learn nearly nothing about anyone else but Rico himself. A drop of information here and there is everything we get from the others – if at all. So despite them all being really good characters, each with a distinct personality, they are easily exchangeable.
Value & Enjoyment: A hit-or-miss classic.
I can say completely opposite things and still not lie to you. For instance, I can say that the series is dull and doesn't provide anything to get yourself riled up, or even eager to see the rest. But I can also say that the series provides strong characters with personality and praise the tense atmosphere they keep up throughout the entire show.
Both are true.
So in the end it all comes down to what you yourself make of it. On one hand it is a remarkable show, but you can easily view it as a show with too many flaws as well, so it's simply a hit-or-miss. As for me, I'm still not completely sure what it is for me, which boils down to an average watch for me.
I don't see any reasons for keeping the show around though, as I believe the live action movie from Paul Verhoeven is far more enjoyable and the book will allow you to imagine the characters yourself, rather than having to stick with these abysmal character designs.
