Sol Bianca - Cult Manga Review
This animation has been on my watch list for a long time, about 35 years. It came out in 1990 and was released by AD Vision but I just never got around to it, until now. Clocking in at just under an hour, it's a quick watch but was it worth the wait?
Whilst stowing away in a space frigate, a young boy is captured (along with the booty) by a 5 woman team of space pirates. They are trying to find the legendary gnosis (a repository of all the knowledge of the world from before the galactic era) which is said to exist on the mythical Earth. However, the problem is that the treasure is held by an evil dictator. Will they be able to get it? Well, they're gonna give it a try, even if it means a rescue attempt whilst the citizens are in the midst of a revolution. It's all very dramatic!
I enjoyed my time with the film and felt that it was a pretty solid and straightforward sci-fi adventure with a quirky cast. The female crew are all pretty well characterised and are not at all fanservicey which is a truly pleasant surprise, as this lets their skills and personality shine. Sure, within the hour there's no time to really know the characters that well but it moves at a quick pace and you get the gist of who they are and their motivations from the off. The English dub is good as I am usually a subs guy but the voice actors really did give it their all.
The animation is solid and, whilst it was not going to win any awards, pretty consistent. The space dogfights fare better and are more exciting and dynamic but this is not a showcase of powerhouse animation. It feels like a more mature Plastic Little but without the etchiness of that OAV *shudders*
Overall, Sol Bianca is a fun and entertaining watch for fans of retro anime and space opera. It may not be a masterpiece, but its charm lies in its unique blend of action, humor, and a touch of sci-fi adventure.