So, I was just letting YouTube do its thing, throwing up random anime for me to check out when I came across The Humanoid. Now, I'd never even heard of it, so naturally, my curiosity was piqued. What I found was... well, let's just say it was an experience.
This 45-minute OVA from 1986 feels like a direct product of that wild and experimental energy that was buzzing through the Japanese anime scene during the bubble economy. You know, that time when creators were throwing all sorts of crazy ideas at the wall to see what would stick. The Humanoid, bless its heart, definitely feels like one of those experiments.
There's a certain retro charm to the whole thing, I'll give it that. But if you're going in expecting something that captures the slick, futuristic vibe of Hajime Sorayama – the legendary artist who's worked with everyone from Janet Jackson to The Weeknd – you might be a tad disappointed. While the animation is decent enough, it lacks that distinct, almost hyper-realistic, metallic sheen that's Sorayama's signature.
The story itself throws a lot at you in a short amount of time. We're in the future, chasing after the ‘ultimate weapon’ that some power-hungry General desperately wants. Sounds straightforward enough, right? But then it tries to weave in this sci-fi action with a touch of romance, and honestly, it feels like it's trying to cram too much into its runtime. The pacing feels all over the place, with sudden shifts in tone that left me scratching my head and struggling to really connect with the characters or what drove them.
And then there's the coffee. Oh. My. Gosh! The coffee. I swear, it was mentioned at least five times throughout this short film, and on at least three occasions, we got treated to these surprisingly detailed little monologues about its power, its aroma, its depth... Look, I love a good cup of coffee as much as the next person, but the sheer, almost obsessive focus on it in the middle of a futuristic sci-fi action flick was just… bizarre. It became this weird, recurring motif that felt completely out of left field.
So, The Humanoid is a strange beast but honestly, I think it's worth a watch, especially if you're an anime history buff. It's a fascinating little artifact that really showcases the experimental spirit of those 80s OVAs. It's a reminder that not every creative swing results in a home run, but they all contribute to the evolution of the medium. Just don't go in expecting a polished masterpiece. The Humanoid is more of an entertaining curiosity, a wonderfully weird slice of anime history that will likely leave you saying ‘Boy, that really was something, huh?’
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