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List Price: $19.98 | | Label: Geneon [Pioneer]
Salesrank: 37913
Released: April 7, 1998 |
| Our Price: $74.64 |
| Used Price: $8.92 |
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MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
In the future, our planet will be transformed into a strange new world where human life struggles on an Earth without rain or oceans - only vast, parched deserts where two youths fight for survival and find hope. The sea, sky and the land had been completely polluted by mankind when mysterious objects fall from the heavens. These titanic vessels smash into the planet and suck up the air, water, and most living creatures into their womb, stealing away the very essence of Earth's nature. The few remaining inhabitants struggle for survival against a hostile environment and an oppressive ruling race known as the Rodo. One young, hot-blooded human named Ran, fights against the Rodo and a world in which rain is only a legend.
Description of Green Legend Ran:
Originally released in 1992, this three-episode OAV mixes ecological themes with some very odd theology. In the not-too-distant future, when the Earth is choking in pollution, the alien Rodo strikes, sequestering virtually all the planet's water and vegetation in guarded enclaves. The remaining humans eke out a wretched existence in the vast deserts, under the control of Rodoist soldiers. After witnessing the soldiers' brutality, Ran, a hotheaded adolescent, sets out to join the rebels of the Hazard. During the course of his adventures, he meets Aira, a mysterious girl whose silvery hair marks her as a member of a powerful group needed by the alien Holy Mother to destroy the human race. Needless to say, Ran manages to rescue her (and humankind) in the nick of time. The animation in Ran is a cut above most anime, and the designs of the sand-ships that carry the rebels through the deserts recall the Jawa craft in Star Wars. But the discussions of an evil alien as the "Holy Mother" may disturb some religious viewers. The DVD release of Ran is the complete, 141-minute original; the 120-minute version previously available had been edited to remove profanity and a brief nude scene. (Ages 12 and older for violence and occasional profanity) --Charles Solomon
Green Legend Ran Reviews:
Quite pleased for once (impulse purchase)... 
2007-05-02 - As noted in the title, I picked this up as an impulse purchase in a used CD/DVD store at a reasonable price, along with Psychic Force and Metropolis, both of which I'll also review once I watch them.
As also noted in the title, so far I've really enjoyed Green Legend Ran. More so than other impulse purchases like Harmagedon, and Ninja Cadets!. The story is at least interesting, the characters seem well-designed for the most part. The visuals are interesting, and crisp. The audio track(s) are pretty good. I've gotten through the first half of the 3-part OVA/Movie (not sure how to best classify it). I guess one could call it a 3-part mOVA or a mOVie with a brief intermission or two?
Now, on to the slightly odd bits:
1) The features... Ye-eeah! Not so much. Appears to simply launch into part one of the feature. The menu button on the DVD remote comes up with a circle and a line through it, which tells me there's no menu, likewise no special features. *Sigh* At least the feature itself is good!
2) The packaging... Is not quite what I'd call "normal" for DVD releases. Looks like the company was blowing out some CD jewel cases, and decided that since the DVD was the same form factor, why not kill two birds with one stone? Long story short, the copy I got used a CD-form-factor case with a booklet inside, and a cardboard case the form factor of a DVD case with the jewel case allowed to slide in and out of the bottom. I could certainly foresee a lot of "dropping the case" issues, which I'm guessing the prior owner of my copy had, seeing as how the case is cracked on the front face. C'est la vie. The price was right, and the product is otherwise good, so I'm happy. Though I'd love to see an "extended" or "special" edition with an actual menu, scene selections, special features, etc.
Long story short, despite the above mentioned quirks, the disc plays well, and I like this particular acquisition, so I'd recommend it for those looking for a quickie buy of a decent anime.
There is a fair amount of blood and violence in the anime (possibly nudity too? A bit of coarse language that most people nowadays can probably gloss over relatively easily, considering the amount of it on TV). So, I probably wouldn't recommend it for younger kids. Older kids will probably enjoy it, though one may wish to "parentally supervise" while watching, just in case. ;o]
Generally, a good flick. I'll add comments once I finish the last half tonight. But I expect it'll be as good as the first half. I'll let ya' know.
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Addendum (5-6-07):
Okay, finished watching it (despite a physical defect in my 'used' copy & having to skip a couple scenes). Based on general overall consistency, I'm sure the stuff I missed was equally as good as the parts I did get to watch. I'll pick up a "clean" copy at some point, 'cause I really do like the story, visuals, etc. Overall I'd say this is a good anime to pick up, in my opinion, basedon recent viewings of this and others. I like this, Spriggan, Wrath of the Ninja, Samurai - Hunt for he sword, Ghost in the Shell: SAC, Record of Lodoss War: Heroid Knight. I'd avoid Ninja Cadets, Harmagedon, Psychic Force, if given a second chance at them. Hope all this helps some folks navigate the perils & pitfalls of bargain-anime. Sometimes, not such a bargain, even if it is cheap... Green Legen Ran: not 'cheap,' but is a bargain, in my opinion. Good flick, rated: buy.
Addendum (10-28-07): Re-ordered a new copy through another service (they had it on clearance), and it was in a standard DVD case, not the weird original CD case format that was prone to falling out of the paper package bottom & breaking. So, if you order this, you might be alright. Again, good flick! :o)
You can skip this 
2007-04-18 - Green Legend Ran is an anime I rented on impulse a while ago without putting much consideration into it. I thought I had some pretty good anime senses, you know, the ones that tell you when something is going to be too horrible for you to stand, but they let me down I guess. What can I say? I was hoping maybe it would be one of those little known gems you find every once in a while that makes you sit up and take notice. I've seen a few of those and was maybe hoping for another; a bit too much to ask I'd say.
Some time in the future an alien race known as Rodens come to earth, devastation the planet, sucking away our plant life and water, and then turning what is not just a big rock into a giant dessert. The few humans who are lucky enough to survive live in small communities and worship the Rodens; in return they give us food, water, and a place to live. But there is a rebel group known as The Hazard who tries to fight the Roden and reclaim the earth for us humans. Yeah them
Think "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind" meets "Now and Then, Here and There" only much worse than either of those two incredible titles. We have the "humans polluted the earth and now it must cleanse itself" vibe from Nausicaa, while on the other hand we have the head strong boy who goes out of his wayto save a helpless girl who is persecuted because of her abilities from N&T, H&T. The similarities are quite stricking actually, with many of this movies plot lines and ideas being present in both of the previously mentioned titles. Whether this is by accident (to be fair I don't know when this movie was made) or not is anyone's guess.
This movie could have been so much better then it actually is, but the plot is just doesn't' make any sense at all and moves around way too fast. The characters are, for the most part, cardboard thin and have little or no personality. It seems almost like your watching a Tom Cruse movie (oops, did I go too far?). Don't even get me started on the English dub. Lets just say it makes the likes of Pokemon look Cowboy Bebop.
So yeah, go ahead and skip this movie and instead to see Nausicaa or Now and Then, Here and There. Both those titles are WAY more interesting then this hunk of garbage.
Replay Value; Very low.
Another Apocalypse Anime 
2006-02-10 - Truthfully, you'd think this would get old, the post-apocalyptic settings. Almost every major anime has such a setting (Evangelion, Akira, Vampire Hunter D, just to name a few), and in all of these this setting plays an integral role to the story. Green Legend Ran is just another in a continuing line of dramatic anime dealing with this as its central conflict.
To be more specific, Green Legend Ran takes place on an Earth that has been sucked dry by strange alien statues. Now, humanity struggles to survive in small villages scattered throughout the world, and ruling the remainder of these humans is a religious cult known as the Rodoists. Using water as their means for dominance, they have cemented their place as the leaders of the planet. But a formidable foe has appeared in the form of a resistance group known as Hazzard, who's out to destroy the Rodoists and reclaim the world in the hopes that they can nurture life back into it. It's a boy named Ran who gets in the middle of both of these factions, and in truth his main goal is to get revenge against the man who killed his mother. Early in his quest, he joins Hazzard and meets a girl named Ira, with whom he falls in love with and chooses to protect at all costs. It's his love for this strange, silver-haired girl that continues to drive him, and eventually, he's thrown deep into the next struggle to prevent a new apocalypse, and one sure to wipe out the remainder of mankind.
The story itself reminds me a lot of Now and Then, Here and There and Princess Mononoke. The setting and the animation style (down to the character design it seems) is very similar to Now and Then, while the idea of not having a true bad guy is reminiscent of Mononoke. What this movie does have that is somewhat unique is an animation style that doesn't match the content. By this I mean the animation looks somewhat childish, like what you'd expect from early Ghibli Films, yet Green Legend Ran is filled with bloody violence and nudity. Every time something like that comes around you can't help but feel, "Why is this here?" For me, this was a good surprise, though for some it may be jarring.
Still, though this movie has some good things going for it, very little in it is unique. Yes, Green Legend Ran is older, but not that old, and most of the films I mentioned were made before or around the same time. So really there is no excuse for the fact that nothing in this anime adds to the genre. If you enjoyed the superior Now and Then, Here and There, you might not like this movie. If you haven't yet seen Now and Then, then check this out first, and if it interests you then by all means move on to Now and Then, Here and There. I'd also recommend this movie to true anime fans and historians, as it is one of the earlier anime to make it's way to DVD.
this alpha and omega of anime
2003-07-22 - back in 1994, a friend was staying over at my house. it was about 3:00 am. a show called Saturday Night Anime was on the sci-fi channel. we checked it out. the feature was Green Legend Ran. it was the best anime was i have ever seen, which is saying quite a lot. green legend ran tops even yu-yu hakusho (my favorite series), cowboy bebop, evangelion and those who hunt elves (tee-hee-hee!). if you want a taste of kick-bum anime, you should definitly see it.
WONDERFUL
2003-04-28 - Ive seen this anime on tape.This dvd version has more footage.
The ending is so beautiful.Truly one of the best animies ever made.
