Around 1995, Japanese animation (anime) began pouring into North America, Europe and across the globe in video form. Most of these titles were unknown outside of Japan and never covered by animation journals. Whether a title is highly popular or very obscure, a high quality theatrical feature or a cheap and unimaginative direct-to-video release, they all look the same on a store shelf. Therefore, Animation World Magazine will regularly review several new releases (including re-releases not previously covered) that have merit.

Blue Gender presents a bleak drama like other classic anime titles, Akira and Graveyard of Fireflies. © FUNimation Productions.

Blue Gender. V.1-8.
TV series (26 episodes), 1999-2000. Director: Abe Masashi. V.1-6, three episodes/62 minutes; v.7-8, four episodes/82 minutes. Price & format: DVD bilingual $24.95/boxed set $119.98. Distributor: FUNimation Productions.

The first five episodes of Blue Gender have given it a reputation for being bleak, depressing, despondent; like the imminent extinction of humanity in the Terminator and Matrix movie series or Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. But for viewers who stick it out, the outlook improves to not quite hopeless around episode six.

Yuji Kaido, a teen suffering from a deadly medical condition, is put into cryogenic sleep in 2009 until a cure is developed. He awakens in 2031 as a commando squad is rushing him through the ruined hospital while fighting off giant insect monsters. Yuji, understandably paralyzed by terror and confusion, gradually learns what is going on. The insects (called the Blue) suddenly infested Earth 14 years earlier in such great quantities that most of humanity could not be saved from them. A huge space station, Second Earth, was built and several million people were evacuated to it. Now the High Command of Second Earth is about to attempt the reconquest of our planet. The soldiers of the Far East Region Sleeper Recovery Squad do not know why the High Command wants as many Sleepers as possible rescued from Earth; they are only following orders.

For the first several episodes, Yuji (the only Sleeper successfully recovered in Tokyo) is little more than traumatized deadweight hauled around by the dwindling commando squad. He is horrified by everything: the ruins of civilization, attacks by the dinosaur-like Blue insects, the contempt of the soldiers who consider him a weak coward, and the sullen hatred of the few human survivors in the ruins toward the Second Earth government which has abandoned them to the bugs. The squad’s Japanese base is overrun by the Blue, forcing the survivors to retreat to Korea. The dying commander orders the last commando, Marlene Angel, to get Yuji to Second Earth’s main Earth HQ at Russia’s Baikonur Space Base at all costs.

Blue Gender is a series of three-episode story arcs. The first establishes the desperate situation on Earth. The second sets up the moral dilemma between fighting with ruthless efficiency (cutting any losses and sacrificing the weak) and trying to save as many people as possible. The third gives Yuji and Marlene time alone as they cross Asia; for Yuji to develop some physical strength and temper his idealism with reality, and for Marlene (who has been raised by Second Earth’s coldly scientific government) to begin to understand that “practicality” can still have room for morals and artistic values. The fourth presents the adventure of defending the Baikonur base until the last space shuttle can be launched. The last half of the serial moves the adventure to the space station, and substitutes Second Earth’s arrogant High Command (why do they want Sleepers? what is their real goal?) for the Blue as the new villains.

Blue Gender (26 TV episodes produced by the A.I.C. studio, broadcast October 7, 1999 through March 31, 2000) is unusual for its relentlessly grim plot. But those who like serious sci-fi drama have found it a welcome change from the more common space-opera action-comedy melodramas.