Future War 198X

It's a shame this movie is so hard to come by. I only managed to get a hold on it through the Internet.

This story tells of WWIII and was written during the Cold War. From the beginning, it shows the war through many sets of eyes: civilians', the engineers', the world powers, and the soldiers'. Probably the most realistic portrayal of war in a cartoon.

It's extremely somber and depressing, which is the right tone for it. That is, until the end. I felt the ending of it really reversed all of the buildup and drama the movie had going for it.

But even though it's heartbreaking, it ends on a note of hope. There's something to be learned from that.

The Japanese music is better in my opinion. Not too much that is important was cut, though, just a scene showing Japan's involvement and some of the gorier details (for instance the shot of a bloody stump of a soldier's arm is cut). Laura is also implied to be in a relationship with the character who was her brother in the original.

Either way, it is wonderfully animated and a real gem, making it a shame that it's so obscure.