Oban: Star-Racers - Volumes One & Two (Shout! Factory)

Picture: C+     Sound: B-     Extras: C      Episodes: A

 

 

In the future Earth exists along with many other races, but there is the great race known as the Great Race of Oban.  Pilots from all over the galactic are brought to race for the 'Ultimate' prize by the Avatar, the prize said to be to grant the winner whatever they wish... even bring back a loved one.   Now it is all here in two volumes, the complete series, of Oban: Star-Racers issued in two double DVD sets by Shout! Factory.

 

 

Our story starts with Eva Wei, a young girl who runs away from her boarding school to find her father Don Wei whom she haven't seen for ten years.  But upon meeting her he doesn't even recognize her and mistakens her for an engineer, Eva becomes on the fly 'Molly' after seeing a near by poster and joins her father's racing team not as his daughter, but an engineer in the Ultimate race.  But in their very first race their both their pilot and star racer gets damaged in a sabotaged crash, Molly become only one who is capable of piloting the Earth star-racer.  Molly determined to get her father to acknowledge her, decides the only way to bring her father back to the loving family they once were was to bring back her mother who died in a star racer, perhaps by winning the 'Ultimate' prize can her wish be granted.

 

As Molly watches the first race she meets other of members her team and the other alien races, some friends, some foes, each one is there for reasons of their own.  But after team Earth's original pilot Rick crashes and is hospitalized, Molly is the only one with the capable chance of piloting the Earth star racer.  But stuck with not only a damaged crew member but their racer becomes badly damaged as Molly learns how to pilot a star racer.  Rick becomes Molly's mentor and guides her to be a full fledged racer.  But race after race of losing can their star racer can the win enough points to make it to the finals?

 

After passing the preliminaries (barely), the Earth's team makes it to Oban and discovers an even harder courses and new opponents.  After a series of losses Molly struggles to make up for lost points.  But add more fuel to the fire is when Don Wei, Molly's father realizes Molly IS his daughter, can Molly reconcile with him?  But with time running out and the race coming to an end, the truth of the race and what the 'Ultimate' prize is will shock everyone.

 

This was an unexpectedly good Animé, with a solid story and unexpected twists and turns, as well as a mix of different sci-fi elements, interesting alien characters and ship designs.  At times when the main character is about to win something unexpected would happen and cause a change in the storyline.  As the races becomes more desperate so does the tension between the characters.  The story itself is not only filled with action, but with laugher and drama as well as their rag-tag team learn team work is more than just work and father/daughter relationship build what happens when Don Wei find out who 'Molly' really is.

 

Two words, 'Pod Racing'.  A galactic race filled with aliens and a grand prize waiting at the end, one cannot help but be reminded of a certain movie.  This series was jointly created by French and Japanese companies, originally they were meant to have French dialog but it had a decent English dialog and voice acting.  The series was interesting in the fact that everything had an over all plot and what happened early on was just as important to what happened at the end, which made it even more exciting when the series reached it climax.  The series even though had some serious issues such as death, loss and betrayal, it still had it's humorous moments and some comedy.

 

This series is great in the fact it only two volumes that each volume contains half the series and along with the extras you'll find original concept art and the behind the scenes with the making of Oban Star-racers all in high digital quality and surround sound.

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Episode 1: A Fresh Start

Eva aka 'Molly' searches for her father Don Wei, but instead joins him in the Great Race of Oban.

 

Episode 2: Hostilities Break Out

As Molly watches the first races, it turns out not all racers are there to play fair and team Earth experiences it's first 'accident'.

 

Episode 3: Grave like Grooor

With Rick out of action, Molly takes up as the next pilot, but can she win over Don Wei much less the race?

 

Episode 4: In like Flint

Molly races in a ridged race, but can she out wit Flint or will her luck hold?

 

Episode 5: Cruel like Ceres
As Rick learns he may never race again, can Molly save him from the next accident?

 

Episode 6: Playful like Para-dice
Molly races Para-dice a catlike being, but that doesn't stop her from hacking their ship and playing with them like cat and mice.

 

Episode 7: Treacherous like Toros
Racing the Crog, Toros is from race that attacked Earth, where losing might mean Molly's life.

 

Episode 8: Agile like Aikka
As Molly befriends Prince Aikka, but can their friendship last when hostilities exist between their teams?

 

Episode 9: Surprising like Super-racer
As the playoffs continue, Molly begins to learn what it means to be a star pilot.

 

Episode 10: Resistance like Rush
Molly faces a tough race with a shoot out with Rush, as a bit Don Wei's past is revealed and why he has problems with Molly.

 

Episode 11: Silent like Spirit
Molly faces Spirit whom she blames for the death of her mother, and totally loses control.

 

Episode 12: The Will to Win
As team Earth frantically searches for parts to fix their ship, Rick discovers a dark secret.

 

Episode 13: Make Way
With makeshift repairs, team Earth has only one chance to make it to Oban, can Molly pull it off while fighting Toros?

 

Episode 14: Welcome to Oban
Apon landing on Oban, Molly and company discovers new challenges and racers.

 

Episode 15: Fierce Like Lord Furter
In the second race danger not only comes from the opponents but Oban is filled with natural dangers as well.

 

Episode 16: Nervous Like Ning & Skun
Molly faces-off with the sisters Ning and Skun for the first time and discovers one of Oban's mysteries.

 

Episode 17: Optimised Like Ondai
In a ice course race team Earth scores their first point, but Molly is crushed by Prince Aikka's betrayal.

 

Episode 18: Monstrous Like Muir
Don Wei begins to suspect who Molly really is, and Molly learns that she isn't the only one who've loss someone close to them.

 

Episode 19: The Origins of the World
The race take them on to the core of what Oban is and Molly begins to suspect Oban may be where ALL life had started.

 

Episode 20: Secret of Sul
Sul the leading racer discovers a dark entity about Oban, but something even more treacherous awaits him.

 

Episode 21: Ominous Like O
Molly and her father finally confront each other, but then no sooner fall and is lost to an abyss on Oban.

 

Episode 22: Revelations
As Molly and Jordan climbs to the surface they discover a temple and finds the true meaning of the great race.

 

Episode 23: Cruel Like the Kross
Upon discovering what Oban's true purpose is the truth is cruel, but can Molly go on racing?

 

Episode 24: Canaletto's Revenge
The evil spirit Canaletto is released, Oban falls on a dark shadow...

 

Episode 25: Unlikely Alliances
The is only one hope on defeating Canaletto, but can the survivor's stop such a powerful being as Canaletto?

 

Episode 26: The Moment of Truth
Only the power of the Avatar can stop Canaletto, but who is to be the next Avatar... it's the conclusive episode!  A surprise ending.

 

 

-   Ricky Chiang