Neo Ranga

Neo Ranga
南海奇皇ネオランガ (Strange World of the South Seas - Neoranga)
Genre	Adventure, Horror, Mecha
TV anime
Directed by	Jun Kamiya
Studio	Studio Pierrot
Licensed by	ADV Films
Network	WOWOW
Original run	6 April 1998 – 28 September 1998
Episodes	48
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Neo Ranga (南海奇皇ネオランガ, Nankai Kio Neoranga^?) is an anime television series created by Studio Pierrot which consists of two seasons, totaling forty-eight episodes. The story is about the three orphaned sisters who have, through a mysterious twist of fate, inherited their very own god - the 18 meter tall Neo Ranga.

Neo Ranga was originally aired in Japan as part of the omnibus show Anime Complex, and is currently aired on the Quinn channel in Australia.

Story

The Shimabara sisters (Manami, Ushio, and Yuuhi) are living on their own, with the eldest sister as their breadwinner, when a young man from the fictional South Pacific Island of Barou arrives with news of their long-missing brother. Their brother had married into the Barou royalty, but since he died, leaving the sisters as the hereditary rulers of Barou. As the rulers of Barou, they now fall under the protection of the island's god, Neoranga, which turns out to be a gigantic monster, reminiscent of Godzilla. It follows them back to Japan, where Neoranga quickly runs afoul of the Japanese Self Defense Force.

Characters

Minami Shimabara, twenty-four years old, is the eldest of the sisters and essentially acts as a surrogate mother to Ushio and Yuuhi. She works multiple jobs to provide for her family, including delivering newspapers and working as a hostess. She is also the owner of the Star Hole Company, which educates young people on how to handle media pressure as a celebrity, and this experience becomes critical when she and her sisters inherit Neo Ranga. Minami tends to be seen as cold and aloof, partially due to her protective nature and attitude, and partially due to her constant concern with money, and because she is using Neo Ranga for financial gain.

Voice: Yuko Sumitomo (Japanese), Kaytha Coker (English)

Ushio Shimabara is a somewhat tomboyish fifteen-year old with a keen sense of justice and selflessness. She quickly accepts Joel's presence, as well as her position as a keeper of Neo Ranga. Ushio is often seen as being more empathetic and sensible than her siblings, especially in regards to Neo Ranga's interactions with everyday Japanese people.

Voice: Yuko Miyamura (Japanese), Kelli Cousins (English)

Yuuhi Shimabara, thirteen years old, attends a private school in Shinagawa, Tokyo as the result of a scholarship. She is not above using her cute appearance to receive expensive gifts and favors from admirers, even including her teacher. While she is outwardly the most selfish of the sisters, she is also the most popular. Yuuhi takes pleasure in using Neo Ranga to intimidate unsavory elements in her neighborhood such as the yakuza, much to her sisters' consternation.

Voice: Eri Sendai (Japanese), Kira Vincent-Davis (English)

Joel is the harbinger of news from the older brother of the Shimabara trio, and apparently their nephew. He is always accompanied by a small white dragon, and wears his hair in a long braid.

Voice: Harunori Miyata (Japanese), Kevin Corn (English)

Neo Ranga is the giant protector god of Barou, which resembles a cross between Godzilla and a large semi-organic mecha (perhaps partially inspired by Neon Genesis Evangelion), but perhaps more accurately described as being similar to a golem. It is vaguely humanoid in shape, colored black and gray, and covered with red swirls. Neo Ranga does not talk, and is only able to express itself with its movements and its mysterious eyes.

Music

Opening theme

1. Episodes 1-24 : "Kaze no Nemuru Shima" - Yuko Miyamura, Yuuko Sumitomo, and Eri Sendai
2. Episodes 25-48 : "Kami to Nare" - Kuniaki Haishima

Ending Theme

1. Episodes 1-24 : "Prologue ~A City In The Sky " by Masaaki Ito
2. Episodes 25-48 : "Kawaki No Miwa Ni Te" - Yuko Miyamura, Yuko Sumitomo, and Eri Sendai

Trivia

• Despite the often racy cover art (involving the Shimabara sisters clad solely in red body paint and strategically placed drapery), there is little to no such content in the first half of the series or most of the second half. For the US DVD releases the cover art was reversible, with the side as shipped showing the sisters appearing to be clad in black and red body suits. This may be due to the ages of the younger two sisters (13 and 15) and corresponding marketing considerations for selling DVDs of this title in the North American market. However, US distributor ADV Films' subsequent Thinpak release of the series features the original, racier artwork.
• The inspiration for the kingdom of the Southern Seas, Balou, is the Island of Bali (Indonesia). The two opening credits use Balinese music (Kecak and Gong Kebyar); the temple, dresses, daily life and countryside scenes on Balou are Balinese. Each "waking up" of Ranga in the anime uses the Gong Kebyar theme.

External links

• (Japanese) Official Japanese website
• ADV Official website
• Neo Ranga (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia