25 Years Later, Underrated Sci-Fi Anime Gets a New Release

Considering the number of anime series released each year, a lot of them go under the radar or simply get forgotten over time. This not only includes original series but also those based on manga, which have a higher chance of success. However, compared to the Shonen demographic, Seinen is way less popular, and even more so if it’s a sci-fi genre. Alien Nine is one such forgotten OVA series that was released in 2001 and remains underrated to this day. The anime is based on the 1998 manga written and illustrated by Hitoshi Tomizawa. It was serialized in Akita Shoten’s Young Champion magazine for a year and released 30 chapters.

The manga was later compiled in three volumes and even released a four-episode anime adaptation by J.C. Staff. 25 years after the anime’s debut, the official website of Crunchyroll confirmed the Blu-ray release date. It was initially announced in August last year and is finally available for preorder at AnimEigo. The home video of the series will be released in North America on June 9 and will be presented in HD with a new AstroRes restoration and upscale. The box will also include an interview with the English cast members, staff members, including the Executive Producer, dubbing diary, featurette with the Japanese voice cast, among other perks.

What Is Alien Nine About?

This 2001 anime is directed by Yasuhiro Irie, who later became famous for directing Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, one of the most acclaimed Shonen series of all time. Additionally, Sadayuki Murai, famous for the classic film Perfect Blue, serves as the writer of this OVA adaptation. The story centers around Yuri Otani, who has been elected by her class to be one of the three members of the Alien Party at her school. She has only recently joined middle school and finds herself in an unexpected situation as her classmates coerce her to take on the job.

Along with her, Kumi Kawamura and Kasumi Tomine are also chosen as well. The group’s purpose is to capture any aliens that invade the school grounds, but they are not expected to kill them. Advisor Megumi Hisakawa aids the girls in their endeavors, along with the symbiotic aliens named Borg that attach themselves to their hosts’ heads in order to protect them from danger. Yuri is afraid of aliens, which is the major reason why she didn’t want to be in the Alien Party at all.

Even though she agreed due to peer pressure, she can’t let go of her fear and gets frozen in place if she comes across an alien. When worst comes to worst, she might even faint at the sight of them, which makes it impossible for her to get the job done. However, as she tries to get used to her new role, she might discover there might be another reason behind the Alien Party and why the girls are being asked to fuse with Borgs.

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