Ice...

Recently, I picked up Ice. I heard that an Ice movie was going to be released in the U.S. soon and thought that I should check out the three Ice OVAs first...

Some strange virus, whether planned or accidental, has wiped out most of the population. The survivors? Beautiful women. Faced with the possible extinction of their entire race, some of these new Amazons have decided to live out their final days in the pursuit only of fleshly pleasures. Others choose to use their beauty, their might, and their minds to fight back and reclaim the planet once more.

Ice is set in a post-apocalyptic future not too far removed from our own time. There is some indication that during the time which preceded the story in Ice, there were extraordinary efforts at genetic engineering and perhaps even biological warfare. From the premise, one could easily imagine all manner of lecherous behaviour, but, if you're looking for THAT type of experience, you'll be very disappointed. There is some bare skin to be seen in the series, one girl-on-girl kiss and one face being licked, but, despite claims to the contrary in the premise, there are not really any naughty bits.

Ice does exhibit a strong environmental message which may turn off some viewers. While, the environmental message in Ice bears some similarity to the environmental message in the much earlier French-production of Gandahar aka Light Years, the overall tone of Ice has a greater sense of condemnation than in Gandahar. The world depicted in Ice is somewhat dark and fatalistic, but, everyone is impeccably dressed. There is a sense of fashion and opulence in Ice, that isn't seen in most post-apocalyptic settings.

There is some blood and gore in Ice, but, surprisingly, there isn't the quantity of red ink that one might expect from most post-apocalyptic settings. That being said, you may expect a handful of smashed bodies, severed limbs, gunshot wounds at point blank range and the occasional stabbing.

The heroine of the series is certainly Hitomi Landsknecht. And, like some anime heroes of legend, Hitomi seems to be virtually indestructible. Hitomi narrowly escapes being blown up, only to fall off a highway overpass not once, but, twice. Then, Hitomi is shot and stabbed and still manages to lead a desperate charge against impossible odds. However, Hitomi does have a few notable quirks -- she suffers from severe insomnia and she spends a certain amount of time talking to people from the past who have entered her mind.

The one song featured in Ice, "Aisareru tu iu koto" is actually quite nice. I was lamenting the fact that I would have really liked to see that song as a special feature on the DVD, but, then I found it it as the background music in the art and background entry in the special features menu.

Ice is not without flaws. There are some nice visuals in the Ice OVAs, but, overall, the world depicted in the series is really quite small -- encompassing little more than one town. Also, some of the technology envisioned in Ice is a bit more advanced than one would expect to find in a post-apocalyptic setting and certainly far more advanced than would be expected given the time scales involved.

My research indicates that the general consensus among anime fans regarding Ice isn't very good, but, I don't share their views. Although, Ice does have some noticeable flaws, I actually liked Ice quite a lot. Ice, although dark and depressing at times and somewhat lacking in some of its elements, is a series that I find easy to watch and re-watch -- warts and all. It does help that Ice is also a very short series. The overall tone of the series and some of the adult themes expressed would make Ice somewhat unsuitable for the youngest anime fans. I give the series a 4 out of 5.