Nineteen

Synopsis:

Characters:

• Fujisaki, Masana (Main) - Voice Actors: Tsuru, Hiromi
• Kubota, Kazushi (Main) - Voice Actors: Onosaka, Masaya
• Kawahara, Kazuya (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Yamadera, Kouichi
• Kusano, Hiroaki (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Yamaguchi, Kappei
• Yagi (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Koyasu, Takehito

Staff:

• Maruyama, Masao (Producer)
• Chigira, Kouichi (Director)
• Kadomatsu, Toshiki (Theme Song Lyrics, Theme Song Performance, Theme Song Composition, Theme Song Arrangement, Inserted Song Performance)
• Abe, Masashi (Production Manager)
• Gotou, Takayuki (Key Animation)
• Hamasaki, Hiroshi (Key Animation)
• Hayama, Kenji (Animation Check, Key Animation)
• Ikeda, Yuuji (Art Director)
• Ishikawa, Kinichi (Director of Photography)
• Jinbo, Daisuke (Sound Effects)
• Kitagawa, Shou (Original Creator)
• Koike, Takeshi (Key Animation)
• Kouno, Ryou (Art Director)
• Nagahama, Hiroshi (In-Between Animation)
• Nagashima, Youko (Background Art)
• Noda, Takuo (Key Animation)
• Onda, Naoyuki (Character Design, Animation Director)
• Ozone, Masami (Key Animation)
• Sakamoto, Hiroshi (Music, Inserted Song Performance)
• Suzuki, Norimitsu (In-Between Animation)
• Takahide, Kunio (In-Between Animation)
• Tsuji, Shigehito (Key Animation)
• Ueda, Hitoshi (Key Animation)
• Umetsu, Yasuomi (Key Animation)
• Yabuki, Tsutomu (Assistant Director)
• Yokoyama, Akitoshi (Key Animation)

Reviews:

• User FireReaverX (Score: 7/10):
  An OVA released in 1990, Nineteen seems to have slipped into the vast abyss of overlooked anime. Story Well, with it's story alone, I don't think that Nineteen will win over too many fans. It is presented as a somewhat standard coming-of-age teenage love story the likes of which has been told many times through both live-action and animated film. It's nothing groundbreaking, but we are at least given a coherent plot with a proper climax and resolution. Art Backgrounds are all very detailed and well done. It's fun to see all of the name brand products and familiar places that are included. There are also afew creatively directed scenes set to only clips of music which I found to be quite enjoyable. The characters have the standard late 80s/early 90s OVA design so nothing in that department particularly stands out. If you're a fan of the style, you'll be a fan of what's here as well. Overall, a great job by Madhouse that's still looks good 18 years later.nnSoundnnThe music of Nineteen is what will make this OVA memorable. It's soundtrack consists of mostly dance/pop tracks from the late 1980s. As this was distributed by Victor Musical Industries, I can only assume that the music was considered to be an important part of the production. The result of this is a highly successful soundtrack with my personal highlight being the use of Sabrina Salerno's "Boys (Summertime Love)" in a very memorable sequence. The voice acting is also above par with the entire cast providing convincing voice work. Additionally, we get to hear an early performance by Kikuko Inoue as the lead female, Fujisaki. nnCharacternnThis OVA has a very small cast which places the focus on only our two main characters, Kubota and Fujisaki, his love interest. Since the story is told through Kubota's perspective, we don't get to know much of what Fujisaki feels beyond what she makes obvious to Kubota. This is an aspect that left me slightly frustrated and disappointed, but on the other hand, I can understand the reason for this as it made me sympathize with Kubota a bit more than I otherwise would have. There was some character development for both and I liked that they behaved realistically in their situations. The remainder of the cast play minor roles and are really nothing more than set pieces. However, with there being only 45 minutes available, I think that you can't ask for much more than we were given.nnEnjoymentnnI went back intending to view just one particular scene again and ended up re-watching just about the entire show. That is, in fact, what prompted me to write this review. Therefore, I can say that there is certainly some replay value here. nnOverallnnNineteen is an above-average OVA which seemed to have been lost in the large sea of mediocre videos produced at the time. Hopefully, as I myself was only able to discover it recently, others will also follow suit. It is definitely worth a look.
• User Daimyo (Score: 6/10):
  The worst day of the year has just drawn to a close. That dreaded day that begins with the chocolate and roses and ends with the kissing and the sex. February 14 may very well be Valentine’s Day but what about all us roneri brothers out there? Those currently out of a relationship or are part of forever alone. If February 14 is Valentine’s Day, I hereby, decree February 21st as All bro’s day; a festival of camaraderie, bro fisting, and general misguided misogyny. What better way to celebrate our lonely celibate lives than by sitting here with me and reviewing another series that doesjust that -- one that paints a misogynistic and cruel view of females--. Enter the world of 19nineteen. n nStory 7/10n nThe story starts off with our main character Kubota looking for love—and some ky jelly—. He’s tried time and time again to get laid. But as said earlier he doesn’t just want to have sex with the girls he wants to genuinely fall in love. The problem with this type of premise is that it doesn’t lead to much credibility. Here we have our main character looking for love in the big city. Are we honestly supposed to believe that a Japanese male would pass up the chance for sex when offered numerous times by seemingly healthy, somewhat attractive, chicks? This is a country with dispensable used panties, soap houses, nyan nyan, naked and penis festivals and all other sorts of craziness. Many of the girls in the series offer to have sex with him yet he refuses. That is until he sees an old love a schoolmate with whom he was previously infatuated with. She has just broken out of a longtime relationship herself and so begins what Daimyo calls our main characters decent into pitiable debauchery. Instead of leaving well enough alone, he does what most guys call “rebounding” and attempts to pick up this chick that has just broken up with her boyfriend of several years. It almost makes me wonder how gullible these people are —to Daimyo this girl is obvious red card on the don’t want department—. I mean if you’re just looking for the sex and don’t expect much of a relationship, then sure why not? But this guy has specifically stated he’s looking for a real burning hot romance. What possible hope could have with a girl who will most likely continue to look behind him? That’s the only thing he has though, no hope. This is one of those tragedies waiting to happen. It’s like you think you know and love this girl but really she turns up being nothing but a two bit, good for nothing, whore. I must say the story sets itself up to be at least interesting. The music pieces and the video scenes are very well done and add a nice layer of ambiance to the story. For a while, you almost believe this poor sod has a chance with the girl.…
• User Poczekaj (Score: 10/10):
  So to start, the plot is mostly an excuse to string a series of amazing music vidoes together. The musical selection in this OVA is the best thing about the whole production so the decision to go all out on the music video sections is the correct one. Now, seemingly the plot is mediocre and the character's motivations lacking but this is only because they represent something much bigger. I am going to somewhat spoil the plot here but honestly this is an art project not a to the book story. Everything means something and honestly watching the OVA through a lens is much morerewarding than watching it without any analysis.nnThis OVA was made in 1990 and it is a reflection back on the 1980's bubble burst in Japan. Kazuya represents the new Japan post bubble burst. He is meek and shy and doesn't really know what to do just like Japan as it tried to sort itself out after the burst. The love interest represents the methods of economic development that 1970's and 80's Japan used. The girl's ex represents Japan before the burst as he is very confident and forward much like Japan was with all of their projects and ambitions before everything burst. The break up is the bubble burst. So when the girl tries to hook up with Kazuya, the old methods of doing business and managing the economy are trying to find a place in this new meek and shy Japan (Kazuya). But, the new Japan (Kazuya) decides that shedding those methods (by leaving and driving away in the OVA) would be the best way forward rather than repeating the same mistake. (The scene where Kazuya meets the ex in the apartment is representative of Japan reflecting back on how it used to be and deciding whether or not it wants to continue in the same direction as before.) That is the point of the plot. This OVA is a metaphorical presentation of the feelings and events in Japan as it went through the bubble burst.
• ... and 4 more reviews

Forum Topics:

• Nineteen Episode 1 Discussion

External Links:

• Official Site
• AniDB
• ANN
• Wikipedia

Related Anime/Manga:

• Nineteen (manga - Adaptation)