In the wake of expanding ocean-related terrorist activities, the Peace Keeping Navy (PKN) form an alliance of the greatest naval fleets to protect the world. However, the terrorist revolutionaries of the Undersea Silence Revolution (USR) don’t take this move against them lightly and open up a new war commanded by Admiral Red. Only the wits of the seasoned sub captain Hayami and his 707 crew can mount a challenge to stop the USR from transforming the world into Red’s ideals. Submarine 707R: The Movie from Geneon Entertainment brings the two-episode OVA submarine adventure to the US where far too few naval titles have seen the light of day.
Stats
DVD: Submarine 707R: The Movie
Release Date: 11/9/2004
Release Studio: Geneon Entertainment
ADR Production: Bang Zoom! Entertainment
MSRP: $19.98, 2 Disc Limited Ed. $29.98
Audio: English 5.1 DD, Japanese 5.1 DD
Subtitles: English, Signs-Only
Episodes: 2
Runtime: 100mins
Extras: Art Gallery, 3D CG Model Demo, Trailers, Creator Interview (Extras on Limited Edition release only.)
Notes: Review is based on a store purchased copy. We were forwarded a Dub DVD Screener, but decided to review the final product.
The USR, not to be confused with U.S. Renditions, has been waging a war of aggression against the various naval fleets of the world. The terrorist group has gone so far in their attempts to take over key locations in the world that the nations have created a new global fleet to deal with peacekeeping the seven seas. The PKN combines eleven nations with a newly created supership, the Apollo-Norm, to lead each nation’s loaned vessels. Japan’s entry into the fleet is the 707, an old submarine captained by Youhei Hayami, due to the government’s constant debating on whether to be involved with a military action.
Admiral Red sits at the bottom of the sea with his submarine, the UX, recording the different acoustic signatures of each ship in the PKN fleet. Using this knowledge, they track down the fleet’s commencement ceremony and openly challenge the gathering with their pressence. The command structure of the fleet quickly breaks down into bickering over who will lead as the UX dives for an attack run. In moments, the fleet suffers heavy casualties as the UX cuts through the tightly packed ships. With knowledge of how to take down the Apollo-Norm, Admiral Red orders the launch of an Excalibur torpedo at the flagship’s reactor exhaust port. As the torpedo closes in on its target, the 707 rises just in time to sacrifice itself to protect the flagship. Admiral Red pulls back the UX with the personal note to even the score with the 707.
Six months pass as Youhei enjoys relaxing with his family at home when Hayato Nango stops by. The fleet has built a new 707 ship that Captain Hayami is more than happy to take command of. Updated with newer technology, the 707 once again joins the PKN’s mission to track down the USR terrorist group. Knowing that Admiral Red has a debt to settle with the 707, they invite her to join another gathering of the PKN fleet with the hopes to lure out the UX. Meanwhile, the ever-growing egos of the United States and their brand new sub, the Great Guardian, seek to lead the fleet by sinking the UX. The Commedore is given a grand tour of what the vessel can do and is introduced to the secret weapon of the US-built ship: an electronic brain named Arnold-B. Unfortunately for the US, the UX carries its own identical superbrain computer. Egos tarnished and the fleet once again in ruin, the 707 engages the USR forces alone to stop the terrorist group and save their own lives.
Submarine 707R: The Movie features a good cast on both audio tracks. The 5.1 audio for the Japanese and English dubs bring to life the submarine tale with Bang Zoom! Entertainment commanding the English production. Dave Wittenberg doubles as script writer and voice director with good results. The script has been bumped with subtle changes to be more realistic in places and to make it more in-tune with a Hollywood-style submarine film. Often the results go over well. The two standout performances naturally come from the dueling captains of Hayami (Michael Sorich) and Red (Taylor Henry) who seem to enjoy the playful nature of a laid-back captain versus a revolutionary. Some of the background characters can seem pretty generic, but overall you will be paying more attention to the two personalities leading the OVA series.
Submarine 707R: The Movie has been released in two different flavors, depending on your budget. We have a movie-only DVD and a two-disc release that has some background featurettes on the making of the 3D submarines. Unless you are really cheap, just spring for the two-disc version that isn’t that much more going by retail store prices. The video is clean with an anamorphic transfer for widescreens TV’s and there are no issues with the subtitle track. The story of 707R is worthy of sitting down with and enjoying. Submarine tales do not come over to the US too often and the combination of good writing with great animation makes Submarine 707R an easy purchase.