Aura Battler Dunbine Vol-3: The Kings of Byston Well
Animation Production: Sotsu Agency/Sunrise
Released by: ADV Films
Episodes: 4
Images Source: Dunbine.it
By Maya

Introduction

Aura Battler Dunbine is a series that I had honestly never heard of until very recently. The fact that ADV is not only picking up current popular series, but also classics from the 80's is a comforting thought. I honestly haven't had the chance to watch much anime from before the 90s, so seeing Dunbine helped to expand my views and knowledge of classic anime.

The Story (Volume 3: The Kings of Byston Well)

“Aura Battler Dunbine-The stuff that legends are made of. An epic, one-of-a-kind adventure created by Yoshiyuki Tomino which dives headfirst into a rich fully defined world to create one of the most unique anime experiences ever envisioned.

Show Zama and his comrades are witness to what seems to be the inevitable conquest of Byston Well by Drake Luft's massive army. Kingdom after kingdom falls as Bern Bunngins pushes Luft's troops closer and closer to a final showdown in the Land of Ah. Personal relationships are strained; while more mysteries are revealed as both good men and bad fall victim to the relentless appetite of war.” -- ADV's Official The Kings of Byston Well Page

Review

Aura Battler Dunbine opens with the amazing sound of blaring brass instruments. The opening theme song really hooked me with the trumpets, and the lyrics have that classic hero flavor to them. The ending theme gives what is needed to any anime, a nice relaxing song to end the episode. I watched the DVD in Japanese with English subtitles, but for those who prefer to watch their anime in English, the option is available.

Of course, the series is from the 80s, so the animation isn't what most of us are used to, however it isn't like the animation is horrible. It is far from that; the tone of the colors match the mood of the series perfectly, and the animation stays consistent, which is something that seems to be lacking now-a-days. Also, the video quality is great!! One might suspect the quality to not be top-notch, due to the age of the series, but the transfer is crisp and clear.

The soundtrack to the series has the classic tone I cherish, and the episodes aren't dominated with background music, which allows the watcher to listen to the actual sound effects that are sometimes not appreciated.

"Fortunate are those that remember the tale of Byston Well. Even though we are born on this Earth imprinted with those memories, we are given this nature, that we cannot remember them. It is for this reason that I shall relate to you this story as the Mi Ferario tell it," is how each episode starts out. The story continues Show Zama's adventure in Byston Well as an Aura Battler pilot drafted into Drake Luft's army.

Each episode is balanced with character interaction, plot development, and action. The character interaction creates a good level of drama, and allows for much more later on in the series. Aura Battler Dunbine is a series that mixes everything into a perfect blend, matching the needs of an fan boy (or girl!).

The DVD contains the standard four episodes:

Episode 10 - "Father and Child"
Episode 11 - "Offense and Defense of Kiron Castle"
Episode 12 - "Garalia's Pursuit"
Episode 13 - "Todd's Violent Advance"

Conclusion

Aura Battler Dunbine is a great anime, but the only problem it has is that it's hidden by time. Even though it isn't one of the newest series, it still contains a great balance that not a lot of shows present now. Anime should withstand time and present an enjoyable series no matter what the decade; Aura Battler Dunbine does that.

Maya