Review: Dogs: Bullets & Carnage OVA

I had picked up the Manga a while back called Dogs: Bullets & Carnage Prelude 0. I now have the Manga volume 1 as well. The reason for this introduction is because the OVA's first four volumes are identical to the Prelude 0 Manga.

In these 4 OVA volumes, they introduce you to four of the main characters in the series. They are Mihal Mihaeroff, Badou Nails, Naoto Fuyumine and Heine Rammsteiner. While we are shown the background on each of these characters, we see that they are also intertwined in the series.

What I find intriguing is the fact that each offers something different while following the story line. This is a good way to give you a semi-full introduction to the characters. No need to find out what made them who they are several shows in. It just pops it right into your face at the start so you can get to the juicy part of the anime.

• Mihal is an older gentleman who used to be an assassin for the mob. Poor choices ended his career and he is retired now.
• Badou just is a down on your luck information broker who happens to have a bad nicotine habit. Only advise here is not to get between him and a cigarette.
• Naoto is now a katana wielding killer. Poor girl has not memory of her family that were brutily murdered in front of her. Her families killer is also who ends up teaching her the way of the sword.
• Heine is a genetically altered human with exceptional fighting skills and can re-generate his body. He has a dark past that he is trying to get away from while at the same time make sure is destroyed. This is where the "Dog" comes in - just watch.
  

My Comments >

Like the Manga, this is quite gruesome at times and there is some nudity. Get either Badou or Heine in a gun fight and you are sure to see a lot of dead bodies and flowing blood. Though you are hinted to it in the OVA, you can sense that there is more to the story than what has been presented. I really did not care for this overview about the characters (same with the 0 prelude), but it seems to be needed.

I was happy to see that the characters did not loose anything in transition from print to TV. I hope that they continue with this as I loved the wild ride that came with volume 1 of the Manga. I am sure that more gun fire and blood spillage in the coming episodes.

Artwork is crisp and sharp. Not a whole lot of details, but it works in this series as it did in the Manga. Not too keen on the music adaption for this, but will have to take a listen to the full versions to get a better feeling.

Overall Rating > C < this could change if the series gets past these 4 episodes and into the real action

v1 > "Weepy Old Man" - Mihal Mihaeroff

v2 > "Gun Smoker" - Badou Nails

v3 > "Blade Maiden" - Naoto Fuyumine
v4 - "Stray Dogs Howling in the Dark" - Heine Rammsteiner

Next series to be reviewed: Heroic Age