Hametsu no Mars

Mars of Destruction

Aired Date:2005-07-06

Status:FINISHED

Ratings:19/100

Genres:Action, Horror, Sci-Fi

Season:1

Total Episodes:1

Duration:19 min/ep

Studio:Design Factory

Source:VISUAL_NOVEL

Format:OVA

Director:Yoshiteru Satou

Review:50/100

Synopsis

Some time after a space mission to Mars ends in destruction, strange monsters called "Ancients" begin appearing around Tokyo. A group of specialists consisting of three girls and one troubled young boy must fight the Ancients until they can come to understand exactly what it is they are fighting. When one of the Ancients tells them that they are the true invaders of Earth, they must search within themselves to grasp what truly is reality. (Source: Anime News Network)

Characters

Takeru Hinata MAIN

Kurita Aoi SUPPORTING

Isono Shizuka SUPPORTING

Tomoe Nakahara SUPPORTING

Girl from AAST SUPPORTING

Mars of Destruction: The Infamous OVA That Lives Up to Its Name

Mars of Destruction (Hametsu no Mars), a 19-minute original video animation (OVA) released on July 6, 2005, by Idea Factory and animated by WaoWorld, holds a notorious reputation as one of the most critically panned anime of all time. Directed by Yoshiteru Sato and based on a Japanese romantic adventure visual novel for the PlayStation 2, this single-episode OVA attempts to cram a sci-fi action story into a painfully short runtime, resulting in a chaotic, confusing, and unintentionally hilarious mess. With abysmal animation, a nonsensical plot, and a legacy defined by its spectacular failure, Mars of Destruction has become a cult classic for all the wrong reasons.

Plot and Premise

Set in the futuristic year of 2010, Mars of Destruction begins with a Mars exploration vessel exploding during re-entry to Earth, scattering debris and seemingly unleashing strange creatures called “Ancients” that terrorize Tokyo. The Anti-Unidentified Ancients Special Team (AAST), a group of young female specialists skilled in swordplay, firearms, and intelligence, is deployed to combat these monstrous invaders. At the center of the story is Takeru Hinata, a troubled high school boy who is the only one capable of piloting the MARS suit, a biomechanical weapon designed to fight the Ancients. Tasked with protecting salvaged spacecraft fragments and battling the creatures, Takeru and the AAST uncover a shocking twist: the Ancients may be the true inhabitants of Earth, reclaiming their home from human invaders.

What sounds like a promising sci-fi premise quickly collapses under its own weight. The OVA tries to condense a complex visual novel narrative into less than 20 minutes, resulting in a story that feels like a fever dream of disconnected scenes. Plot points are introduced without explanation—like the origins of the Ancients or the MARS suit’s creation—and the twist about the Ancients’ true nature is thrown in with no buildup, leaving viewers baffled.

Characters and World-Building

The characters are as underdeveloped as the plot. Takeru Hinata, voiced by Minori Chihara, is a generic angsty teen with vague daddy issues, his only defining trait being his ability to wear the MARS suit because, as one review scathingly notes, “his dad said so.” The AAST members—Aoi Kurita, Tomoe Nakahara, Yamabuki Unno, Shizuka Isono, and Kyōko Kawagoe—are distinguished only by their colorful hair and stereotypical roles (e.g., the quiet one, the aggressive one). Their supposed expertise in combat is undermined by scenes where they aimlessly point guns without firing or miss every shot, earning comparisons to the “Imperial Stormtrooper Marksmanship Academy.”

The world-building is equally shallow. The OVA offers no context for the Ancients’ motives, the AAST’s formation, or the MARS suit’s technology. The setting feels like a generic sci-fi backdrop, with Tokyo as the battleground and no exploration of the broader implications of a Martian invasion. The visual novel reportedly fleshes out some of these elements, but the OVA, essentially a compilation of the game’s cutscenes, fails to provide any depth or coherence.

Animation and Style

The animation quality of Mars of Destruction is a masterclass in cutting corners. Produced by WaoWorld, the OVA suffers from limited animation, with static shots, recycled frames, and minimal character movement. Action scenes are dragged out with prolonged sequences of characters standing still or holding weapons, presumably to pad the runtime. One infamous scene, where a soldier’s head is blasted off and her body slides out of frame without blood or motion, has become a poster child for the OVA’s shoddy execution. Colors are oversaturated, line work is sloppy, and continuity errors abound, such as characters being shot but reacting seconds later.

The soundtrack is a bizarre mix of public domain classical music, including MIDI renditions of “Ride of the Valkyries” and “The Barber of Seville,” which clash comically with the action. The final battle, set to the latter, is particularly jarring, creating a sense of unintentional absurdity. Voice acting, featuring talents like Minori Chihara and Erina Nakayama, is competent but wasted on clunky dialogue and a script that takes itself far too seriously.

Themes and Appeal

Mars of Destruction attempts to tackle themes of humanity’s place in the universe and the cost of survival, but these are lost in its incoherent execution. The idea of the Ancients as Earth’s original inhabitants could have been intriguing, but the OVA has no time to explore it, ending abruptly after the reveal. Instead, it leans on clichés—alien invasion, a chosen teen hero, and a team of colorful fighters—that feel ripped from better anime like Neon Genesis Evangelion, with none of the emotional or narrative weight.

The OVA’s appeal lies in its “so bad, it’s good” status. Its reputation as one of the worst anime ever made draws viewers out of bile fascination, eager to witness its trainwreck quality firsthand. Online reviews highlight its unintentional humor, from the laughable animation to the absurd plot twists, making it a staple in “bad anime” discussions. For fans of cult disasters, it’s a must-see, but for those seeking a coherent story, it’s a 19-minute waste of time.

Reception and Legacy

Mars of Destruction is universally reviled, with a 1.8/10 rating on IMDb and a 1.58/10 on MyAnimeList, where 92 users voted it “Worst Ever.” Critics and fans alike have called it “pointless,” “horrible,” and “the worst anime in history,” citing its nonsensical plot, poor animation, and lack of character development. Reviewers have mocked its attempt to emulate Evangelion without the budget or vision, and its director, Yoshiteru Sato, has been dubbed “the Ed Wood of anime” for his role in this and the equally derided Tenkuu Danzai Skelter+Heaven.

Despite its infamy, the OVA has a strange legacy. It inspired an English fandub on the Internet Archive, lauded sarcastically as “absolute peak” by some fans, and remains a topic of discussion in anime communities for its sheer audacity. The visual novel, released only in Japan, is largely forgotten, overshadowed by the OVA’s notoriety.web:focalpoint,buttheOVA’snarrativeissoincoherentthatitleavesviewersgraspingformeaning,muchlikeTakerusearchingforanswersabouttheAncientsweb:19

Final Thoughts

Mars of Destruction is a spectacular failure that somehow achieves legendary status through its sheer incompetence. Its 19 minutes of runtime feel like an eternity of confusion, with a plot that raises more questions than it answers, animation that defies basic standards, and a tone that takes itself far too seriously. Yet, its infamy has made it a perverse rite of passage for anime fans daring enough to endure it. Available on platforms like YouTube (including an English fandub), it’s a relic best watched for a laugh or as a cautionary tale of what happens when ambition outstrips ability. If you’re curious, brace yourself—you’re in for a wild, terrible ride.