"Mezzo DSA" (2003) TV series 2003-

Creator:

Yasuomi Umetsu
(more)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

2003 (Japan)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Crime

Plot Keywords:

Anime

Cast

Luci Christian	...	Mikura (13 episodes, 2004)
Andy McAvin	...	Kurokawa / ... (13 episodes, 2004)
Jason Douglas	...	Harada (13 episodes, 2004)
Sasha Paysinger	...	Asami (13 episodes, 2004)
John Swasey	...	Additional Voices / ... (11 episodes, 2004)
Chris Patton	...	Kazuto / ... (10 episodes, 2004)
Vic Mignogna	...	Mugiyama / ... (9 episodes, 2004)
Mike MacRae	...	Omabari / ... (9 episodes, 2004)
Chris Ayres	...	Additional Voices / ... (8 episodes, 2004)
Jessica Boone	...	Kanako / ... (7 episodes, 2004)
Kimberly Prause	...	Mao - Additional Voices / ... (6 episodes, 2004)
Shelley Calene-Black	...	Newscaster / ... (6 episodes, 2004)
Illich Guardiola	...	Additional Voices / ... (6 episodes, 2004)

Series Directed by
Yasuomi Umetsu		(13 episodes, 2004)
Jin Ho Chung		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Yasuomi Umetsu		(13 episodes, 2004)
Takao Yoshioka		(13 episodes, 2004)
David Harrison		(unknown episodes)
Andrew Kent		(unknown episodes)
Carl Wormley		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Osamu Koshinaka	....	producer (13 episodes, 2004)
Mariko Kusuhara	....	producer (13 episodes, 2004)
Satoshi Matsui	....	producer (13 episodes, 2004)
Masato Suzuki	....	planner: Access A (13 episodes, 2004)
Tsuneo Suzuki	....	executive producer (13 episodes, 2004)
Tsuyoshi Yoshida	....	producer (13 episodes, 2004)
Jin Ho Chung	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Andrew Kent	....	media producer (unknown episodes)
John Ledford	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Mark Williams	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Fumio Yasuda		(13 episodes, 2004)

Series Cinematography by
Hisao Shirai		(13 episodes, 2004)

Series Film Editing by
Takeshi Seyama		(13 episodes, 2004)
Bill Newton		(unknown episodes)
Neil O'Sullivan		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Akira Itô		(13 episodes, 2004)

Series Art Department
Kimiko Kitazawa	....	color key (13 episodes, 2004)

Series Sound Department
Yasunori Honda	....	sound director (13 episodes, 2004)

Series Special Effects by
Kenji Ikeda	....	special effects (1 episode, 2004)
Kazuko Koyanagi	....	special effects (1 episode, 2004)

Series Visual Effects by
Keizô Kusakawa	....	CG creator (13 episodes, 2004)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Katsuyoshi Kishi	....	camera operator: Studio Cosmos (1 episode, 2004)
Tomohiro Nishiyama	....	camera operator: Studio Cosmos (1 episode, 2004)
Yuko Orikasa	....	camera operator: Studio Cosmos (1 episode, 2004)
Yuji Shirai	....	camera operator: Studio Cosmos (1 episode, 2004)
Tôru Sugawara	....	camera operator: Studio Cosmos (1 episode, 2004)
Norikazu Yamaguchi	....	camera operator: Studio Cosmos (1 episode, 2004)
Yoshino Yasuno	....	camera operator: Studio Cosmos (1 episode, 2004)

Series Animation Department
Yôko Ariizumi	....	animator: opening sequence (13 episodes, 2004)
Masashi Ishihama	....	animator: opening sequence (13 episodes, 2004)
Michiru Ishihara	....	animator: opening sequence (13 episodes, 2004)
Takeshi Ito	....	animator: opening sequence (13 episodes, 2004)
Yûki Itô	....	animator: opening sequence (13 episodes, 2004)
Kimiko Kitazawa	....	color designer/checker: opening & ending sequences / color designer (13 episodes, 2004)
Akira Matsui	....	animator: opening sequence (13 episodes, 2004)
Minoru Murao	....	animator: opening sequence (13 episodes, 2004)
Gian Mutô	....	animator: opening sequence (13 episodes, 2004)
Rin Shin	....	animator: opening sequence (13 episodes, 2004)
Yasuomi Umetsu	....	animation director: opening & ending sequences / animator: opening & ending sequences / ... (13 episodes, 2004)

Series Editorial Department
Shôtarô Anraku	....	on-line editor: Q-Tec (1 episode, 2004)
Harumi Ishizuka	....	off-line editor: Seyama Editing Room (1 episode, 2004)
Rie Matsuhara	....	off-line editor: Seyama Editing Room (1 episode, 2004)
Tomohiro Nemoto	....	on-line editor: Q-Tec (1 episode, 2004)
Mutsumi Takemiya	....	off-line editor: Seyama Editing Room (1 episode, 2004)
Megumi Uchida	....	off-line editor: Seyama Editing Room (1 episode, 2004)

Series Other crew
Dr. Pochi	....	supervisor (13 episodes, 2004)

Production Companies

• ADV Films (English dubbed version)
• Arms Corporation (animation)
• Happinet Pictures
• Memory Tech
• Mezzo Production Committee
• Shochiku Company
• Studio Pierrot Co. Ltd.

Distributors

• ADV Films (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Shochiku Company (2004) (worldwide) (all media)
• Happinet Pictures (2004) (Japan) (DVD)
• Madman Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• ADV Films (????) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Access A  planning
• FAI International  inbetween animation/cel painting (opening & ending sequences)
• Hanjin Production  inbetween animation/cel painting (opening & ending sequences)
• Jiwoo Production  inbetween animation/cel painting (opening & ending sequences)
• Saitaniya  art design
• Shanghai Superman  background art (opening & ending sequences)
• Shômaru  mechanical design
• Studio Cosmos  photography (opening & ending sequences)

Runtime:

New Zealand:125 min

Country:

Japan

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | New Zealand:M

Company:

ADV Films

Movie Connections:

Follows Mezzo Forte (1998) (V)

Soundtrack:

Suki Mami Mai Tai

Not the greatest, but definitely entertaining

This was based on the movie Mezzo Forte, and a couple episodes contain flashback scenes in the form of clips from that. The story centers around an "A-Team" style group of misfit mercenaries led by an ex-cop who goes by "Pops" and drives a pink VW, rounded out by the obligatory cute-girl-bad-ass and funny-haired engineer-nerd.

In the first couple episodes, the animation is great and the action is top-notch, but that goes way downhill after. The story stays good, but the action becomes nothing more than potential-- I can't help think how much cooler the show would have been with the quality of animation from the first episode.

Characters aren't bad, dialog is generally one of the better parts and is pretty well dubbed. The tone is humorous and irreverent, nothing dark about this. Pops especially gets great lines in the form of goofy metaphors ("A bodyguard should be close and intent like tighty whities... she relaxed and now there's nothing covering my ass!"). The story progresses and deepens toward the end, and while it's not incredibly deep, it's not insulting to your intelligence either.

If you like action with a heavy dose of humor, and you dig the "motley bunch of misfit outlaws" style of anime characters, this should be entertaining enough for you.