What is a OVA anime? Original video animation, abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV, refers to the complete opposite of what most people think of when it comes to the word anime, that being animated series or films. OVA are often used to refer to several different types of anime, including straight-to-video anime and original net animation (ONA). Here’s everything you need to know about what an OVA anime really is and how it differs from your average series or film.
What is the purpose of OVA in anime?
What is a OVA anime? Originally, OVAs were created for commercial reasons: to bring consumers who rented video cassettes back to stores. In recent years, as sales of home video equipment have dropped and no new players have entered that market, several fans claim that creating good animation requires a large amount of money and time. So studios decided to sell directly onto DVD without broadcasting it on TV first in order to save money on distribution costs.
This plan was called direct-to-video (DTV) and eventually led to another variation: original video animation (OVA). An OVA is an animated production released directly to video rather than being broadcast or screened in theaters before release. It is often used as a marketing tool or as a pilot television episode for an upcoming series; while not always successful, it can sometimes generate enough interest to create a full series based on the popular premise. One such example would be Neon Genesis Evangelion.
In Japan, most OVAs are released first only on video or laser-disc, although there have been some instances of them appearing in movie theaters or on television prior to their release on home video. The popularity and prevalence of fan-subtitled video releases (such as those by ADV Films) have led companies such as Bandai Visual to release certain titles that were previously direct-to-video in North America on DVD with English subtitles included.
On some occasions, OVA will be created based on an existing series but with a plot that does not continue from one episode to another; these are called side stories. For example, Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer was produced before Rumiko Takahashi began her final season of Urusei Yatsura. It was also common for a manga series to be adapted into an OVA and then for that OVA to get its own manga adaptation. For instance, Akira became popular enough through its anime adaptation for it to spawn several original video animations which in turn spawned multiple manga adaptations.
What makes OVA special?
There are plenty of reasons to add OVA to your media collection. For one, they are typically less expensive than a full-length series. They also don’t have as many episodes, so it’s easier to get caught up on what happened before you start watching. And while they may not have as big of an audience as some other types of animation, there are still plenty of shows that can satisfy fans and newcomers alike. But what makes an OVA special?
What is a OVA anime? The answer isn’t just more episodes. While most OVAs only have one or two more installments than their TV counterparts, these additions often make them unique in ways that set them apart from their parent show.
Sometimes, it’s because they present additional scenes from a different perspective or feature additional characters with unique personalities and quirks. Other times, it’s because they bring closure to plotlines left hanging at the end of their parent show—and often in ways that give viewers new insight into those characters’ lives and experiences.
Whatever form these extra stories take, though, rest assured: If you like what you see in your first episode of an OVA , then chances are good that you’ll enjoy seeing more! You can check out Funimation’s selection of OAV s here.
We’ve got all kinds of genre favorites, including space operas historical dramas (Onihei), romantic comedies (Absolute Duo), and even lighthearted school adventures (Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai). So what are you waiting for? Start exploring our library today! You can browse by name or by release date, and we’ve even included links to related titles where applicable. Dive in now! Fictional characters appear in American comic books published by Marvel Comics.
What is the history of OVA?
An original video animation (OVA) is an anime that is produced specifically for release in home video formats, being either direct-to-video or released directly to the television. These titles were originally made as promotional material, such as for upcoming movies or television series. Recently, however, OVAs have been produced with no prior source material.
What is a OVA anime? Production companies are now able to sell these non-broadcast specials on DVD and Blu-ray Discs, making them widely available in public markets outside Japan. Although they were first produced to promote other media, many are now popular among fans on their own merits and can be considered standalone works.
The term itself originates from original video animation which was coined by Toei Animation’s marketing department in 1983. The acronym OVA comes from its Japanese name. Some examples of OVAs include Patlabor: The Movie; Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory; The Wings of Honneamise; Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040; Vandread; Dirty Pair Flash; and Excel Saga. In addition, some long-running manga series such as Ghost in the Shell have been adapted into multiple original video animations.
Sailor Saturn A notable exception is Tenchi Muyo. Ryo-Ohki whose North American distributor Central Park Media marketed it as the uncut version of Tenchi Muyo! also used uncut in advertising Toriko and Dragon Ball Z Kai.
Central Park Media also used uncensored to describe Ranma: Nihao My Concubine, which had some censorship at its original Japanese airing. ADV Films classified their releases using different labels, including edited, special edition, and uncut. Other distributors such as AEsir Holdings use terms like Special Edition or Director’s Cut.
Manga Entertainment uses terms like Uncensored for all its releases. When licensing anime, Funimation classifies OVAs as special features while Crunchy roll uses extra episodes. OVA are commonly confused with original net animation. While original net animation refers to animated productions made exclusively for internet distribution.
What is a OVA anime? OVA refer to any original video animation regardless of its distribution format. When referring to OVS and OAVs, English speakers occasionally use abbreviations such as OAV and OV respectively. However, these abbreviations are misleading because they fail to make a distinction between open and closed audio tracks in VHS tapes and DVDs. Both OVA and OAV refer only to how much material is presented in each episode; neither stands for anything more than that.
