Hayou no Tsurugi Shikkoku no Mashou

Aired: 1992

An OVA adaptation of Tamako Maeda's popular Cobalt Bunko fantasy novel series, produced by Magic Bus, Takara, and Shueisha. The story features the twin princesses Rakouhi and Yoori, descendants of a noble bloodline charged with banishing dark forces, as they confront a fated enemy while wrestling with their own destinies. Compressing the novel's heavy worldbuilding and the genre's signature delicate psychology into a tight runtime, the project takes an ambitious approach to literary adaptation. Makihiko Araki's mystical music sustains the lingering atmosphere of the tale, leaving a strong impression on the Cobalt Bunko generation of young female readers. The OVA earned its place as a fine entry in the early-90s lineage of fantasy anime aimed at women, treasured especially by fans of the original novels.