Angel Sanctuary DVD

Setsuna Mudo is a sixteen-year-old rebel with a reputation for trouble and a secret he can barely face himself — he is deeply, desperately in love with his younger sister Sara. But Setsuna's forbidden feelings are only the beginning of his problems. Hidden within him is the dormant soul of Alexiel, the Organic Angel — the most powerful and beautiful being in Heaven, who once defied God himself and led a rebellion against the corrupt hierarchy of angels. As demons and angels alike begin to converge on Setsuna, seeking to awaken Alexiel's power for their own purposes, he finds himself pulled into a war between Heaven and Hell that threatens everything he loves. And when Sara's life is put in danger, Setsuna will descend into realms no human was ever meant to enter to bring her back.

Angel Sanctuary is a lush, gothic, and uncompromisingly dark OVA adapted from Kaori Yuki's landmark shojo manga, one of the most ambitious and boundary-pushing manga series of the 1990s. Directed by Kiyoko Sayama and produced by Hal Film Maker and Bandai Visual, the three-episode OVA covers the opening arc of the manga with gorgeous character designs, a sweeping orchestral score by Hikaru Nanase, and a visual style drenched in religious iconography, fallen angels, and tragic romance. Mature, operatic, and deeply unusual, Angel Sanctuary is not for every audience — but for those willing to meet it on its own terms, it is an unforgettable piece of 2000s anime. 

Notable Staff & Voice Talent

Director: Kiyoko Sayama
Original Manga: Kaori Yuki (Godchild, Cain Saga)
Supervising Director / Character Design: Shuichi Shimamura
Studio: Hal Film Maker
Music: Hikaru Nanase

Cast:
- Kenji Nojima as Setsuna Mudo
- Ayako Kawasumi as Sara Mudo
- Takehito Koyasu as Sakuya Kira
- Susumu Chiba as Rosiel
- Shin'ichiro Miki as Katan
- Yuko Miyamura as Kurai
- Ai Orikasa as Alexiel

DVD Features

- Behind the Scenes: The Making of the English Dub
- Character Sketches & Art Gallery
- Meet the Characters
- DVD-ROM: Original Japanese Packaging Art, Cast & Production Credits, Scripts
- Central Park Media / Media Blasters Previews

Spoken Languages: English & Japanese Audio, English Subtitles

Edition Details

Japanese Title: 天使禁猟区 (Tenshi Kinryōku)
Runtime: ~90 Minutes (3-Episode OVA)
Director: Kiyoko Sayama
DVD Release Year: 2001 / 2008 (U.S. Release)
Original Release Date (Japan): May 25 – August 25, 2000
Publisher: Central Park Media / Media Blasters
Rating: 16+
Region: Region 1 (U.S. / Canada)
Genre: Dark Fantasy, Gothic Romance, Drama
Themes: Fallen Angels, Heaven & Hell, Forbidden Love, Reincarnation, Religious Mythology

Media assumed VG+ unless otherwise noted.