Hyper Speed GranDoll DVD

Hikaru Amaki has spent her whole life believing she is an ordinary, slightly clumsy high school girl who happens to be the adopted daughter of a somewhat eccentric university professor and his wife. This belief is shattered at an amusement park when she is attacked by alien invaders and a small android named Sigil appears to inform her of the truth: Hikaru is actually the last princess of a faraway planet, and the Grandoll Armor — a high-speed powered battle suit of extraordinary capability — was hidden on Earth specifically for her. She is now humanity's only protection against the alien force pursuing her. Hikaru's reaction is less "chosen warrior accepts destiny" and more "ordinary teenage girl in over her head," which gives the series much of its charm. As she learns to use the Grandoll Armor and navigates the relationship with Sigil — who starts as a cold mission-handler and gradually becomes something warmer — the alien threat escalates and the truth about her origins deepens.

Hyper Speed GranDoll is a three-episode OVA produced by Zero-G and Bandai Visual, directed by Hideki Tonokatsu, and written by Satoru Akahori — the creator of Sorcerer Hunters, Knights of Ramune, and Maze: The Mega-Burst Space. The theme song "The Moment When You Softly Swear" was performed by Junko Iwao, the voice of Tomoyo in Cardcaptor Sakura. A PlayStation game adaptation was released in Japan shortly after the OVA. The series draws its DNA from Project A-Ko, Galaxy Fraulein Yuna, and the transformation-armor genre, and was noted by reviewers as a well-executed if thoroughly by-the-book example of its type.

Released in North America on DVD by Central Park Media on July 6, 2004; discontinued by CPM on October 14, 2006. 

Notable Staff & Voice Talent

Director: Hideki Tonokatsu
Screenplay: Satoru Akahori (Sorcerer Hunters, Knights of Ramune, Maze: The Mega-Burst Space)
Original Concept: Katsumi Hasegawa
Studio: Zero-G / Bandai Visual
Theme Song: "The Moment When You Softly Swear" by Junko Iwao

Japanese Cast:
- Junko Iwao as Hikaru Amaki (Cardcaptor Sakura — voice of Tomoyo, Ceres: Celestial Legend, Rurouni Kenshin Trust & Betrayal, DNA²)
- Yuko Miyamura as Sigil (Evangelion, Apocalypse Zero, Rurouni Kenshin, Sorcerer Hunters, Hyper Police)
- Haruna Ikezawa as Haruna Saotome (Demon Fighter Kocho)
- Toshiyuki Morikawa as Sir Friedshalf (Descendants of Darkness, Tekkaman Blade II, Noir)

English Dub Cast (Central Park Media — New York):
- Debora Rabbai as Hikaru Amaki (Birdy the Mighty, Maze OVA, Fencer of Minerva)
- Liz Craynon as Sigil
- Scott Cargle as Kouichi Amagi (Shinesman, Birdy the Mighty)
- Ted Lewis as Peos (Pokémon, DNA²)
- Peter Cascone as GranKnight (Birdy the Mighty)
- Jonathan Boggs as Sir Friedshalf (DNA²)

DVD Features

- Art Gallery
- Central Park Media / US Manga Corps Previews

Spoken Languages: English & Japanese Audio, English Subtitles

Edition Details

Japanese Title: 超光速グランドール (Chō Kōsoku Gurandōru / Hyper Speed GranDoll)
Runtime: ~90 Minutes (Complete OVA, 3 Episodes)
Director: Hideki Tonokatsu
DVD Release Year: 2004 (U.S. Release, July 6 — Central Park Media); discontinued October 14, 2006
Original Release Date (Japan): August 25 – December 18, 1997
Publisher: Central Park Media (US Manga Corps)
Rating: 13+
Region: Region 1 (U.S. / Canada)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Magical Girl
Themes: Lost Alien Princess, Powered Battle Armor, Android Companion, Satoru Akahori Comedy, Project A-Ko Spiritual Cousin

Media assumed VG+ unless otherwise noted.Hikaru Amaki has spent her whole life believing she is an ordinary, slightly clumsy high school girl who happens to be the adopted daughter of a somewhat eccentric university professor and his wife. This belief is shattered at an amusement park when she is attacked by alien invaders and a small android named Sigil appears to inform her of the truth: Hikaru is actually the last princess of a faraway planet, and the Grandoll Armor — a high-speed powered battle suit of extraordinary capability — was hidden on Earth specifically for her. She is now humanity's only protection against the alien force pursuing her. Hikaru's reaction is less "chosen warrior accepts destiny" and more "ordinary teenage girl in over her head," which gives the series much of its charm. As she learns to use the Grandoll Armor and navigates the relationship with Sigil — who starts as a cold mission-handler and gradually becomes something warmer — the alien threat escalates and the truth about her origins deepens.

Hyper Speed GranDoll is a three-episode OVA produced by Zero-G and Bandai Visual, directed by Hideki Tonokatsu, and written by Satoru Akahori — the creator of Sorcerer Hunters, Knights of Ramune, and Maze: The Mega-Burst Space. The theme song "The Moment When You Softly Swear" was performed by Junko Iwao, the voice of Tomoyo in Cardcaptor Sakura. A PlayStation game adaptation was released in Japan shortly after the OVA. The series draws its DNA from Project A-Ko, Galaxy Fraulein Yuna, and the transformation-armor genre, and was noted by reviewers as a well-executed if thoroughly by-the-book example of its type. Released in North America on DVD by Central Park Media on July 6, 2004; discontinued by CPM on October 14, 2006.

Notable Staff & Voice Talent

Director: Hideki Tonokatsu
Screenplay: Satoru Akahori (Sorcerer Hunters, Knights of Ramune, Maze: The Mega-Burst Space)
Original Concept: Katsumi Hasegawa
Studio: Zero-G / Bandai Visual
Theme Song: "The Moment When You Softly Swear" by Junko Iwao

Japanese Cast:
- Junko Iwao as Hikaru Amaki (Cardcaptor Sakura — voice of Tomoyo, Ceres: Celestial Legend, Rurouni Kenshin Trust & Betrayal, DNA²)
- Yuko Miyamura as Sigil (Evangelion, Apocalypse Zero, Rurouni Kenshin, Sorcerer Hunters, Hyper Police)
- Haruna Ikezawa as Haruna Saotome (Demon Fighter Kocho)
- Toshiyuki Morikawa as Sir Friedshalf (Descendants of Darkness, Tekkaman Blade II, Noir)

English Dub Cast (Central Park Media — New York):
- Debora Rabbai as Hikaru Amaki (Birdy the Mighty, Maze OVA, Fencer of Minerva)
- Liz Craynon as Sigil
- Scott Cargle as Kouichi Amagi (Shinesman, Birdy the Mighty)
- Ted Lewis as Peos (Pokémon, DNA²)
- Peter Cascone as GranKnight (Birdy the Mighty)
- Jonathan Boggs as Sir Friedshalf (DNA²)

DVD Features

- Art Gallery
- Central Park Media / US Manga Corps Previews

Spoken Languages: English & Japanese Audio, English Subtitles

Edition Details

Japanese Title: 超光速グランドール (Chō Kōsoku Gurandōru / Hyper Speed GranDoll)
Runtime: ~90 Minutes (Complete OVA, 3 Episodes)
Director: Hideki Tonokatsu
DVD Release Year: 2004 (U.S. Release, July 6 — Central Park Media); discontinued October 14, 2006
Original Release Date (Japan): August 25 – December 18, 1997
Publisher: Central Park Media (US Manga Corps)
Rating: 13+
Region: Region 1 (U.S. / Canada)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Magical Girl
Themes: Lost Alien Princess, Powered Battle Armor, Android Companion, Satoru Akahori Comedy, Project A-Ko Spiritual Cousin

Media assumed VG+ unless otherwise noted.