Innocent Venus
A near-future late-Shogunate action animation set in 2035.
Innocent Venus is a Japanese anime television series that began broadcasting on the Wowow network in Japan on July 26, 2006. The series is notable for its use of some 3D cel-shaded animation, which achieves a more 'hand drawn' look than traditional 3D animation. It was licensed by ADV Films at Anime Boston 2007 for $120,000, though ADV discontinued printing of the DVDs on July 11, 2008.
- type
- Anime television series
- broadcast_start
- July 26, 2006
- network
- Wowow
- animation_production
- Brain's Base
- produced_by
- Bandai Visual
- director
- Jun Kawagoe
- episodes
- Not specified in source
Lore & Background
The series is set in the near future after a series of simultaneous hypercanes devastate the world population and economy. In Japan, an elite class called Logos emerges, controlling special zones created with Power Assist Technology. The Logos exercise control over the Revenus, a lower class living in devastated areas known as Levinas, leading to a resistance movement. The story draws analogies with 19th-century Japan at the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate period, just before the Boshin War.
Reader's Guide
Innocent Venus represents a mid-2000s anime that experimented with 3D cel-shaded animation to blend traditional hand-drawn aesthetics with digital techniques. Its narrative, set in a post-disaster Japan with a stratified society, reflects themes of class conflict and resistance, drawing explicit parallels to the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The series was produced by Brain's Base and Bandai Visual, with a notable staff including director Jun Kawagoe. Its licensing by ADV Films for $120,000 and subsequent discontinuation of DVD printing in 2008 highlight the commercial challenges faced by niche anime titles in the North American market during that era. The series remains a reference point for fans of dystopian sci-fi and historical allegory in anime.
Did You Know?
- The series uses some 3D cel-shaded animation to achieve a more 'hand drawn' look than traditional 3D animation.
- ADV Films licensed the show for $120,000 at Anime Boston 2007.
- ADV announced it was discontinuing printing of the DVDs on July 11, 2008.
- The story draws analogies with 19th-century Japan at the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate period.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Innocent Venus?
Innocent Venus is a Japanese anime action series set in a near-future late-Shogunate era in the year 2035. It first aired on Japan's Wowow cable network beginning July 26, 2006.
What makes Innocent Venus's animation style unique?
The series employs 3D cel-shaded animation to give its visuals a look closer to traditional hand-drawn 2D work rather than typical 3D rendering. This technique was handled by the studio Brain's Base, with Bandai Visual serving as the overall production company.
Who directed Innocent Venus?
Jun Kawagoe served as the director of the series. The animation was produced by Brain's Base, and the project was backed by Bandai Visual.
Is Innocent Venus available on DVD in English?
ADV Films secured the English license at Anime Boston 2007 for a reported $120,000, but they ceased printing the DVD set on July 11, 2008. Because of that discontinuation, the physical release became increasingly hard to locate after mid-2008.
What is the setting of Innocent Venus?
The story unfolds in a speculative 2035 Japan where the Shogunate still holds power while technology has pushed society into a near-future state. This fusion of historical samurai-era politics with advanced tech forms the backdrop for the series' action sequences.
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