Obscure Object of Uncertain Desire

In 1998 Shinagawa, Tokyo-based real estate company Cesar Corporation decided to contract Toei Animation to create an OVA starring Cesar Corporation’s mascot character, the cowboy-hat-wearing bear Cesar Boy. The 45-minute-long OVA that resulted of the collaboration, Time Ranger Cesar Boy no Bouken: Roma Teikoku Hen, doesn’t look very unusual, but just under the surface is one of the most odd and unusual talking animal anime that Japan has ever produced.

Despite being commissioned and funded by a real estate company, the Time Ranger ~ Cesar Boy’s Adventure OVA has absolutely nothing at all to do with real estate. Rather, the children’s adventure OVA revolves around time travel, conspiracy, and plenty of murder. In 44 BC Rome, the time-traveling criminal Scar Cat narrowly saves Julius Caesar from being assassinated by gunning down Brutus and henchmen. But Scar Cat then assumes the throne, imprisoning the rightful ruler. Centuries into the future, the time rangers notice distortions in history that threaten their own existence. Top agent, the assertive and chauvinistic cowboy brown bear Cesar Boy is called in to meet his new partner, Karen, whom he initially mistakes as his boss’ new secretary. The uneasy duo is sent back in time, in effect, to ensure that Julius Caesar is actually assassinated, as history dictates. Upon arriving in ancient Rome, Cesar Boy leaps into action, rescuing Prince Lidia from Scar Cat’s assassins. The young prince leads Cesar Boy and Karen through secret tunnels to the throne room where the time rangers confront Scar Cat. In typical villain fashion, Scar Cat drops the heroes through a trap door, reuniting them with Julius Caesar and Lidia’s girlfriend Mirona. The heroes escape to again confront Scar Cat, who opposes them with the help of a giant demonic-looking “robot.” On the verge of defeat, Scar Cat tries to shoot Cesar Boy but misses, instead killing Julius Caesar. Scar Cat then escapes via time teleportation. Prince Lidia grieves over his father’s body, and Cesar Boy and Karen triumphantly return to time ranger headquarters, having successfully completed their assignment, giving no thought to actually trying to follow and apprehend the fleeing criminal Scar Cat.

Released as a Toei OVA on February 12, 1999, the production is uniquely odd because it’s ostensibly a children’s anime, yet it has a substantial body count including at least one brief shot of blood spurting from a mortal sword slash wound. In the middle of the OVA Prince Lidia and Mirona also literally roll through the grass then spend a length 25 seconds blushingly staring into each other’s eyes romantically, seemingly on the verge of tearing each other’s clothes off. Furthermore, while never bluntly stated, the underlying purpose of Cesar Boy’s heroic mission is, rather than to save someone, to insure that the Roman emperor dies. The OVA was written and directed by Ryou Yasumura, who had previously directed the World Masterpiece Theater-esque Kinpatsu no Jeanie children’s series and the bizarre time-travel OVA series Genji.

Cesar Boy no Bouken may not quite rival the unexpected oddity of talking animal anime film Penguin’s Memory: Shiawase Monogatari, but it’s a far cry more conceptually bizarre than other talking animal anime including Uchuu Sagittarius, Don Chuck Monogatari, Araiguma Rascal, Anime Sanjushi, Maple Town Monogatari, Bobo Bobo, and Kuma no Putarou.