Film

Black Magic M-66

Name: Black Magic M-66
Genre: Action, Animation, Science Fiction
Released: 1987
Cast: Ichiro Nagai, Shinji Ogawa, Yoshiko Sakakibara, Kozo Shioya, Norio Wakamoto

Action
Thriller
Relentless

A sleek 1987 OVA about a rogue military android and the freelance journalist who gets caught in its hunt. Fast, stylish cyberpunk action with real wit—built for an evening, not a season. For fans of 80s anime who want their sci-fi lean and propulsive.

TMDb rating

3.2

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like lean, hard-edged 1980s anime where a tense chase and a cold, gadget-heavy conspiracy matter more than character warmth, and you want it all packed into under an hour.

Skip it if its characters are drawn in broad strokes and the middle leans on action setpieces, so it may feel slight if you want emotional depth.

What it asks of you: A brisk, dense hour with little downtime: the pace rarely lets up, the visuals carry much of the story, and you must keep up rather than relax.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Akira1988

Landmark cyberpunk animation that defined the look of 80s sci-fi anime. Massive scope, stunning action sequences, and a city collapsing under its own chaos. Required viewing if you love the era.

But Nearly 125 minutes of complexity that demands attention. The plot gets genuinely difficult to follow in the final act, and some viewers find the ending abstract to the point of frustration.

Ghost in the Shell1995

Philosophical cyberpunk masterpiece about identity, consciousness, and what makes us human. Visually revolutionary, morally complex, and the action sequences are breathtaking. It earns every minute of your attention.

But Heavy on dialogue and ideas; the plot unfolds slowly. Some find it glacial compared to pure action anime. Subtitles non-negotiable, and it rewards rewatching.

Bubblegum Crisis1987

Exactly contemporary with Black Magic M-66, same Tokyo-punk aesthetic but grounded in character. Four women in powered suits, genuinely funny chemistry, and action that feels earned. Pure fun without pretension.

But Early OVA production values are visible—some animation shortcuts, and the four-episode first series ends abruptly. Episodic pacing means it lacks a driving narrative arc.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Black Magic M-66

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Perfect Blue1998

Both are short, propulsive 80s/90s anime about protagonists trapped in systems hunting them. But where M-66 is pure forward momentum, Perfect Blue makes paranoia and perspective the real weapon.

Psychological thriller about an idol singer whose reality fragments under obsession and surveillance. Anime used as a tool for genuine dread rather than spectacle. Satoshi Kon's debut—visceral, meta, and unsettling in ways most cyberpunk isn't.

But Focuses on psychological horror and identity dissolution, not action. Deliberately confusing in the final act. Some scenes are disturbing (including sexual violence). Not satisfying in a conventional way.

Appleseed2004

CGI anime about an android-hunting soldier in a utopian city. Leaner than Ghost in the Shell, sharper pacing, gorgeous action design. Sits perfectly between style and substance.

But CGI anime from 2004 looks dated now. Plot is straightforward to the point of simple. Works better if you don't ask too many questions about its world.

Serial Experiments Lain1998

Experimental 13-episode anime about a girl pulled into a digital conspiracy. Disorienting, hypnotic, visually unique. If you want cyberpunk that feels alien and unsettling rather than comfortable, this is it.

But Deliberately obscure; the plot resists understanding until rewatches. Deliberately paced slow. Repetitive imagery and sound design that some find tedious rather than meditative.

Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket1989

Six-episode OVA where a kid in a war zone befriends an enemy pilot. Remarkably human and sad beneath the mecha action. Shows a side of conflict that giant robot shows usually avoid. Devastating finale.

But A child protagonist in a war story means genuine stakes and suffering. Not a comfort watch. Some find the pacing slow and the mecha action secondary to character drama.

Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket poster

Gunsmith Cats1995

Both center a capable woman journalist/civilian in the crosshairs of military/criminal violence. But where M-66 is claustrophobic and tense, Gunsmith Cats is breezy and almost romantic about danger. Same genre, opposite mood.

Three-part OVA: a gun-running cab driver and her partner take down criminals in Chicago. Action-dense, funny, character-driven, gorgeous animation. Goes harder on humor and human stakes than most cyberpunk, and it works.

But Only three episodes; exists mostly as a proof of concept. Plot is thin—it's essentially 'two women shoot bad guys and banter.' Relies on knowing guns and action filmmaking conventions to fully appreciate.