Yeah...what's an OAV series?

prettysoldiersailormoon · Post by **prettysoldiersailormoon** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 10:28 pm

No, I'm not new to anime (7 years thank you), I have just heard people talking about them all the time, but I have no idea what that stands for or what the point to them is. In short, what are they?

Org Profile · Post by **Otohiko** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 10:33 pm

Original Animation Video

A (usually shorter) anime series that goes straight to video/DVD for distribution (instead of theaters or TV).

megaman917 · Post by **megaman917** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 12:34 am

Many an OAV or OVA (whichever you prefer to call it) are about 2 - 5 episodes long. When they get released on VHS/DVD, they're sometimes released as a single movie instead of a 2, 3, 4, 5, episode series, (sometimes both versions are released). Also, many OAVs are either the sequel or prequel to other, longer, anime series or movies. For example:
Read Or Die (OAV/movie) = (prequel to) Read Or Die The T. V.
Gumdam Wing: Endless Waltz (OAV/movie) = (sequel to) Gundam Wing (T.V.)
Armitage III (OAV) == Armitage III Polymatrix (movie) /*both versions have been released in the U. S.*/

Hope this helps.

prettysoldiersailormoon · Post by **prettysoldiersailormoon** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 9:55 am

Thanks guys!

Brad · Post by **Brad** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 10:06 am

It should be noted that in many occassions, an OVA series is actually an alternate telling of a TV series, like in the case of Tenchi Muyo, Ah My Goddess, and many others. In these particular cases, the OVAs actually came first, and then the TV series was made later.

In some rare occassions, a series is ONLY made as OVA's, and spans longer than a normal TV series. The most notable example of this scenario is Legend of Galactic Heroes. As far as I know, it's the longest spanning OVA series to date, with something along the lines of 110 OVA episodes from 1988 to 1997.