Apfelland Monogatari

For some time, BlueFixer has been looking for a better source to redo the 1992 movie Apfelland Monogatari (The Tale of Apfelland). When a used laserdisc turned up on a Japanese auction site, we bought it, and it now forms the basis of Orphan's release of the movie.

Apfelland (German for Apple Land) is counterfactual history. It's set in the early 20th century in a small, independent country nestled between the German, Austrian, and Russian empires, corresponding roughly to what is now the Czech Republic.It is a peaceful, agrarian country, but it becomes a center of intrigue following the discovery of "metallic radium" in an abandoned mine. Polish revolutionaries (from America)!, led by the beautiful Arianna Wyszynka and her ferocious black panther Attilla, and German militarists, abetted by the turncoat Minister of the Army, are both plotting to seize control of the radium in order to make a super-weapon.

Into this intrigue stumbles a street ruffian, Vergille Strauss, who picks the pocket of a one of the revolutionaries. This leads him to a young girl, Frieda Lenbach, who has been kidnapped because she is the heir to the abandoned mine. With the help of the sympathetic Inspector Fleischer, Vergille rescues Frieda and takes her to see the Queen of Apfelland. However, unbeknownst to all of them, the former Minister of the Army, Count Norbert, is plotting a coup to seize the mine and present its radium to the Germans. Unbeknownst to him, the Germans intend to use his coup as an excuse to invade and annex Apfelland. Vergille, Frieda, and their friends go through many thrilling adventures, helped by a "mad scientist," Professor Lenholm, to try and save Apfelland from its avaricious neighbor.

The voice cast includes many familiar names:

• Minaguchi Yuuko (Frieda Lenbach) starred as the lead in Yawara!, her breakout and defining role. She debuted as Kii in Greed and played Saki in Singles and Felicia in Oz, all Orphan releases. She played Roxanne in Alexander (Reign: The Conquerer) and appeared in numerous other shows, including Dragon Ball Z and GT, Sailor Moon, and One Piece.
• Yamaguchi Kappei (Vergille Strauss) starred as the lead in the Detective Conan franchise, the Ranma 1/2 franchise, and the Inuyasha franchise. He played Usopp in the One Piece franchise, Sakuma Ryuichi in Gravitation, Arslan in the Arslan Senki OVA series, the title role in Mouse, Ougi in Boyfriend, Hayashi in Nagasaki 1945: Angelus no Kane, and Shibuya in Zetsuai 1989 and Bronze: Zetsuai Since 1989, among many others. The last four are Orphan releases.
• Ebara Masashi (Inspector Alfred Fleischer) played Might Guy in Naruto, Bolt Crank in Eat-Man, Alastor in Shakugan no Shana, Sebastian Viera in Nodame Cantabile, and Hamegg in Metropolis. He also played the referee in Blazing Transfer Student, Tanzou in Akai Hayate, Zengzi in Eiyuu Banka Koushi-den, and Ishizu in Mikeneko Holmes, all Orphan releases.
• Katsuki Masako (Arianna Wyszynska) played Maroko in Gosenzosama Banbanzai and its movie version, Maroko, Mira in Ginga Tansa 2100-nen: Border Planet, Queen Bee in Golgo 13: Queen Bee, and Tsunade (Fifth Hokage) in the Naruto franchise. She also played Kenbishi Yuuri in Yuukan Club, Hojo's lover in Sanctuary, Itchan's mother in Sensou Douwa: Tako ni Natta Okaasan, and Yamazaki's maintenance engineer Kiriko in Kigyou Senshi Yamazaki: Long Distance Call, all Orphan releases.
• Saitou Shou (Queen Carolina) appeared as Noah's wife in Tezuka Osamu's Tales from the Old Testament, an Orphan release, and Dora in Kiki's Delivery Service.
• Katou Seizou (Count Norbert) appeared as Jeigan in Fire Emblem, Ii Naosuke in Hidamari no Ki, the Chief of Staff in AWOL Compression Remix, and Sushi Neko's mentor in Let's Nupu Nupu, all Orphan releases. He played Inspector Zenigata in Lupin III: The Fuuma Conspiracy, Aran in Freedom, and Kaa-san in Tokyo Godfathers, among many other roles in a career that spanned nearly 50 years.
• Kitamura Kouichi (Professor Lenholm) played Coach Nakao in the Nine OVAs, Paolon, the intelligent spaceship, in Hi-Speed Jecy, Professor, the wise old cat in the Ultra Nyan OVAs, and appeared in Hidamari no Ki and Dokushin Apartment Dokudami-sou, all Orphan releases. 
• Wakamoto Norio (York Denman, a sinister associate of Arianna Wyszynska) played the title role in The Gargoyle of the Yoshinagas, Vicious in Cowboy Bebop, Cell in the Dragonball franchise, Katakuriko in the Gintama franchise, Oda NObunaga in Sengoku Basara franchise, Sakakibara in Sanada 10, Guren in Ushio to Tora TV, Shining Saotome in the Uta no Prince-sama franchise, and Oskar von Reuenthal in Legend of the Galactic Heroes. He also appeared as Major Thrauza in Yamato 2520, Denon in Amon Saga, and the Narrator in Joker: Marginal City, all Orphan releases.
• Miyata Hikaru (Colonel Zehlendorf) appeared in The Maiden Diaries, Detective Conan, Serial Experiments Lain, Noir, Monster, and Trinity Blood.

The director, Yuyama Kunihiko, directed the Magic Princess Minky Momo TV series and OVAs, The Three Musketeers TV series and movie, Plawres Sanshiro, the original Ushio to Tora OVAs, Wedding Peach, and of course, most of the Pokemon TV series, OVAs, and movies, up to and including the current one. He also directed Ear of the Golden Dragon, an Orphan release.

BlueFixer reviewed his original script and touched up a few lines for this release. M74 fine-timed the new raw. I edited and typeset (very few signs), and BeeBee, Nemesis, and Topper3000 QCed. Intrepid ripped the laserdisc on his Domesday Duplicator and then encoded. It looks pretty good.

Apfelland Monogatari is right in the sweet spot of the "historical romance" genre. The budding friendship between Vergille and Frieda is matched by the growing fascination Inspector Fleischer feels for Arianne Wyszynska. There are lots of exciting adventures, and all's well that ends well, mostly. You can get the show from the usual torrent site or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net