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One of the last remaining classic 80s mecha anime to be released outside of Japan is now finally here, and Heavy Metal L-Gaim<\/em><\/a> doesn\u2019t disappoint.<\/p>\n First aired on television in Japan back in 1984, Heavy Metal L-Gaim<\/em> was a Yoshiyuki Tomino mecha anime unlike the rest.<\/p>\n Not only did it take a surprisingly gritty and detailed approach to its mecha, but it also featured a new kind of character design for the time and a very different type of story.<\/p>\n All of this was because, for all intents and purposes, this was an anime that was created and conceived by Mamoru Nagano.<\/p>\n This is not to say that Tomino didn\u2019t direct the final series and inject his usual Tomino-isms, but the overall structure, story, and look of the show came originally from Nagano.<\/p>\n Back when I interviewed Nagano, he explained that Tomino was brought to please the producers and money people, as he was, after all, a total newcomer. However, it\u2019s important to understand the sheer amount of creative presence Nagano has in L-Gaim<\/em>, and it\u2019s wonderful that the anime is now available in its entirety outside of Japan.<\/p>\n While L-Gaim<\/em> had a brief stint on streaming some years back, it was of the old standard definition DVD release and has long since disappeared.<\/p>\n This new Blu-ray version is based on an all-new remaster that was released in Japan in 2025<\/a>, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the anime.<\/p>\n Set in the Pentagona system, L-Gaim<\/em> follows the plight of Daba Myroad and his motley crew of friends, as he uses his heavy metal mecha called the L-Gaim<\/a> to wage a war against the seemingly immortal Oldna Poseidal.<\/p>\n From the outset, the use of advanced technology is a lot more overt than in other Tomino mecha anime, and the general tone is that we are seeing a decaying future of a once far more technologically advanced society.<\/p>\n