"Karas: the Prophecy" (2005) is the first installment in an OVA marking the 40th anniversary of Tatsunko Productions, the studio that made "Speed Racer", "Gatchaman", and "Generator Gawl". "Karas" was obviously a big-budget production, and the English dub features Jay Hernandez, Matthew Lillard, and Piper Perabo. Karas ("The Crow") is the guardian spirit of Tokyo, but the city is thrown into disarray when Eko, a former Karas, returns and attempts to seize power. Yurine, an entity who embodies the will of the people, summons Nue, a sort of Karas-in-training, to defeat Eko. The two-part fantasy saga borrows from numerous animated and live-action sources, including "Ghost in the Shell II", "Demon City Shinjuku", "Spider-Man", and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon". Action fans may enjoy the aerial combats, sword fights between armored foes, 2-D/3-D transformations, explosions, monster attacks, and car chases, but director Keiichi Sato's nervous camerawork and choppy cutting rob what should be show-stopping scenes of their punch. Although highly anticipated, "Karas" is an overproduced mess. (Unrated, suitable for ages 17 and older: graphic violence, grotesque imagery, profanity, tobacco use) "--Charles Solomon"
Stills from "Karas - The Prophecy" (click for larger image)