Amon Saga


Amon Saga is an anime OVA released in 1986. The character and conceptual art was contributed by Yoshitaka Amano. It was released by Manga Entertainment in 2001.

World

The world of Amon Saga is a medieval one, filled with bizarre creatures, such as the giant turtle that holds the Valhiss fortress, home of the Emperor, on its back. The world is populated by both human and humanoid creatures. The story is set in a time where the Valhiss Empire is trying to take over the world through a map. Amon is a warrior seeking vengeance for his late mother, who was killed by the Emperor Valhiss. He enlists in the Emperor's military forces to gain entry to the fortress. On a mission he meets one of the Emperors' captives, Princess Lichia, who aids him.

Characters

Amon – The title character of the movie, Amon is a young swordsman similar in appearance to Elric of Melniboné, with amazing skill. He joins the Valhiss army with the intention of avenging his mother's death, by killing the emperor.
GaiusA man nearly twice Amon's height and many times his strength, Gaius also seeks to join Valhiss' army. After a brief encounter with Amon in a bar, the two men form mutual respect for each other's abilities, and work together to pass the recruitment test.
Alcan – A clever, agile fighter whose tongue lashes as often as his whip. Like Gaius and Amon, he joins the Valhiss army for mysterious reasons, which are revealed later in the movie as he fights alongside both men.
Ho the Dragon Tailed – A quiet sniper with dark green skin and a tail, Ho doesn't say or do much during the movie. However, when he does, it has a great effect on the situation at hand, such as helping Amon defeat the giant serpent. His name and appearance suggest he may be some sort of lizard man.
Princess Lichia – The beautiful daughter of King Darai Sem, she is being held hostage by Valhiss in exchange for a map leading to the legendary Valley of Gold. While bathing in a lake, she is attacked by a giant serpent, and saved by Amon and Ho. She has the same name as her mother, the name given to all women in the Vindorana royal line.
Ekuna – A legendary swordsman and poet who trained Amon after his mother died. He regrets seeing Amon use his talent for revenge. He bears an uncanny resemblance to Vampire Hunter D, the title character of a similar fantasy movie released around the same time.
Emperor Valhiss – The ruler of the empire bearing his name, Valhiss is an enormous man who seeks to conquer the world.
Mabo – An old sorcerer who serves as the advisor to the emperor. He takes great delight in opportunities to display his magic power, and to undermine Denon.
Denon – The captain of the Valhiss army, Denon came up with the plan to kidnap Lichia and hold her for ransom. He's a skilled swordsman.
King Darai Sem – The king of Vindorana, who came from another land. He became king after he saved the life of Vindorana's princess Lichia. He travels in a fleet of ships that sail of grass instead of water.