Vandread (Japanese: ヴァンドレッド, Hepburn: Vandoreddo) is a Japanese anime television series directed by Takeshi Mori and producted by Gonzo. The series is composed by two seasons consisting of 13 episodes each; Vandread, broadcast from October to December 2000, and Vandread: The Second Stage, broadcast from October 2001 to January 2002. The series was also adapted into a manga and light novel series.

Plot

The male-only planet Taraak and the female-only planet Mejeer have been at war with each other for years. During a military presentation of the Taraak space forces, their new combat ship built from that of the colonization, the Ikazuchi, is attacked and annexed by female pirates from Mejeer; not wanting to lose, the commander of the Taraakian forces prefers remotely destroy his ship with the intruders on board. There, a surprising event occurs. The Taraakian vessel and that of the pirates merge under the impulse of the Praksis crystal, a source of mysterious energy, to create a new vessel, which is later baptized NirVana. The Praksis energy ends up sending the newly formed vessel to depths of space.

This merge also affects Mejeerian combat shuttles, the Dreads, and a Taraakian mobile “armor”, the Vanguard, transforming their appearance and giving the Dreads the ability to combine with the Vanguard, forming the Vandread units. Three men, a third-class worker and two officers who remained on board and were taken prisoner by the pirates, as well as the latter, will in spite of themselves have to collaborate and learn to coexist, because their salvation depends on their understanding in the face of a new common enemy, automated vessels from elsewhere and openly hostile to representatives of their species.

Broadcast and release

Produced by Gonzo and directed by Takeshi Mori, Vandread was broadcast for 13 episodes on Wowow from October 3 to December 19, 2000. An additional episode, Vandread Integral (ヴァンドレッド 胎動篇, Vandoreddo Taidō-hen), was released on home video on December 21, 2001.

A second season, Vandread: The Second Stage, was broadcast from October 5, 2001, to January 18, 2002. An additional episode, Vandread Turbulence (ヴァンドレッド 激闘篇, Vandoreddo Gekitō-hen), was released on home video on October 25, 2002.

Songs

Opening and ending songs

• “Trust” (“Vandread” opening; also used as the ending in the last “Second Stage” episode) by Salia
• “Himegoto” (“Vandread” ending) by SiLC
• “Justice” (“Second Stage” opening) by Aki Kudo
• “Yes, Together” (“Second Stage” ending) by Yasunori Iwasaki, sung by Aki Kudo
• “Spacy Spicy Love” (“Taidouhen” opening) by Mejare Pirates
• “Proof” (“Turbulance” ending) by Mejare Pirates

Insert songs

• “What a Wonderful World” (“Vandread” insert song) by Donna Burke
• “Somedays” (“Second Stage” insert) by Donna Burke
• “Ikutose Karuka”/”Many Many Tears”
• “Good Day Friends” (Dita’s song) by Yumi Kakazu
• “Kanojo wa Dandysm” (Barnette’s song)
• “Moon Light Lullaby” (Meia’s song) by Fumiko Orikasa
• “Slow Down” (Jura’s song)
• “Welcome Home” (Parfet’s song)

Related media

A total of seven light novel volumes, consisting of three Vandread volumes, three Vandread: The Second Stage volumes, and a Vandread: The Extra Stage volume, were released under Kadokawa Shoten‘s Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko imprint from July 1, 2000, to April 27, 2002.

A manga adaptation, illustrated by Kotetsu Akane, was serialized in Fujimi Shobo‘s Monthly Dragon Jr. from the July 2000 to the February 2002 issues. Fujimi Shobo collected its chapters in three tankōbon volumes (including a Special Stage volume), from January 10, 2001, to March 1, 2002.

References

Vandread
Key visual of the series, featuring Hibiki Tokai (center), Dita Liebely (top), Meia Gisborn (right) and Jura Basil Elden (left)
ヴァンドレッド (Vandoreddo)
Genre	Comedy Harem Space opera
Light novel
Written by	Takeshi Mori
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten
Imprint	Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko
Demographic	Male
Original run	July 1, 2000 – April 27, 2002
Volumes	7
Manga
Written by	Takeshi Mori
Illustrated by	Kotetsu Akane
Published by	Kadokawa Shoten
Magazine	Monthly Dragon Jr.
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	July 2000 – February 2002
Volumes	2 + 1 extra
Anime television series
Directed by	Takeshi Mori
Produced by	Maki Horiuchi Ayumu Tanaka Masashi Tsukino
Written by	Atsuhiro Tomioka
Music by	Yasunori Iwasaki
Studio	Gonzo
Licensed by	AUS Siren Visual NA Crunchyroll
Original network	Wowow
English network	CA G4techTV Canada SEA AXN US Encore Action & WAM ZA Animax
Original run	October 3, 2000 – December 19, 2000
Episodes	13 (List of episodes)
hide Further information Anime television series Vandread: The Second Stage Directed by Takeshi Mori Produced by Maki Horiuchi Ayumu Tanaka Masashi Tsukino Written by Atsuhiro Tomioka Music by Yasunori Iwasaki Studio Gonzo Licensed by AUS Siren Visual NA Crunchyroll Original network Wowow English network CA G4techTV Canada SEA AXN US Encore Action & WAM ZA Animax Original run October 5, 2001 – January 18, 2002 Episodes 13 (List of episodes) Original video animation Vandread Integral Directed by Takeshi Mori Studio Gonzo Licensed by NA Crunchyroll Released December 21, 2001 Runtime 75 minutes Original video animation Vandread Turbulence Directed by Takeshi Mori Studio Gonzo Licensed by NA Crunchyroll Released October 25, 2002 Runtime 97 minutes  Anime and manga portal