Alien from the Darkness (Inju alien) is a 1996 adult sci-fi horror anime OVA, written by Shino Taira and directed by Norio Takanami, and distributed by Pink Pineapple. This title is the only title worked on by director Takanami, whilst Taira worked on a handful of other titles including the adult anime Kowaremono (2002).
Whilst on a deep space mission, the all-female crew of the transport ship, Muse, receives a distress signal emanating from a derelict space cruiser. Once aboard, they realize that all the women died under mysterious circumstances. However, they managed to find a lone survivor, a young girl named Flair, and detonate the ghost ship as they leave. Unfortunately, the danger followed them to the Muse, and the crew members are attacked by a mysterious alien presence, desperate to find a way to reproduce with humans.
The story is remarkably reminiscent of Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979) as a crew unwittingly brings an alien creature back onto their ship, killing most of the crew off bar one and her animal companion who struggle to fight back and kill this monstrous being. However, Alien from the Darkness can hardly be considered derivative of that work, introducing its own unique story elements to provide an individual take on the formula; the likes of an otherworldly virus, interstellar contraband smuggling, mutiny, and, of course, uncensored shokushu assault undoubtedly diverge away from the original source material.
Surprising for adult animation, Alien from the Darkness features a roster of defined, well-written characters. From their distinct looks and evident archetypes to their range of deceivable emotions, these characters can hardly be considered two-dimensional. Additionally, the anime contains a beautiful level of comprehensive animation throughout its runtime. From the tiny details of an analog ship interface in the background of scenes to incredibly competent framing and transitions, the OVA is effortlessly stylish in design.
Although Alien from the Darkness was originally released uncensored and uncut at 46 minutes, a cut version was released in the West under the title Alien of Darkness. This version, running at 40 minutes in length, has edited the majority of the tentacle r*pe scenes but has left the lesbian sex scenes uncut and uncensored. However, this version features a horrible letterbox on all four sides and feels akin to watching a pirated version rather than an official release.
Despite its graphic sex scenes, Alien from the Darkness is an impressive sci-fi anime that could have easily been released without these adult moments and been a huge success. However, it’s a certain fact that sex sells and the OVA would probably not have remained as accessible as it is today. Nevertheless, the anime is a beautiful depiction of 90s animation and an amazing representation of the sci-fi horror genre.
More Anime Reviews
It has been over a year since we last discussed Saki Sanobashi, also known as “Go for a Punch,” the alleged lost ero guro anime. Given the high likelihood of… Happy Sugar Life is an incredibly unique viewing experience. At first, it’s easy to write it off as merely a Higurashi copy: yet another cute, slice of life story hiding… Though you won’t see him appear in the cinematic universe anytime soon, many may not be aware that Dracula is a Marvel character. Being the star of his own comic… It is an undeniable fact that some horror fans also can be huge softies. We enjoy our healthy dose of gore, scares, and violence, but we are not dead inside…. With his OVA A Kite released in 1998, Yasuomi Umetsu would leave an indelible mark on the world of adult anime. Able to take a rare auteur approach by simultaneously… I had the great fortune of viewing the documentary Satoshi Kon: The Illusionist (2021) at this years’ Nightstream horror film festival. As a longtime fan of his work it turned out…Japan Deep Dive: Debunking the most popular Saki Sanobashi false leads
Happy Sugar Life (2018) Anime Review- Bittersweet Love
Dracula: Sovereign of the Damned (1980) Anime Review – Much Ado About Blood Sucking
Natsume’s Book of Friends (2008) Anime Review – A Wholesome Horror
Mezzo DSA (2004) Anime Review – Taking Care of the Danger Business
Satoshi Kon: The Illusionist (2021) Film Review: A Short Life with Immeasurable Impact
Hey there, I’m Jim and I’m located in London, UK. I am a Writer and Managing Director here at Grimoire of Horror. A lifelong love of horror and writing has led me down this rabbit hole, allowing me to meet many amazing people and experience some truly original artwork. I specialise in world cinema, manga/graphic novels, and video games but will sometime traverse into the unknown in search of adventure.