Dream Hunter Rem

Dream Hunter Rem
Dream Hunter Rem Dennō Kūiki no Meiro CD cover
ドリームハンター麗夢
(Dorīmu Hantā Remu)
Genre
Created byProject Team Eikyū Kikan
Original video animation
Pilot episode
Directed bySatoru Kumazaki
Written bySeiji Okuda
Music byHideo Gotou
StudioAubec
ReleasedJune 10, 1985
Runtime22 minutes
Original video animation
Directed bySeiji Okuda (chief)
Produced by
  • Kiyoshi Tonosaki
  • Masatsugu Nagai (eps. 1–3)
  • Masayoshi Ozaki (eps. 4–5)
Written by
  • Seiji Okuda
  • Yoh Yuki
Studio
  • Anime-R (eps. 1–3)
  • Studio Sign (eps. 4–5)
  • Trans Arts (eps. 4–5)
  • Aubec (ep. 1)
Released December 5, 1985 – December 16, 1992
Runtime36–58 minutes
Episodes5 (List of episodes)
Manga
Dream Hunter Rem XX
Written bySatoru Kumazaki
Illustrated byR. Hiura
Published byKill Time Communication
MagazineComic Unreal
Published2009
Volumes1
Manga
Dream Hunter Rem Alternative
Written bySeiji Okuda
Illustrated byR. Hiura
Published byKill Time Communication
MagazineComic Valkyrie
Published2011
Volumes2

Dream Hunter Rem (ドリームハンター麗夢, Dorīmu Hantā Remu) is a Japanese OVA series released from 1985 to 1992. Rem Ayanokōji is a "dream hunter", a person capable of entering the dreams of sleeping people and fighting the demons causing nightmares. The stories have their base in supernatural and standard horror, with action scenes and mystery elements.

Production

Dream Hunter Rem was an anime project created by Project Team Eikyū Kikan. The pilot episode was originally animated by Aubec and released as a side project OVA which contained a short episode. Due to high popularity, the production team decided to release subsequent videos into the anime market. The pilot episode was later re-released as "Special Version", removing all pornographic scenes and adding nearly 30 minutes of new footage made by Anime-R. Two new episodes, also animated by Anime-R with character designs by Kazuaki Mori, were released in the 1980s. In the 1990s, the OVA series was resumed and gained two more episodes with a new title: New Dream Hunter Rem (NEWドリームハンター麗夢, Nyū Dorīmu Hantā Remu); these last two episodes were animated by Studio Sign and Trans Arts.

Characters

Rem Ayanokōji (綾小路 麗夢, Ayanokōji Remu)
Voiced by: Naoko Matsui
While appearing to be a typical junior high school age girl, Rem's age is unclear and her family situation unknown, and she never discusses these matters. Rem has the psychic ability to enter the dreams of other individuals. She is a descendant of a long line of people with the ability to be "Dream Guardians," those who hunt down the demons who try to steal the life force of humans by invading their dreams. She makes her living as a private detective investigating supernatural matters. Her headquarters, the Ayanokōji Detective Agency, is located on a side street off Aoyama in Tokyo. As her investigations are limited to supernatural and bizarre phenomenon, her advertising is limited to word of mouth from grateful clients.
Alpha (アルファ, Arufa)
Voiced by: Masumi Gotō and Sanae Miyuki
Rem's pet kitten, who also acts as support by transforming into a large wild cat during confrontations with Rem's opponents.
Beta (ベータ, Bēta)
Voiced by: Naoki Tatsuta
Rem's pet puppy, who acts as support by transforming into a large wild dog when needed. Beta has the ability to track ghosts and spirits.
Enkō (円光)
Voiced by: Show Hayami
A mysterious ascetic monk who, while unable to enter dreams and confront dream demons there, he is able to offer strong assistance when Rem is fighting outside the dream world. He has very powerful abilities due to his strong faith. In the real world, he is able to use powerful martial arts techniques in order to fight the demons in their true form. He also has strong feelings of love toward Rem.
Detective Junichirō Sakaki (榊 純一郎 警部, Sakaki Jun'ichirō Keibu)
Voiced by: Kenji Utsumi
An inspector from police headquarters. He became acquainted with Rem during a demon nightmare incident involving his daughter Yukari. While he was decorated for meritorious service during the incident, he has come to think of himself as incompetent and been involved in many bizarre occurrences.
Umimaru Kidō (鬼童海丸, Kidō Umimaru)
Voiced by: Shūichi Ikeda
A dedicated student of psychology, and assistant professor at Genjōsai University, Kidō is also a computer expert. He also has strong romantic feelings toward Rem, and frequently battles Enkō for her attention.
Dr. Shinigami (死神博士, Shinigami Hakase) / Mephisto (メフィスト, Mefisuto)
Voiced by: Tamio Ōki
His real name is Shimura (死夢羅), and he has the same Dream Guardian ancestors as Rem. However, he uses his power in order to murder people in their dreams.
Tokiko Ozu
Voiced by: Kazuko Yanaga
Saeko Asuka
Voiced by: Masako Katsuki
Yōko Takamiya
Voiced by: Sumi Shimamoto
Kyōko Takamiya
Voiced by: Sumi Shimamoto and Kei Tomiyama

Kyoko is Yoko's twin sister, Yoko states Kyoko was mature and outgoing, unlike her. Kyoko fought back against Saeko, Yoko told her that they couldn't compete with Saeko's beauty. Everyone began to hate Kyoko, Yumi, Hiroko and Akane bullied Kyoko. Saeko punished Kyoko with a rose whip and locked her in a room in the Clock Tower.

Akemi Katsuragi
Voiced by: Miki Takahashi
Elizabeth
Voiced by: Emi Shinohara

Sources:

Releases

OVAs

No. Title Episode
director		 Writer Music
composer		 Runtime Release
date		 Distributed by Ref.
00 Dream Hunter Rem Satoru Kumazaki Seiji Okuda Hideo Gotou 22 minutes June 10, 1985 Orange Video House
01 Dream Hunter Rem — Special Version: Nightmare! The Resurrection of Dr. Shinigami Satoru Kumazaki & Seiji Okuda Seiji Okuda Heitaro Manabe &
Hideo Gotou		 46 minutes December 5, 1985 Sai Enterprise
02 Dream Hunter Rem 2: A Spectre at Seibishinjo High School Makoto Nagao Yoh Yuki Hiroshi Sugiyama 58 minutes September 5, 1986 Sai Enterprise
03 Dream Hunter Rem 3: Hidden Dream! The Legend of the Headless Knight Yasunori Kamii Yoh Yuki Kenji Kawai 55 minutes February 5, 1987 Sai Enterprise
04 New Dream Hunter Rem: The Dream Knights Seiji Okuda Tsuyoshi Ishibashi 36 minutes December 16, 1990 Meldac
05 New Dream Hunter Rem 2: Massacre in the Labyrinth Seiji Okuda Seikou Nagaoka 50 minutes August 21, 1992 Cyclone

CDs

  • Dream Hunter Rem Original Soundtrack: Special (King Records, K30X-7102, December 21, 1987)
  • Dream Hunter Rem: Dennō Kūiki no Meiro (King Records, K30X-7140, October 21, 1988)
  • Dream Hunter Rem: Minami Azabu Mahō Club (King Records, 276A-7003, April 21, 1989)
  • New Dream Hunter Rem Image Album: Yume no Kishi-tachi (Meldac, MECH-30001, November 21, 1990)
  • New Dream Hunter Rem Voice Movie: Yume no Kishi-tachi (Meldac, MECH-30004, January 21, 1991)
  • New Dream Hunter Rem: Sōtō no Mercedes (Cyclone, CYCC-10002, April 25, 1992)
  • New Dream Hunter Rem Voice Movie: Satsuriku no Labyrinth (Cyclone, CYCC-10005, September 25, 1992)

DVDs

  • Dream Hunter Rem DVD-BOX 1 (Only Hearts, OHK-0028, November 22, 2006)
  • Dream Hunter Rem DVD-BOX 2 (Only Hearts, OHK-0035, May 23, 2007)

Novels

  • Dream Hunter Rem V: Yume Circus Bishōjo Jigokuhen (written by Seiji Okuda, art by Kazuaki Mōri, Tokuma Communications, October 1989)
  • Dream Hunter Rem: Floyd-jō Genmutan (written by Yoh Yuki, art by Kazuaki Mōri, Keibunsha, January 30, 1992)

Manga series

  • Dream Hunter Rem XX (Kill Time Communication, 2009)
  • Dream Hunter Rem Alternative (Kill Time Communication, 2011)

Anthology comics

  • Party of Rem (Rapport, January 20, 1991)
  • Fiesta of Rem (Rapport, August 20, 1992)

Books

  • Dream Hunter Rem I (Tokuma Communications, December 10, 1987)
  • Dream Hunter Rem II (Tokuma Communications, April 10, 1988)
  • Dream Hunter Rem III (Tokuma Communications, July 20, 1988)
  • Dream Hunter Rem SP (Tokuma Communications, March 31, 1990)

Additional release sources:

In other media

Rem appears as a playable character in the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita simulation RPG, Super Heroine Chronicle.

Reception

The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction described Dream Hunter REM as an entertaining anime combining fantasy, horror and magical girl conventions, but criticized its failure to explore the psychological possibilities of dreams becoming real and subject to manipulation. It noted the series' recurring preoccupation with beauty and its extensive use of violent and disturbing imagery, including references to classic fairy tales and Edgar Allan Poe's "The Pit and the Pendulum". Although the encyclopedia considered the series enjoyable, it found that its longer episodes sometimes overstayed their welcome. It also highlighted the work's origins as a pornographic OVA, observing that subsequent installments considerably reduced the sexual content while retaining frequent fan service.

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 A collective of animators, which includes Seiji Okuda, Kazuaki Mori, Yasunori Kamii, Makoto Nagao, Moriyasu Taniguchi, Hiroshi Osaka and others.
  2. ↑ Aubec animated the first half of episode 1 (which is actually the pilot episode without the erotic scenes) while Anime-R animated the second half (which is de facto episode 1).
  3. ↑ Originally released in Japan under the title ドリームハンターレム, with Rem written in kana (レム) instead of kanji (麗夢).
  4. ↑ The first half of episode 1 is a remake of the pilot episode without the erotic scenes.

Japanese titles

  1. ↑ ドリームハンター麗夢XX, Dorīmu Hantā Remu Daburu Ekkusu
  2. ↑ ドリームハンター麗夢 オルタナティブ, Dorīmu Hantā Remu Orutanatibu
  3. ↑ ドリームハンターレム, Dorīmu Hantā Remu
  4. ↑ ドリームハンター麗夢 スペシャルバージョン／惨夢! 甦る死神博士, Dorīmu Hantā Remu Supesharu Bājon: Akumu! Yomigaeru Shinigami Hakase
  5. ↑ ドリームハンター麗夢2／聖美神女学園の妖夢, Dorīmu Hantā Remu Tsū: Seibishinjo Gakuen no Yōmu
  6. ↑ ドリームハンター麗夢3／夢隠! 首なし武者伝説, Dorīmu Hantā Remu Surī: Yumegakushi! Kubinashimusha Densetsu
  7. ↑ NEW（ニュー）ドリームハンター麗夢／夢の騎士達, Nyū Dorīmu Hantā Remu: Yume no Kishi-tachi
  8. ↑ NEW（ニュー）ドリームハンター麗夢2／殺戮の夢幻迷宮（ラビリンス）, Nyū Dorīmu Hantā Remu Tsū: Satsuriku no Rabirinsu

References

  1. 1 2 Oppliger, John (November 6, 2009). "Ask John: What Are the Best Girls With Guns Anime?". AnimeNation. Archived from the original on January 12, 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2020. Dream Hunter Rem & Venus Versus Virus are supernatural thrillers that star girls who carry and use guns.
  2. 1 2 綾小路探偵事務所 - 麗夢の事件簿 (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2006-12-15. Retrieved 2007-01-23.
  3. 1 2 "Anime Web Guide: Dream Hunter REM". Anime Web Guide. 1998-07-10. Archived from the original on 2006-11-10. Retrieved 2007-01-23.
  4. ↑ Clements, Jonathan; McCarthy, Helen (2010) [2006]. The Anime Encyclopedia: A Guide to Japanese Animation Since 1917 (Revised & Expanded ed.). Berkeley, California: Stone Bridge Press. p. 166. ISBN 978-1-933330-10-5.
  5. ↑ Dream Hunter Rem episode list
  6. ↑ Baricordi, Andrea; de Giovanni, Massimiliano; Pietroni, Andrea; Rossi, Barbara; Tunesi, Sabrina (2000) [1991]. "Chapter Twenty-four: 1985". In Pelletier, Claude J (ed.). Anime: A Guide to Japanese Animation (1958-1988). Adeline D'Opera (translator). Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Protoculture. p. 188. ISBN 2-9805759-0-9.
  7. ↑ Anime: A Guide to Japanese Animation (1958-1988), p.192.
  8. ↑ Anime: A Guide to Japanese Animation (1958-1988), p.213.
  9. ↑ Anime: A Guide to Japanese Animation (1958-1988), p.230.
  10. ↑ "Who's Who In Super Heroine Chronicle | Siliconera". www.siliconera.com. Archived from the original on 2013-06-07.
  11. ↑ Pearce, Steven (28 June 2021). "Dream Hunter REM". In Clute, John; Langford, David (eds.). The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Retrieved 4 November 2026.