Starship Troopers has been enjoying a resurgence thanks to the game Helldivers 2 being all the rage, which makes it a perfect time to check out the ’80s anime you almost definitely didn’t know existed.
To modern audiences, Starship Troopers is best known because of the Paul Verhoeven movie from 1997. A master of political satire, Verhoeven adapted Robert A Heinlein’s 1959 novel about mankind’s endless war against a planet of giant bugs into one of the best action movies ever, not to mention one of the goriest.
People’s bodies are torn apart by the insect horde, only to be replaced in short order as part of the United Citizen Federation’s endless effort to eradicate their enemies.
The lead character, Johnny Rico, helps lead a new generation of soldiers in the gruesome tirade. But he came to the screen some years before Verhoeven’s film.
Starship Troopers anime is streaming for free
Almost a decade prior to the RoboCop director’s take on Heinlein’s book, a short anime show was produced by Bandia Visual. This version places Johnny and his soldiers-in-arms into mechs for the battle against the insect scum, making the war seem more grandiose and operatic than in the live-action version.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
Sequences are less horrific and more action-oriented, with large flashing explosions and bullets flying every which way. The bug designs are weirder too, all of which is more in line with Heinlein’s story, where the satire is less pointed and comedic.
You’ll still recognize a lot of the base elements — Johnny’s a perfect athlete with a chiseled jaw who’s ideal for a commanding position in the army. Training and combat are grueling, with most who enlist dying in harrowing ways. The added mechs give it a distinctly ’80s flair, since this was on the tail of Gundam and Robotech, two major franchises, kicking off.
Thanks to an archivist, you can watch the whole thing on YouTube. This version of Starship Troopers has never been re-released on modern formats, so the uploads are from someone’s personal laserdisc. You can find an Internet Archive post here if you want to download instead of watching on YouTube.
Starship Troopers is having a moment due to Helldivers 2, a similar videogame involving trying to kill waves upon waves of alien insects as a faceless soldier, becoming wildly popular. We have guides to the best Terminid build and the Bile Spewers if you wants some tips on being a better Helldiver.
