Spirit of Wonder: The Movie
Spirit of Wonderis not a feature, but a pair of linked 1992 OVAs  based on Kenji Tsuruta's manga, combined with two shorts involving the voluptuous  restaurant owner Miss China. The fragmentary plot evokes the stories of Jules  Verne and boys' science-fiction novels from the original "Tom Swift" series  to the juvenile yarns of Robert Heinlein. The overage delinquents of the Boys'  Club dream of going to Mars and finally achieve their goal in 1958, using the  unorthodox physics of the brilliant, endlessly patient Miss Windy. Light  oscillating through "ether" powers their dirigible-like ship across interplanetary  space. The graceful lines and pastel colors in this disjointed but visually- rich sci fi adventure recall the look of European graphic novels. Unfortunately,Spirit of Wonderis marred by a weary sexism that was already a cliché  in 1992. (Rated 16 and older: violence, nudity, risqué humor, alcohol  use)--Charles Solomon