Kasei Yakyoku
English title: Nightsong of Splendor
Japanese title: 華星夜曲
Alternative titles: Night Song of Splendor, Starlight Nocturne, Gasei Yakyoku
Type: OVA
Source: Manga
Episodes: 4
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Mar 25, 1989 to Sep 25, 1989
Duration: 28 min per ep
Rating: R+ - Mild Nudity
Studios: Magic Bus
Producers: Tokuma Japan
Genres: Drama, Romance
Themes: Historical

The story takes place in old Tokyo, the Tokyo of August-September 1923 (Taishou 12). At this moment in time, the city is a mixture of extremes...past and present, rich and poor, good and bad. This is a city where we see both horsecarts and motorcars, swords and pistols, lords and businessmen.  

A wealthy woman from an upper-class family finds herself attracted to a handsome young man, Taka. He and his younger brother seem to be allied, perhaps not entirely willingly, with some of the city's criminal underground (Yakuza). The lady's lovely young maidservant, Sara, meets him too, and a conflict ensues which can only lead to tragedy, passion, and dishonor. But, as events move on, and the days pass, the viewer sees a terrible date coming closer... that unforgettable day of September 1, 1923, at 11:58, when the Great Kanto Earthquake and tidal wave struck Tokyo, causing the death of almost 100,000 people, one of the greatest disasters in human history. 

(Source: The Technogirls)