"Dallos" is a 4-part Sci-Fi/Action-Anime OVA from 1983, directed by Mamoru Oshii, also known for other anime movies like "Patlabor 1 & 2" and "Ghost in the Shell". It was produced by the now famous company Studio Pierrot and released by Bandai Visual. The anime generally has been considered as the first OVA (Original Video Animation) to be made in Japan. More of it later.
Basic plot: The world's humanity has gone from the drained Earth to the Moon. Several colonist on the Moon begin to revolt against some condition given to them from Earth Federal Government. Shun Nonomura is the main character who, sometimes together with his girlfriend Rachel, gets involved in the revolution. Dallos, a mysterious structure which appear on the Moon, is supposed to restore hope.
This anime has a great, typical 80s-style animation, hence the fact its made in 1983. There are also several scenes of violence and some blood. This is the type of anime OVAs I highly like. The version I saw was the original Japanese version.
Ozamu Tezuka's "The Green Cat" was said to be first attempt to become an OVA, but due to the lack of evidence of it's release date, "Dallos" become considered as the very FIRST anime OVA ever. Since this anime came, anime in the OVA-form become wildly popular in Japan, and lots of OVAs have been made throughout the rest of the 80s. Several other rare anime OVAs from the 80s include: "Radio City Fantasy (1984)", "Cosmo Police Justy (1985)", "Cosmos Pink Shock (1986)", "Cream Lemon (1984-1993)" and "Space Family Calvinson (1988)". This OVA has also been edited into a single feature film in the US.
For those who are interested, the uncut Japanese version of this OVA has been said to will be released in the US by Discotek Media, sometimes in the year 2014. Also check out some other famous OVAs like "Fight! Iczer One", "Megazone 23" and the three "Violence Jack" OVAs.