Battle Athletes Victory. This show holds two very distinct honors. Not only is it the first full sports anime TV series that has been licensed and completed in the U.S., but it's also the first full TV series to have been completed in Region 1 for DVD. 

Originally released in Japan as a six part OVA by Pioneer, it did well enough to warrant a transition to a full season TV series. The title was also quickly picked up by Pioneer in the U.S., to the point where the Region 2 DVD's even contain the English dubs on them. 

To many, the series will undoubtedly look quite silly. And it is at many times. Taking place in the year 4998, it follows Akari Kanzaki as she is in the Antarctic Training School to earn the right to go to the University Satellite. The Satellite is where the best of the best from the solar system go to compete to become the Cosmo Beauty, the ultimate ideal of sportsman, or woman in this case.

The athletes, for what remains hidden for the majority of the series, are only women as opposed to the OVA series where there was a match-up with a boys University. Throughout the series many characters make their mark and compete with each other, and with the exception of a very few side characters such as the school doctor and the like, the majority of the characters are very well fleshed out.

What is rare with Battle Athletes Victory is that in addition to being a sports show, it's also quite a moral and spiritual show. As the characters make their way through the school competitions and later through a number of intense University competitions, the characters stray in their paths. Some lose their faith in themselves while others discover the true inner self and make gains unheard of.

And though there is a lot of faith and spirituality throughout the show, especially with the arrival of the Kris Christopher character, it's never heavy handed or condescending. Many times during the more emotional areas one may find themselves feeling what the characters are. And that's a testament to truly outstanding writing, especially for what many consider a throw-away series not worth their time.

Battle Athletes Victory is a series that's too good. Television series are often a mixed bag, but many are attesting to great quality in all regards for this show. From the animation to the voice acting to the extremely tightly plotted storyline. The eight DVD's that make up this series are definitely something that should be in every anime fans collection. It's an ideal show to give to skeptics as something that doesn't fit the traditional view of anime that often comes from the media and other places.