Mezzo Forte, an Iconic Hentai, Marks Its 25th Anniversary

Mezzo Forte, an iconic cult hentai series, celebrated its 25th anniversary.

Origin

Mezzo Forte is an original story written and directed by renowned animator Yasuomi Umetsu, and was produced by the studio Green Bunny.

The first OVA premiered on May 25, 2000, and the series concluded on June 25, 2001, with a total of two episodes.

Story

Mikura, a member of a mercenary team, is asked to kidnap a baseball team owner, Momokichi Momoi. The problem is that Momokichi is well connected with the mob and his daughter, Momomi, is a skilled shooter. Mikura and her team have to find a way to get the mission done and they might have a way.

Reception

Mezzo Forte received an excellent reception in Japan, largely driven by the rising popularity of director Yasuomi Umetsu following the success of his most well-known work, A Kite.

Internationally, the response was also very positive, which helped solidify Mezzo Forte’s reputation as a standout title on a global scale.

Thanks to its blend of action and eroticism, Mezzo Forte is now considered one of the most important and cult-classic hentai in history.

Trivia

The hentai was animated by Arms and directed by Yasuomi Umetsu.
Sawa, the protagonist of A Kite, makes a brief cameo at the beginning of the first Mezzo Forte OVA. In addition, Mikura carries Sawa’s iconic weapon.
Following the success of Mezzo Forte, director and animator Yasuomi Umetsu released a manga inspired by the original story. This work was later adapted into a TV anime series titled Mezzo DSA, which expanded the universe and characters, presenting a more toned-down and less explicit version than the original OVA.
The hentai was distributed internationally and released in several countries, including the United States, Russia, France, and Spain.
In both Japan and the United States, an edited version was released in which the sexual scenes were cut.
Akemi Okamura, best known for voicing Nami in One Piece, voiced Momomi in Mezzo Forte.