Birdy the Mighty: Decode is a reboot of a sort for the original series. The OVA was adapted from the 1988 manga, while Decode is adapted from the 2003 manga. Kazuki Akane, the director for The Vision of Escaflowne, directed the Decode television series.

Birdy the Mighty: Decode takes on a much lighter tone than the OVA, especially in the art style. The animation is incredibly bright, to the point where any scenes in the day have a washout effect. The art is also a bit lazy as many none essential scenes lack any sort of detail, and the background is just a simple water paint backdrop.

The cheery opening theme “Sora (そら, Sky)” by Hearts Grow matches the new lighter theme of the series. The ending theme “Let’s Go Together” by Afromania is also uplifting and catchy.

More characters were introduced in the TV version with some tweak to the existing characters. For example, Natsumi Hayamiya, Tsutomu’s female friend and classmate. In the OVA she has a more prominent role and a love interest, while in the television show she is just a minor character. We also get to explore other worlds than just Earth.

Birdy the Mighty: Decode is an enjoyable anime, but its pacing is a little slow. The first arc is a bit boring and annoying as we mainly see our main character complaining a lot. This is a better than average anime and I recommend it to those that are fine with a slow-burn and chill anime to watch. This anime contains some graphic violence and mild suggestive themes/dialogs. Intended for young adults.