Since The Walt Disney Corporation collectively contracted Alzheimer’s and forgot they already made movies about Cinderella, Bambi, and the Little Mermaid, the US will have to look elsewhere to find animated cinematic masterpieces. If that wasn’t bad enough unless Michael Bay can somehow turn Betty and Veronica into an action-packed thriller the other film companies have run out of comic books to make into movies. So it seems there is but one answer to our cinematic dilemma, anime. So what should you be aware of for the next year or so? Well, keep reading!
TRIGUN XDirected by: TBARelease Date: 2007 (Japan)”Trigun X” is based on the anime “Trigun”, but very little information has been released about this movie. This movie could be a continuation of the series or a remake of the manga. There’s more information about what’s in Area 51 than there is about this movie. So your guess is as good as mine. Yeah… um… let’s just skip to the next one.
TRANSFORMERSDirected by: Michael Bay Release Date: 4 July 2007A Bush in the White House, American troops “policing” the world, and “Transformers” on the box office marquee, I swear to god it’s the 1980s all over again. This upcoming live action remake of the 1980s anime will reunite Peter Cullen and Frank Welker the original voice actors behind Optimus Prime and Megatron respectively. The plot will focus around Sam “Spike” Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf), the plucky Autobot sidekick from the cartoon, who is in position of a map to the life giving Allspark. Megatron and his band of Decepticons, who wish to use the map for their own sinister purposes, seek out Sam With the help of Optimus Prime and his band of heroic Autobots, Sam must locate the Allspark before the Decepticons can.
REBUILD OF EVANGELIONDirected by:Hideaki Anno ,Kazuya TsurumakiRelease Date: 4 July 2007″Neon Genesis Evangelion” is arguably the greatest anime of all time, in spite of having one of the worst endings. For the tenth anniversary, Hideaki Anno has announced a complete remake of the original series in the form of four movies complete with an entirely new ending that hopefully won’t result in a riot. The first movie, which will be released in September 2007, will focus around episodes 1-6. The story revolves around Shinji Ikari who has been chosen by his father, along with four other children, to pilot the Evangelions against the 17 angels who seek to destroy the human race.
TALES FROM EARTHSEADirected by: Goro MiyazakiRelease Date: 2009 (USA)Ok this movie isn’t coming out in an English-dubbed format until 2009, but if you happen to speak Japanese, Chinese, or French you can watch this movie now. This movie is the first animated adaptation of any of the “Earthsea” books. It is written and directed by Goro Miyazaki, son of Hayao Miyazaki.
VOLTRONDirected by: TBARelease Date: 2008While this announced film has yet to be picked up by a studio, it is believed that the film will be picked up if “Transformers” does well in the theaters. However, the movie rights to any large robot anime will be picked up if “Transformers” does well so that doesn’t say much. The story will revolve around five pilots who will travel to the planet Arus to learn how to operate five robotic lions. The lions, when used correctly, can combine to form Voltron, a giant fighting robot machine. If you think the idea of robot animals combining into a robot sounds familiar its what the power rangers ripped off.
SPEED RACERDirected by: The Wachowski BrothersRelease Date: May 2008Go Speed Racer, Go! Speed racer follows the adventures of Speed, a racecar driver who has aspirations of glory. His father who is the owner/ builder of speed’s car, the “Mach 5,” joins him on his quest along with his little brother Spritle, his pet monkey Chim-Chim, helicopter pilot girlfriend Trixi, and Sparky the company mechanic. Standing in his way is the enigmatic Racer X, who looks suspiciously like Speed’s older brother in a mask.
NEON GENESIS EVANGELIONDirected by: TBARelease Date: 2010?Yes I know I already wrote about “Evangelion,” but Peter Jackson and Weta Workshop are working to produce a live-action “Evangelion” movie. Originally slated to begin production after “Lord of the Rings,” Peter Jackson pushed it back for “King Kong.” In an interview, Tiffany Grant, a voice actor who’s husband Matt Greenfield wrote the script for the movie, asserts that Weta receives 20 times more email about “Evangelion” than the “Lord of the Rings.” The film is on hold until a director becomes available.
Photos courtesy of the following:CristaLabwww.cristalab.comPurrsiaThunderwww.voltron.purrsiathunder.net Oztronwww.geekforum.comSebmasterwww.sebmaster.canalblog.comLinkMeshwww.linkmesh.comwww.nausicaa.netwww.animepa.csusm.edu