B: The Beginning
By Shelley Pallis.
The Royal Investigation Service calls in their top man, Keith Flick, to investigate a crime with a difference. A murderer is on the loose, targeting only the worst of criminals. But even criminals are under the protection of the law, and Flick is tasked with assembling the paltry evidence: the letter “B”, left at the scene of every crime. He’s poking around the latest crime scene when he and his erstwhile partner Lily get an emergency call: a clown has stolen a tank.
That’s only the beginning of B: The Beginning, a show described by Anime News Network’s Steve Jones as “off-the-wall bonkers and over-the-top, and I can't help but be charmed by how desperately edgy it wants to be.” Continue Reading
Cyber City Oedo 808
By Raz Greenberg.
In the last two decades of the 20th century, Yoshiaki Kawajiri was the king of exciting, ultra-violent action mixed with the erotic. His urban and historical fantasies – Wicked City, Ninja Scroll and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (and to some extent also the later Highlander: Vengeance) oozed with style, and at the same time, were also shamelessly exploitative.
Cyber City Oedo 808, originally released between 1990 and 1991, represented an interesting change in Kawajiri's filmography, notably in the scenery. Despite repeated allusions to the 808 districts of samurai-era Tokyo (“O-Edo”), including characters and situations from folktales and kabuki plays of the 19th century, it truly belongs to another common trend of anime from the period, borrowing its props and backgrounds from Blade Runner and William Gibson. Set in the futuristic metropolis of Oedo in the year 2808, the video series features criminals recruited to fight cyber-crimes in exchange for reductions in their sentences. Each is kept on a tight leash in the form of a collar full of explosives on his neck, set to go off if he takes the wrong path. Continue Reading
Penguin Highway
By Jonathan Clements.
Suddenly, there are penguins everywhere. And then there aren’t. Aoyama and his fellow townsfolk are confused by the infestation, but it may have something to do with that big silver sphere out in a meadow near the woods. Shouldn’t someone be doing something about that?
So begins Penguin Highway, animated by director Hiroyasu Ishida at the Colorido studio, adapted for the screen by Makoto Ueda, from the 2010 novel by the poster-boy of Japanese post-modern science fiction, author Tomihiko Morimi. Continue Reading
Studio Khara’s Hibiki Yoshizaki is MCM’s Anime Guest of Honour. Designer on Evangelion, director of ME!ME!ME! coming to London this October..
©khara
We've made it to the month of October and that means we're now on the road to MCM London Comic Con at the end of the month! Taking place at Excel London once again, it promises to be another fantastic event full of unique opportunities across the board for attendees.
If you haven't already, BUY TICKETS TO MCM LONDON COMIC CON HERE!
In the anime spectrum there's always something special for fans to experience and this event will be no different! Regular attendees may recall that a few years ago we worked with Studio Khara to bring fans a one of a kind experience with a special guest. This October we are working closely with them once again, but we're taking it in a unique direction we're excited about as it will focus on a particular project relating to their world famous Japan Anima(tor) Expo short film series. (Not familiar with this? Read on below as we'll bring you up to speed.)
Read on below for all the details you need to know as we welcome director, designer and animator, Hibiki Yoshizaki (whose notable credits include Evangelion, The Dragon Dentist, Japan Anima(tor) Expo) to MCM London Comic Con!
The MCM Anime Guest of Honour: Hibiki Yoshizaki
ABOUT HIBIKI YOSHIZAKI:
Director and video director. Born in 1980. Currently works at khara Inc.
Yoshizaki contributed various production designs and director of onscreen monitor graphics for Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo. With ME!ME!ME! included in the short film series Japan Anima(tor) Expo, Yoshizaki marked his debut as a director of an original film and gained acclaim both inside and outside Japan. He also directed ME!ME!ME! CHRONIC feat.daoko / TeddyLoid and GIRL, both of which were included in Japan Anima(tor) Expo.
Yoshizaki participated in The Dragon Dentist, a feature length film by Studio khara by providing direction and contributing storyboards. Yoshizaki has also directed the music video Utada Hikaru / Sakura Nagashi (Eva 3.0 version) and the TV advertisement Kirai, demo, Suki (“Hate it, but love it.”) for HAL College of Technology & Design for its 2016 academic year.
PANEL AND SIGNING SESSIONS
As has become tradition at MCM London Comic Con, there will be the Anime Guest of Honour Panel featuring Hibiki Yoshizaki taking place on the Centre Stage on Saturday 27th October.
You will also have the opportunity to meet the man himself as he will be taking part in 2 free signing sessions across the weekend - one on Saturday and one on Sunday (times TBC). You can bring one item to get with you or we'll have a special signing card that he can sign for you on hand - and that's free too!
Both of these signing sessions will be taking place in a designated area just outside of the ME!ME!ME! exhibition space! Want to know more about that? Read on below!
ME!ME!ME! EXHIBITION
©nihon animator mihonichi LLP.
For the first time ever outside of Japan, in conjunction with Studio Khara we will be bringing an exhibition to MCM London Comic Con that focuses on a very famous short film from the Japan Anima(tor) Expo series, ME!ME!ME! In this exhibition space a variety of artwork relating to this short film will be on display and you'll even be able to see watch the short film too as it will be screened there!
But that's not all, as we can also confirm that there will be a selection of official ME!ME!ME! merchandise on sale, plus the official art book of the short will be available to purchase as well. (Pricing TBA at event.)
It's worth noting now, particularly if you're familiar with the short film, that due to... let's say some risque imagery within the short film, the exhibition space will be restricted to attendees over the age of 18. So please make sure you bring some I.D. with you, as there will be checks to enter the exhibition space as required.
It will be a one of a kind experience that's completely free to experience as part of your admission to the MCM London Comic Con event and we hope you'll take the opportunity to spend some time in there and celebrate this very unique project with us across the whole weekend.
ABOUT ME!ME!ME!
The short film animation "ME!ME!ME!" was distributed on the Japan Anima(tor)'s Exhibition website in November 2014.
Directed by Hibiki Yoshizaki, charactor design and animation direction by Shuichi Iseki, and music by TeddyLoid＆DAOKO. This innovative animation that has no words and is composed of music and imaginary scenes that attracts worldwide audiences.
ABOUT STUDIO KHARA
Founded in 2006 by the creator of Evangelion, Hideaki Anno, who serves as the studio's president. They are the studio behind the current Rebuild of Evangelion film project. The company also devised the Japan Anima(tor) Expo short film project which was created to encourage talented individuals in the anime industry to bring new innovative and unique works to life.
ABOUT JAPAN ANIMA(TOR) EXPO
©nihon animator mihonichi LLP.
From the official website: The short film series "Japan Anima(tor) Exhibition" presented by Studio Khara and Dwango.
Original projects, spin-off projects, promotional films, Music PV, and VJ Films etc...
Various omnibus animations produced with love and energy, regardless of any genres.
The digital distribution anime series bring opportunities for project development, R&D, human resources development, and free production under limited period and budget, to explore the possibilities of future film production.
"We planned this short film project for believing in the pursuit and exploitation of fun of images that Japanese animation has, deepening and diversity of flexible expression, understanding and exploitation of individual talents, and the dreams and possibilities to the future, which are inherent in Japanese anima(tor)s. I appreciate your kind support and approval with this small resistance as many as possible."
-- Hideaki Anno, Studio Khara
"Honestly I am completely out of anime, but I do believe that all the innovations come from reckless challenges. The challenges come not only from young abilities but also from mature skills of experts. But we cannot start anything without setting opportunity to offer challenges. I hope this small project would be a part of contribution to the future development of Japanese anime."
--Nobuo Kawakami, Dwango
SUMMARY OF EVENTS RELATING TO THE ANIME GUEST OF HONOUR
And to conclude, we know there's a lot of info to take in above, so here's a quick summary for you -
- ME!ME!ME! exhibition will open throughout all three days of the event and is completely free to enter as part of your admission to the event. The exhibition is restricted to attendees aged 18 or over. I.D. checks will be enforced as needed.
SATURDAY
- The Anime Guest of Honour Panel featuring Hibiki Yoshizaki - 3pm @ Centre Stage
- Signing Session #1 - (Time TBA, will be after Guest of Honour Panel) @ ME!ME!ME! exhibition stand. (There will be a signposted area at the stand to let you know where it will take place there.)
SUNDAY
- Signing Session #2 - (Time TBA) @ ME!ME!ME! exhibition stand. (There will be a signposted area at the stand to let you know where it will take place there.)
We've got lots more to tell you about as far as our (Anime Ltd/All The Anime) plans in general for MCM London Comic Con go, so expect to see all the details pop up within the next few weeks. But we hope you're excited at this very unique opportunity to meet Hibiki Yoshizaki and explore the vibrant world of his work ME!ME!ME from the Japan Anima(tor) Expo.
We can tell he's very excited to be coming to London to meet attendees, so we hope you'll give him a jolly welcome over the weekend!
Signing out~!
Jeremy
Gundam Thunderbolt
By Andrew Osmond. 
Gundam Thunderbolt: December Sky may be the closest that anime has ever come to producing a full-blown Vietnam film. The Gundam franchise has always been about war, but Thunderbolt suggests its makers were marathoning films like Apocalypse Now and Born on the Fourth of July. Thunderbolt makes a “gritty” Hollywood franchise film like Rogue One look like, well, Star Wars. Continue Reading