Katsuhiro Otomo
As we constantly build more mechanized weapons, we will find ourselves on the brink of destruction, and soon the only thing remaining will be those weapons.
A four-film omnibus that features four short anime films all themed around Japan.
The city of Edo, the 18th century. Owaka, the daughter of a merchant family, and her childhood friend Matsukichi. The two were drawn to each other, but Matsukichi has been disowned by his family, and is working for the city fire brigade. Meanwhile, negotiations begin for the arrangement of Owaka's marriage. Unable to let go of her thoughts of Matsukichi, her mad emotions make her bring about a massive inferno which razes Edo. By chance encounter, the two meet again amidst the fires.It is an epic spectacle set against the stage of the massive metropolis of Edo.
In the city of Salta, a place where the sun never shines, a community of vampires lives. Hipira is a little vampire who lives the life of a typical boy, attending school and dealing with bullies along the way. However, he also has a soft spot for exploring, playing pranks on others and having grand adventures! Whether he's befriending a human soul, scaring his neighbours by pretending day has come or encountering giant frogs and aliens, Hipira is always getting himself into and out of trouble.
Summer, 2006. A 5th grader Ryuhei discovers a notebook entitled "Tokyo Exploring Records." It was a journal kept by his father, Shohei, when he was around Ryuhei's age. Ryuhei forms his own exploration party with his friends Shun and Yoshio. One summer day, the party and Ryuhei's younger brother Sasuke who happens to tag along, heads to the dungeon looking for a treasure indicated on the journal
Mushi are beings in touch with the essence of life, far more basic and pure than normal living things. Most humans are incapable of perceiving Mushi and are oblivious to their existence, but there are a few who possess the ability to see and interact with Mushi. One such person is Ginko who travels from place to place to research Mushi and aid people suffering from problems caused by them.
In the year 2041, mankind created their first space colony on the moon. But after a freak cataclysm devastated human civilisation on Earth, the republic of the moon built a domed megalopolis known as Eden. Now in the year 2267, a boy called Takeru spends his time engaging in hover-craft races against rival street gangs, unaware that he is about to embark in the journey of unearthing Eden's origin.
Memories (1995) making-of featurette, includes introductions to the creative genius behind the shows and looks at Otomo’s previous works, such as Akira. It also includes snippets from interviews with Otomo, Koji Morimoto, and Tensai Okamura.
This made-for-video documentary gives animation fans a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Metropolis, the film adaptation of classic manga artist Osamu Tezuka's vision of a future society where humans and humanoid robots live in uneasy coexistence. Also included are interviews with the voice actors and other members of the crew, who share their experiences from making the film and discuss some of the special efforts that went into it.
Kenichi and his detective uncle, Shunsaku Ban, leave Japan to visit Metropolis, in search of the criminal, Dr. Laughton. However, when they finally find Dr. Laughton, Kenichi and Shunsaku find themselves seperated and plunged into the middle of a larger conspiracy. While Shunsaku searches for his nephew and explanations, Kenichi tries to protect Tima (a mysterious young girl), from Duke Red and his adopted son Rock, both of whom have very different reasons for wanting to find her.
Gundam Mission to the Rise is a short CGI movie with a duration of 5 minutes directed by Katsuhiro Otomo aired during the Gundam Big Bang Project event (August 1998). The story is settled in the Universal Century, although it's not completely clear whether in late years (after 0093) or in an alternative UC timeline.
A Yakuza underling is given the assignment to rid an apartment of its tenants within a week. He tries a variety of desperate tactics to no avail. Soon his problems get worse as an evil spirit makes its presence known.
A documentary on the making of the Japanese animated science fiction film, Akira, created by Katsuhiro Otomo from his popular graphic novel series of the same title; shows Japanese animators at work and discusses their state-of-the-art animation techniques.
Mr. Takazawa, an elderly invalid who is cared for at his home by Haruko, a young nursing student, is chosen by the Japanese Ministry of Public Welfare to test the Z-001, a computerized hospital bed with robotic features that allegedly displays more efficiency and skills than any human nurse, but Haruko mistrusts a machine unable to consider human feelings.
Three shorts directed by the same names that brought you Metropolis, Ninja Scroll, and Akira. It begins with “Labyrinth Labyrinthos”, a story of a maze in a child's mind, directed by Rintaro. Next Yoshiaki Kawajiri gives us “The Running Man”. This is a futuristic formula one race is set on a deadly track. Lastly Katsuhiro Ôtomo describes a struggle to shut down an entirely automated facility in “Construction Cancellation Order“.
An anthology of various tales told in various styles with robots being the one common element among them.
Salaryman Tsutomo Sugioka is dispatched into the heart of a dangerous jungle in order to halt a construction project after the foreman's mysterious disappearance. There, he discovers the deadly and uncontrollable world created by the automated construction robots. When the chief robot is resistant to his orders, Tsutomo must figure out another way to stop the project before his company's financial losses become too great.
The story takes place in the near future on a space colony under construction. An action-adventure story of some boys in this peculiar environment and society who keep living their lives while they’re being tossed about by fate.
Katsuhiro Otomo, master creator and director of the 1988 Anime masterpiece AKIRA, shares his wisdom, in this interview conducted after the movie was completed. Originally included on the Japanese Laserdisc of Akira, it was released in 1993 by Pioneer LDC.
