Tekkonkinkreet

[Mutombo]

Check out the gallery page and the trailer and TV Spot. Looking pretty cool. Based on the 'Black and White' Manga about two boys fighting with the city -- or something.

http://www.tekkon.net

And another thing, the same studio also made Mindgame. Which just happens to be one of the best animation films I've ever seen. Not for the story, or the drawings or even the animation, but it's just so goddamn weird and uses animation AND storytelling in such innovative ways that it's completely mindblowing.

You should try to download it, because it's near impossible to get it any other way. Except for buying it for 40 dollars.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0452039/

[Keepcoolbutcare]

EXCELLENT

Official (as opposed to unofficial) site

trailer.

I kinda disagree with Mori, as I reverse the ratings for this and his "GOOD" for PAPRIKA, but damn if this flick doesn't have a lot going for it, character design being first, closely followed by the jaw dropping visuals.

The story, on the other hand...well, it's not insipid, and it did take some surprising twists and turns, but, to me at least, it just didn't add up to very much. "Black" and "White", street urchins and "Treasure Town" protectors/guardian spirits (yeah, it's that type of anime, weirdly semiotic, exists in its own world), compatriots in psychic bonds (see?), try to fend off a Yakuza Inc. takeover of their turf. Some kindly cops, mid-level to buttfuck crazed Yakuza (straight outta a Miike flick), two rival gangmembers and a homeless sage round out the cast. "Black" is the tough one, a nearly unhinged ball of screaming rage, his destructive impulses kept in check by the snot nosed, endearingly emotionally stunted "White". It's their interactions and "White's" inherently childlike goofy persona that keep the narrative (or lack thereof) from falling off the rails entirely.

But visually, man oh man, this flick is something else. I didn't think any film could top PAPRIKA for visual panache, but the near seamless melding of CG and hand drawn animation is a sight to behold. The frequent long tracking shots are wonderful, the design of Treasure Town is remarkable, the action set-pieces are stunning and the unique character design all combine to make this one of the greatest visual accomplishments in the anime medium, and lord knows that's saying something.

Should 'prolly mention that director Michael Arias is the first non-Japanese director of an big budget anime, but it's not like you could tell that just by watching, which I suppose is a compliment.

Curious if Moriarty actually reviewed this, and even more curious as to what ya'll think of it...

[Ribbons]

I think they played this movie on [adult swim] earlier this year, really wish I'd taken the opportunity to watch it now. Good review Keepcool; thanks for the heads up as always.

[MonkeyM666]

I saw this advertised in an Magazine in Bangkok yesterday. The stule looks good, I'll be hunting down a copy... thanks for the words KCBC. Once I have a look I'll post something.

Ohh... man I have so much to catch up on

[Pacino86845]

Tekkonkinkreet gets a resounding "meh" outta me...

the near seamless melding of CG and hand drawn animation is a sight to behold.

Seamless? Not even close! Visually, Tekkonkinkreet is NOT an animated film, but rather a series of highly detailed drawings "animated" (very rigidly) using computer graphics. Sometimes they get away with it, but the result is very stiff for many many shots.

the design of Treasure Town is remarkable, the action set-pieces are stunning

Co-sign

and the unique character design all combine to make this one of the greatest visual accomplishments in the anime medium, and lord knows that's saying something.

Again, I'd like to reiterate how this movie is essentially bamboozling the viewing public: there is virtually no animation! It's a series of highly-detailed drawings!!!

Yes, it's still gorgeous to look at, which earns the film one point on top of the three it was going to get otherwise... the last point I give it is solely for the one truly badass moment: the Minotaur shows up to PWN some very annoying hired goons. PWNTed!!!!

The story though, ZZzzZzzZz... it starts nowhere, goes nowhere, too much inner monologuing... ZZzZZZzzZz... and 30 minutes could've easily been chopped from the running length.

If the result of such chopping would've been a tighter plot, and more fluid animation, then possibly this film could've ended up being one of the best animated films of the year. But as it stands, no way.

5/10

[TheButcher]

Studio4C the producers of Tekkonkinkreet are hard at work on their next movie: First Squad.


The teaser trailer for First Squad is available at twitch.
http://twitchfilm.net/site/view/first-images-from-studio4c-animated-first-squad/