New Otomo film - "steamboy"

Late · Sep 6, 2004

As the name suggests, it is a steampunk adventure, starring a young boy, who comes to possess a mystical orb, out of which all kinds of troubles arise.

Anybody know more about this film. Atleast I`m pumped. I`ll go and see it at the Rakkautta & Anarkiaa (Love & Anarchy) Film festival here in Helsinki, later this month. Has it opened already in the Us, Has anyone residing in Japan seen it

Impressions not spoilers, please

not sonic · Sep 6, 2004

what the hell is 'steampunk'

ResO · Sep 6, 2004

I saw Steamboy when I was in Japan about a month ago. The story was ok, and the art of course was fantastic. The main character seems to be very similar to Tetsuo from Akira, and his father seems very similar to the general from Akira as well. I don't know if this was due to lazyness, or to constantly remind you that it's an Otomo Katsuhiro flick.

PleaseKillMeNow · Sep 6, 2004

not sonic said:
what the hell is 'steampunk'

Think of a futuristic industrial age.

???

slerch666 · Sep 6, 2004

Dreamworks has the rights 'outside of Japan.' They also have the rights to Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence.

I'm sure Steamboy will see a limited theatrical run in the US at some point, then will hit DVDs soon after, just like Millennium Actress and Tokyo Godfather's before it. Dreamworks did all of the above.

With GitS 2 being released this year, I wouldn't be surprised if they pushed Steamboy off until after the awards are given... if they think Innocence can win an award that is.

Late · Sep 6, 2004

not sonic said:
what the hell is 'steampunk'

Cyberpunk set in the Age of steam, of course

The term was coined by William Gibson & Bruce Sterling in a novel which they wrote, can`t remember the name though...

Zeekade Zarathos · Sep 6, 2004

Late said:
Cyberpunk set in the Age of steam, of course

The term was coined by William Gibson & Bruce Sterling in a novel which they wrote, can`t remember the name though...

The Difference Engine.

With Steamboy and Howl's Moving Castle, I'm genuinely interested in Anime again.

rarehero · Sep 6, 2004

ResOGlas said:
I saw Steamboy when I was in Japan about a month ago. The story was ok, and the art of course was fantastic. The main character seems to be very similar to Tetsuo from Akira, and his father seems very similar to the general from Akira as well. I don't know if this was due to lazyness, or to constantly remind you that it's an Otomo Katsuhiro flick.

laziness, if you look at otomo's body of work character design to me is good,
but not varied. I never really had a problem with that but I can see why anyone would.
I'm looking forward to it.
too bad the story's just okay, reminds me of metropolis and spriggan.
not that they were bad, but they lacked something I could never put my finger on.

Blue Steel · Sep 7, 2004

rarehero said:
too bad the story's just okay, reminds me of metropolis and spriggan. not that they were bad, but they lacked something I could never put my finger on.

Haven't seen 'Spriggan', but I know what you mean about Metropolis lacking something. I can't put my finger on it either, but something isn't right about it. Oh well, I gotta go study.

SouthtownKid · Sep 7, 2004

SnairDogg said:
Haven't seen 'Spriggan', but I know what you mean about Metropolis lacking something. I can't put my finger on it either, but something isn't right about it. Oh well, I gotta go study.

Sheesh, I liked Metropolis better than the Akira movie. Much slower paced, but more soul, IMO.

The Akira comic had great atmosphere and I loved it until about the end of the second volume. The third volume became one long chase after another with no story, and volumes 4 and 5 seemed stretched out to prolong the paycheck (although there were great moments here and there). Also, towards the end of the 3rd volume and the beginning of the 4th, his drawing style on the characters became very assemblyline like. To me, the movie just emphasized the shallower aspects of the comic. Gorgeous to look at, but kind of empty somehow. That's what I feel looking at the Steamboy trailer. I'll pass.

rarehero · Sep 7, 2004

I geuss realistically for me AKIRA can never be replaced.
it's so huge a film, I can't see it any other way.
I know how much it's missing since I have the comic collection a few times over
but maybe it's because it's a gateway film into the genre.
anyways, when I originally watched it, metropolis' ending just kind of dulled me.
but that's just me.
loved the style though, I kinda want to watch giant robo for the same reason.

son_of_bael · Sep 8, 2004

I'm really looking forward to this movie. Its set in victorian London around the time of the world trade fair at the crystal palace. I've seen the artwork from it and it looks amazing.

Loopz · Sep 8, 2004

I'll be very stoked to see Steamboy any way I can. Akira still blows my fucking mind.
So utterly amazing in every way, watching it makes me feel the same way I did when I saw it at 17 years old and knocked me for a loop.

Akira > every other anime film.

I'd have to rate The Wings Of Honneamise 2nd.

*Panzerkunst* · Sep 9, 2004

I really want to see this as well. Has anyone read the manga The Legend of Mother Sarah by Otomo?
I'm also looking forward to seeing Howl's Moving Castle and have been reading the book by Diana Wynne Jones.
There's only 9 more days until I can see Ghost in the Shell 2. :buttrock:

SouthtownKid · Sep 9, 2004

*Panzerkunst* said:
I really want to see this as well. Has anyone read the manga The Legend of Mother Sarah by Otomo?

Yeah, it's okay, but I only read the first couple volumes, so maybe it got better. By the way, Otomo only wrote Mother Sarah; I forget the name of the artist.

I also can't wait for Ghost in the Shell 2. When I heard they were making it, I couldn't think why they'd want to do a sequel, but that trailer was amazing.

*Panzerkunst* · Sep 9, 2004

SouthtownKid said:
Yeah, it's okay, but I only read the first couple volumes, so maybe it got better. By the way, Otomo only wrote Mother Sarah; I forget the name of the artist.

I also can't wait for Ghost in the Shell 2. When I heard they were making it, I couldn't think why they'd want to do a sequel, but that trailer was amazing.

Yeah, Takumi Nagayasu was the artist. The Legend of Mother Sarah had 24 issues total in three series.

The trailer for Ghost in the Shell 2 is amazing, I just watched it again earlier when I was looking up a theatre to go see it at!

Zeekade Zarathos · Sep 9, 2004

SouthtownKid said:
I also can't wait for Ghost in the Shell 2. When I heard they were making it, I couldn't think why they'd want to do a sequel, but that trailer was amazing.

Innocence isn't just one of the best anime films I've seen, I believe it's also one of the best science fiction films ever made, animated or otherwise. I mean, this blows Matrix out of the water.

I can't wait for more people to see it. If you're that interested, (*cough*bittorrent*cough*) you can track it down now or just wait for the proper DVD release. Either way, you all should definitely check it out.

EDIT: Also, to give you an idea where I'm coming from, I didn't like the first Ghost in the Shell. I felt Oshii stripped the life from the characters Shirow's vastly superior manga had so carefully pinned the foundation of the story on, and dumbed down the philosophy. The sequel rectifies many of these problems.

dullbuoy · Sep 9, 2004

Innocence is supposed to be showing on September 17th. must be limited release.

*Panzerkunst* · Sep 9, 2004

dullbuoy said:
Innocence is supposed to be showing on September 17th. must be limited release.

http://www.gofishpictures.com/GITS2/playdates.html

Here's a list of theatres playing it starting on the 17th.

SouthtownKid · Sep 9, 2004

Zeekade Zarathos said:
EDIT: Also, to give you an idea where I'm coming from, I didn't like the first Ghost in the Shell. I felt Oshii stripped the life from the characters Shirow's vastly superior manga had so carefully pinned the foundation of the story on, and dumbed down the philosophy. The sequel rectifies many of these problems.

I like his work for the most part (although generally a bit too 'hard SF' for me), but Shirow's characters never really have life, IMO. For the most part, they're interchangable...his stories are mostly concept-driven, rather than character or plot-driven. His focus seems usually to be on the technology or his extrapolation on where he thinks society will head. For me, the highlight of the series was two word balloons between Motoko and another girl at a coffee shop somewhere in the middle of the story. Most of the rest was entertaining filler for me. I took the movie as a seperate entity with great atmosphere and film score. I like both seperately, but about equally.

dullbuoy · Sep 9, 2004

Zeekade Zarathos said:
EDIT: Also, to give you an idea where I'm coming from, I didn't like the first Ghost in the Shell. I felt Oshii stripped the life from the characters Shirow's vastly superior manga had so carefully pinned the foundation of the story on, and dumbed down the philosophy. The sequel rectifies many of these problems.

the only GitS that Shirow had most control over was Stand Alone Complex. Innocence is still and Oshii film btw.

striderpunk · Sep 9, 2004

steampunk'

huh somebody call me? oh forget it

New Otomo film - "steamboy"

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