THE MOST IMPRESSIVE-LOOKING ANIME MOVIE TO COME OUT SINCE STEAMBOY" – ANIME NEWS NETWORK
Directed by Keiichi Sugiyama (Neon Genesis Evangelion), ORIGIN: SPIRITS OF THE PAST is the first full-length animated feature film made by Studio Gonzo, the Japanese anime studio responsible for the likes of Final Fantasy: Unlimited, Hellsing and She, The Ultimate Weapon. Nominated for the Best Film prize in the feature section of the prestigious Annual Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the film - part futuristic sci-fi fairy tale, part eco-adventure - has been hailed as being "almost painfully beautiful" by SciFi.com thanks to a visual style that recalls the work of award-winning animation wizard, Hayao Miyazaki (Howl's Moving Castle; Spirited Away).
Three hundred years have passed since mankind's interference with the environment inadvertently gave birth to a sentient Forest and left the developed Earth in ruins, with the remnants of humankind divided as never before. While half chose to seek a tenuous coexistence with the Forest, the others sought to dominate and subdue those forces they did not understand. Now, Agito, the young son of an aging hero, is about to set in motion a further series of catastrophic events that could result in the destruction of all that is left of the world of man.
With its beautiful visuals and a fluid mix of 3-D CGI and traditional 2-D animation styles, ORIGIN: SPIRITS OF THE PAST is an eye-popping fantasy adventure with a compelling and topical environmental message that is sure to appeal to fans of similar superlative animated features such as Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa: Valley Of The Wind.
ORIGIN: SPIRITS OF THE PAST (cert. 12) is released by Manga and will begin a limited theatrical release on 12th July 2008. Click in the link above for the trailer.
