On the day that Hayao Miyazaki’s retirement from the production of feature-length films has been announced, I report about this year’s Scotland Loves Animation takes place in Glasgow (October 11th-13th) and Edinburgh (October 14th-20th). If the former bit of news is sad for the loss tat the film and anime world will suffer then the line-up offers positivity because these titles have so much imagination and originality that, even with the Miyazaki-sized hole in anime, great works will still be made.
The line-up features a lot of the biggest anime films released in Japan over the last two years. There are some genuinely lovely surprises like Fuse: A Gun Girl’s Detective Story, Garden of Words, and Gusko Budori and some great surprises like Hal and Patema Inverted. Some of these films already have UK distribution deals and some are classics that are getting re-released.
I have already covered a lot of the titles in previews and even reviewed one so here’s the list titles by location then that will be followed by the trailers:
Scotland Loves Anime Line-Up for Glasgow
Glasgow Film Theatre (October 11th-13th, 2013)
The guest is Jonathan Clements, a long time commentator and expert on anime who presented anime on the sci-fi channel during the 90’s and 2000’s and writes for Neo magazine and Manga Entertainment and has written the rather awesome Schoolgirl Milky Crisis: adventures in the Anime and Manga Trade.
Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo
Fuse: A Gun Girl’s Detective Story
Hunter × Hunter: Phantom Rouge
The Place Promised in Our Early Days
Scotland Loves Anime Line-Up for Edinburgh,
Edinburgh Filmhouse (October 14th-20th, 2013)
The guests are Jonathan Clements and Makoto Shinkai, director of The Garden of Words and The Place Promised in Our Early Days. He is an anime auteur who has major presence on the world stage. His tales are perfectly crafted slices of emotion that are beautiful to watch and always attract an audience and great critical reviews.
Evangelion 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone
Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance
Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo
Fuse: A Gun Girl’s Detective Story
Garden of Words + Stage Discussion
Here are the trailers:
Aura: Maryūinkōga Saigo no Tatakai 
Japanese Title: AURA ～魔竜院光牙最後の闘い
Romaji: Aura: Maryūinkōga Saigo no Tatakai
Running Time: N/A
Director: Seiji Kishi
Writer: Jun Kumagai (Script), Romeo Tanaka (Original Light Novel)
Starring: Kana Hanazawa (Ryōko Satō), Nobunaga Shimazaki (Ichirō Satō)
The film is directed by Seiji Kishi who was the director of Humanity has Declined, a gentle if surreal anime released this summer which I liked a lot and Persona 4 The Animation, a cool adaptation of the videogame. The script has been written by Makoto Uezu (Kore wa Zombie Desu Ka?) and Jun Kumagai (Persona 4, Humanity has Declined).
This film centres on a high school freshman named Ichirō Satō who forgets his book at school and sneaks back in at night. There he encounters a beautiful girl who claims to be a witch from a parallel world. Is she real or just a delusion?
Fuse: A Gun Girl’s Detective Story 
Japanese Title: 伏 鉄砲娘の捕物帳
Romaji: Fuse Teppō Musume no Torimonochō
Release Date: October 20th, 2012 (Japan)
Running Time: 110 mins.
Director: Masayuki Miyaji
Writer: Ichiro Okouchi (Script), Kazuki Sakuraba (Original Writer),
Starring: Minako Kotobuki (Hamaji), Katsuyuki Konishi (Dousetsu), Mamoru Miyano (Shino), Hirofumi Nojima (Iesada Tokugawa), Hiroshi Kamiya (Makuwari), Kanako Miyamoto (Meido), Maaya Sakamoto (Funamushi)
The story follows a teenage girl named Hamaji who joins her brother in hunting dog-human hybrids known as Fuse as part of a karmic cycle of retribution. The movie is based on the novel Fuse Gansaku: Satomi Hakkenden which was written by Kazuki Sakuraba, author of the Gosick light novels. She was inspired by a 19th century epic novel series named Nansō Satomi Hakkenden written by late Edo Period popular author Kyokutei Bakin. His tales dealt with themes based on Buddhist philosophy, Confucianism, and Bushido as it followed eight samurai serving the Satomi clan during the Sengoku (Warring States) period. These samurai are the reincarnations of the spirits that Princess Fuse mothered with a dog named Yatsufusa and they each represent a Confucianist virtue. Here’s my review.
Evangelion Films
Neon Genesis Evangelion is a landmark title which had a huge impact on the 90’s anime world as it re-wrote the rules for the mecha genre with its post-modern take that combined mecha tropes with a cast of characters undergoing various mental crises. It is also a very personal title as it came from anime veteran Hideaki Anno who was rather depressed and spat out his hatred for life and anime in the scripts and on the screen. With Evangelion he did what Lars von Trier did with Melancholia and gave us a devastating visual view of depression and other psychological maladies. Watching the teen pilots navigate the hell that is adolescence and deal with the psycho-sexual nightmarish monsters and emotionally complex adults was gripping, disturbing but ultimately uplifting (although very apocalyptic).
Hideaki Anno claimed he was not happy with the way the series developed and released a number of films which tried to retell the ending of the show, ending on an even darker note. Since then Evangelion has been a merchandise machine and has retained its popularity which is why Anno has been given a chance to remake the TV series into a number of film which offer what he considers to be his ultimate vision. The first three films in the four-part series have been released in the west to rapturous reviews and we are awaiting the fourth.
The cast has the familiar seiyuu from the television shows including major stars like the prolific and wonderful voice actress Megumi Hayashibara (Paprika in Paprika – she also turned up in The Wolf Children) who voices Rei Ayanami and Pen Pen, Megumi Ogata who plays Shinji Ikari, Akira Ishida (Keiju Tabuki in Mawaru Penguindrum), Yuko Miyamura (Casca in Berserk – the girl in the training video in Battle Royale), Hiro Yuuki (Takaomi in Mysterious Girlfriend X), Miki Nagasawa (Mutio in Blue Submarine No.6), Maaya Sakamoto (Hitomi in Escaflowne).
Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone 
Japanese Title: ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版：序
Romaji: Evangerion Shin Gekijōban: Jo
Running Time: 101 mins.
Director: Hideaki Anno, Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki,
Writer: Hideaki Anno
Starring: Megumi Hayashibara (Shinji Ikari), Megumi Ogata (Rei Ayanami), Akira Ishida (Kaworu Nagisa), Yuko Miyamura (Asuka Langley Shikinami), Maaya Sakamoto (Mari Makinami Illustrious), Kotono Mitsuishi (Misato Katsuragi), Takehito Koyasu (Shigeru Aoba), Fumihiko Tachiki (Gendo Ikari), Yuriko Yamaguchi (Ritsuko Akagi), Motomu Kiyokawa (Kouzou Fuyutsuki), Hiro Yuuki (Makoto Hyuga), Miki Nagasawa (Maya Ibuki),
Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance 
Japanese Title: ヱヴァンゲリヲン新劇場版：破
Romaji: Evangerion Shin Gekijōban: Ha
Running Time: 108 mins.
Director: Hideaki Anno, Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki, Mahiro Maeda
Writer: Hideaki Anno
Starring: Megumi Hayashibara (Shinji Ikari), Megumi Ogata (Rei Ayanami), Akira Ishida (Kaworu Nagisa), Yuko Miyamura (Asuka Langley Shikinami), Maaya Sakamoto (Mari Makinami Illustrious), Kotono Mitsuishi (Misato Katsuragi), Takehito Koyasu (Shigeru Aoba), Fumihiko Tachiki (Gendo Ikari), Yuriko Yamaguchi (Ritsuko Akagi), Motomu Kiyokawa (Kouzou Fuyutsuki), Hiro Yuuki (Makoto Hyuga), Miki Nagasawa (Maya Ibuki),
Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo 
Japanese Title: エヴァンゲリヲン新 新劇場版:Q Quickening
Romaji: Evangelion Shin Gekijoban: Kyu
Running Time: 101 mins.
Director: Hideaki Anno, Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki, Mahiro Maeda
Writer: Hideaki Anno
Starring: Megumi Hayashibara (Shinji Ikari), Megumi Ogata (Rei Ayanami), Akira Ishida (Kaworu Nagisa), Yuko Miyamura (Asuka Langley Shikinami), Maaya Sakamoto (Mari Makinami Illustrious), Kotono Mitsuishi (Misato Katsuragi), Takehito Koyasu (Shigeru Aoba), Fumihiko Tachiki (Gendo Ikari), Yuriko Yamaguchi (Ritsuko Akagi), Motomu Kiyokawa (Kouzou Fuyutsuki), Hiro Yuuki (Makoto Hyuga), Miki Nagasawa (Maya Ibuki),
The Life of Guskou Budori 
Japanese Title: グスコーブドリ の 伝記
Romaji: Gusuko- Budori no Denki
Running Time: 106 mins
Director: Gisaburo Sugii
Writer: Kenji Miyazawa (Original Novel), Gisaburo Sugii (Screenplay)
Starring: Shun Oguri (Gusko Budori), Shiori Kutsuna (Neri), Akira Emoto (Doctor Kubo), Kuranosuke Sasaki (Kotori), Tamiyo Kusakari (Budori’s Mother), Ryuzo Hayashi (Budori’s Father)
This is the anime movie adaptation of Kenji Miyazawa ‘s 1932 fairy tale The Life of Guskou Budori. It stars the actors Shun Oguri (The Woodsman & the Rain) in the lead vocal role with Shiori Kutsuna (My Back Pages) and Akira Emoto (Villain, Starfish Hotel) providing support.
Guskou is a cat who lives in the Tohoku forests in north eastern Japan in the 1920’s. A series of droughts and natural disasters forces Guskou to leave hoe ad search for a new place to live. He soon falls in with a group of scientists at the Ihatov Volcano Department and discovers that they are dealing with the same natural disasters that have altered Guskou’s life.
The Garden of Words 
Japanese Title: 言の葉の庭
Romaji: Kotonoha no Niwa
Running Time: 46 mins
Director: Makoto Shinkai
Writer: Makoto Shinkai
Starring: Kana Hanazawa (Yukino), Miyu Irino (Takao)
Makoto Shinkai’s latest film has been released to great reviews and one look at the trailer will show you why because it looks and sounds stunning. Makoto Shinkai will be at the screening for a Q&A.
“We met, for each of us to walk forward.
Takao is a 15-year-old boy with dreams of becoming a professional shoe designer and was skipping high school, sketching shoes in a Japanese garden when he encounters a mysterious older woman named Yukino who is 27. Without arranging it they end up meeting again and again, but only on rainy days, deepening their relationship and opening up to each other. But the end of the rainy season soon approaches…
HAL 
Japanese Title: ハル
Romaji: Haru
Release Date: June 08th, 2013
Director: Ryōtarō Makihara
Writer: Izumi Kizara (Screenplay),
Starring: Yōko Hikasa (Kurumi), Yoshimasa Hosoya (Haru), Mamoru Miyano (Ryuu)
This near-future romance is called Hal and it sounds like a romantic Time of Eve with its mixture of androids and falling in love. It stars the voices of Yōko Hikasa (Saeki in Aku no Hana), Mamoru Miyano and Yoshimasa Hosoya (Level E). The director Ryōtarō Makihara has a lot of experience with TV anime like directing an episode of Tatami Galaxy and Monster, Summer Wars and Le Chevalier D’Eon. Music comes from Michiru Oshima who scored the awesome flamenco inspired Fuse: A Gungirl’s Tale and the melancholy Le Chevalier D’Eon. The anime is produced by Wit Studio who are bringing a thrillingly dark title to television screens with Attack on Titan.
Kurumi (Hikasa) likes Haru (Hosoya) and the two seem happy life ends when a plane accident takes Haru from the mortal world. A robot version of Haru, Hal emerges as a substitute. As the two live together Kurumi gradually opens her memories and mind to him.
Hunter x Hunter: Phantom Rouge 
Japanese Title: 劇場版 HUNTER X HUNTER 緋色 の 幻影 （ファントム フージュ）
Romaji: Gekijouban Hunter x Hunter: Hiiro no Genei (Fantomu Fu-jyu)
Running Time: 96 mins.
Director: Yuzo Sato (Original Creator)
Writer: Shoji Yonemura (Screenplay), Yoshihiro Togashi (Original Creator)
Starring: Miyuki Sawashiro (Kurapika), Megumi Han (Gon Freecss), Mariya Ise (Killua Zoldyck), Aya Hirano (Retz), Keiji Fujiwara (Leorio), Naohito Fujiko (Omokage)
The film is directed by Yuzo Sato who has worked on a variety of anime from medieval demon hunting adventure Claymore to the more sci-fi leaning Biohunter. The Character designer is Takahiro Yoshimatsu who has also had a wide variety of experiences such as being an animation director on Black Cat. Music comes from Yoshihisa Hirano who scored the Death Note anime.
Hunting is respected profession. You can hunt money, criminals, animals, recipe ingredients… yes. You can hunt whatever you want so long as you have the talent to become a hunter. While the TV series focussed on a pre-teen boy named Gon, this one focusses on Kurapika who wishes to track down and take revenge on a group of criminals known as the Phantom Troupe. Why? They massacred his clan for having eyes that can turn scarlet during moments of emotional stress. These eyes are considered treasures and Kurapika’s eyes are in danger but with the help of Gon, Killua and Leorio, he is determined to have his revenge.
Patema Inverted 
Japanese Title: サカサマ の パテマ
Romaji: Sakasama no Patema
Running Time: N/A
Director: Yasuhiro Yoshiura
Writer: Yasuhiro Yoshiura (Screenplay/Original Creator)
Starring: Yukiyo Fujii (Patema), Nobuhiko Okamoto (Age), Shintarou Oohata (Porta), Shinya Fukumatsu (G), Masayuki Katou (Lagos),
Yasuhiro Yoshiura is the director/creator of the wonderful Time of Eve, a futuristic drama about androids in a café and the humans that visit them. It was a whimsical show full of great details and gorgeous animation and do you know what was best of all? The characters were relatable and funny. This is his latest film and it looks to be just as good. I love that poster!
The story takes place in an underground world where the inhabitants exist in tunnels and confined spaces and must wear protective clothing. Despite this, these underground people still enjoy life, especially Patema, the princess of her underground village who loves to explore. Her fascination with exploration leads her to a forbidden area where she meets a boy named Age who operates under different gravitational circumstances. The two may come from very different societies but will face strange situations together!
The Place Promised in Our Early Days 
Japanese Title: 雲 の むこう、 約束 の 場所
Romaji: Kumo no Mukou, Yakusoku no Basho
Running Time: 91 mins
Director: Makoto Shinkai
Writer: Makoto Shinkai
Starring: Masato Hagiwara (Takuya Shirakawa), Yuuka Nanri (Sayuri Sawatari), Hidetaka Yoshioka (Hiroki Fujisawa), Unshou Ishizuka (Okabe), Risa Mizuno (Maki Kasahara)
After losing World War II Japan is divided in two. Hokkaido was annexed by “Union” while Honshu and other southern islands were placed under the control of the US. A gigantic yet mysterious tower was constructed at Hokkaido and could be seen clearly from Aomori (the northernmost prefecture of Honshu). In the summer of 1996, three 9th-graders had made a promise that one day they’ll build an aircraft and unravel the tower’s mystery but one of their number Sayuri Sawatari, is transferred to Tokyo for treatment for sleeping sickness. A while later, one of her friends, Hiroki Fujisawa accidentally finds out that Sayuri had been in coma since leaving, and he asks the other member of the trio, Takuya Shirakawa to help him finding a way to revive her. What they don’t know yet is that Sayuri’s unconsciousness is somehow linked with secrets of the tower and the world.
Perfect Blue 
Japanese Title: パフェクト ブルー
Romaji: Pafekuto Buru-
Running Time: 90 mins
Director: Satoshi Kon
Writer: Saduyuki Murai (Screenplay)
Starring: Junko Iwao (Mimi Kirigoe), Rica Matsumoto (Rumi), Akio Suyama (Reader). Aya Hara (Mimi’s Mother),
This is getting re-released in the UK in October. It is a genuine classic and quite probably Satoshu Kon’s best work.
Mimi Kirigoe is one third of the chart topping girl-pop group “CHAM!” But she wants to be more than a pop star and become an actress. It seems her dream may be about to come true after she gets a part in an adult murder-mystery drama, but she finds out that crazed fans are stalking her and people around her are being murdered. Mimi soon begins to lose her sanity.
Steins;Gate The Movie 
Japanese Title: 劇場版 シュタインズ・ゲート 負荷領域のデジャヴ
Romaji: Shutainzu Ge-to: Fuka Ryouiki no Deja Bu
Running Time: 90 mins + 30 min discussion
Director: Kanji Wakabayashi (Director), Hiroshi Hamasaki, Takuya Satō (Chief Directors),
Writer: Jukki Hanada
Starring: Mamoru Miyano (Rintarou Okabe), Asami Imai (Kurisu Makise) Kana Hanazawa (Mayuri Shiina), Halko Momoi (Faris Nyannyan), Tomokazu Seki (Itaru Hashida), Yu Kobayashi (Ruka Urushibara), Yukari Tamura (Suzuha Amane), Saori Goto (Moeka Kiryuu)
Steins;Gate was my second favourite anime of 2011 and it is getting a UK release thanks to Manga Entertainement. The movie version sees us revisit Okabe and Makise and Mayuri. The film has the vocal talents of Mamoru Miyano (Fuse: A Gun Girl’s Detective Story) and Kana Hanazawa (Bakemonogatari) and Halko Momoi who composed and performed the awesome song Mail Me which was used in Suicide Club.
Kurisu has returned to Akihabara after a year in America and meets up with Okabe but it does not last lone because he soon has images of other timelines, and disappears. Kurisu must fight against her own heart to decide whether to follow the path of a scientist and follow Okabe’s words to not go back in time to get him back, or let her emotions drive her to save him, no matter what dangerous effects it may have on the world.
Actually, that news about Miyazaki’s retirement has hit me hard. I’m going to watch Laputa: Castle in the Sky on Film4 and cry a little…
