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Back in the day when anime was not as mainstream as it is today, Naruto was among the few anime-manga series that made its way to the international audience. The commercial success and overall influence of Masashi Kishimoto’s celebrated series is extraordinary. A huge cast of characters, adrenaline-inducing fights, and a compelling storyline are some of the strongest suits of Naruto.

Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto | Credits: Studio Pierrot Co. Ltd.

These factors make Naruto enjoyable for all age groups irrespective of the differences. While the content definitely played a huge role in the series’ popularity, there are many creators that Kishimoto owes the success of Naruto to, as he shared during an interview. The mangaka also opened up about how the success of other manga paved the way for Naruto in the West.

Masashi Kishimoto Reveals the 5 Manga that Paved the Way for Naruto Son Goku in Dragon Ball...

One of Japanese animation’s premiere filmmakers, Kenji Kamiyama, is about to march into Middle-earth for The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, an animated fantasy epic set 183 years before the War of the Ring. With unforgettable animated projects like Napping Princess, Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, East of Eden, and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex under his belt, today’s The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim trailer demonstrates Kenji Kamiyama’s eye for adventure, emotion, and jaw-dropping fantasy action.

Set 183 years before the events chronicled in the original trilogy of films, The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim tells the fate of the House of Helm Hammerhand, the legendary King of Rohan. A sudden attack by Wulf, a clever and ruthless Dunlending lord seeking vengeance for his father’s death, forces Helm and his people to make...

Tatsuki Fujimoto’s brilliant storytelling in Chainsaw Man has garnered him immense success. In the world of shonen where memorable and strong female characters are truly a rarity, Fujimoto excelled in creating multiple characters who fit the archetype. From the feisty Makima to the bold Himeno, he displayed a genius for creating numerous dynamic characters.

Among the wondrous but flawed women of Chainsaw Man, Reze stands out to fans for her unique personality. But creating her wasn’t an easy task. Even with his skillset, creating Reze propelled Fujimoto to outdo himself. She became a character that pushed him to explore the uncharted territory.

Fujimoto’s Favourite Character Reze in Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc Trailer | Credits: Studio Mappa

In the initial stages of the story, Reze livens up the plot with her presence. Her melancholic uniqueness quickly made her a fan-favorite. The Bomb Girl Arc was notably the...

After "The Hobbit" trilogy got a mixed reception (despite being a commercial success) and "The Rings of Power" improved upon the feature films and even turned war from a cool source of thrills into the horror Tolkien described, the "Lord of the Rings" franchise is going back on the big screen where it belongs.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has been threatening new live-action "Lord of the Rings" movies in his quest to just mine every piece of intellectual property the studio owns, but in the meantime, we are getting a brand new story set in Tolkien's legendarium, and there are many reasons to be excited about it. "The War of the Rohirrim" is a brand-new story set in Middle-earth, and it's one of our most anticipated movies of the year. But what exactly is this movie? Here's your guide to everything we know about "The War of the Rohirrim,...

While the way animation was regarded by critics and audience had certainly shifted thanks to the release of Katsuhiro Otomo’s “Akira” (1988) and Mamoru Oshii’s “Ghost in the Shell” (1995), it wasn’t until the late 1990s that the paradigm shifted and anime with more adult-oriented themes were considered more seriously. One of the main reasons for this shift is the creative output during those years which, like in the years before, proved the great variety and imagination within the directors and animators of the time, who, besides exploring genres such as science-fiction and drama, also made intriguing remarks on their home country, its society and its politics. One such example has to be Hiroyuki Okiura’s “Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade”, based on Mamoru Oshii’s manga “Kerberos Panzer Cop”. Even twenty years after its release, its image of an authoritarian Japan, and how a repressive system turns people against each other,...

With each New Year bringing feelings of new beginnings and vows to explore new talents (at least until we slip just once from our gym routine!), the Screen Anime channel is excited to head into 2021 with a line-up themed around new beginnings, led by Keiichi Hara’s Annecy Award-nominated biopic Miss Hokusai, as well as The Place Promised in Our Early Days, the feature film debut of the now world-famous director Makoto Shinkai, and more!

Joining them later this month are the intense and action-packed thriller Jin-Roh (written by Mamoru Oshii of Ghost in the Shellfame), and the eclectic short-film anthology follow-up Genius Party Beyond. These four great films are also joined by this month’s binge-worthy TV series The Tatami Galaxy, the acclaimed eccentric romantic comedy from Masaaki Yuasa.

All titles will be available on Screen Anime from 27 December 2020 until 25 January 2021. The four feature films will be available in...

by Robert Edwards

Mamoru Oshii is most famous, arguably, for creating “Ghost in the Shell”. A cyberpunk classic that helped bring anime to a global audience. His work is profound and philosophical, often challenging the audience with complex themes and ideas. As well as “Ghost in the Shell”, Oshii is famous for a wide range of anime works, films like, “Angels Egg”, “Patlabor: The Movie”, and “The Sky Crawlers”. What often gets overlooked by fans is his live-action pieces, especially his Kerberos saga films. These were filmic adaptations of his “Kerberos Panzer Cop” manga (also known as “Hellhounds Legend”) which ran from 1988 to 2000. The series had two other film entries, “The Red Spectacles” and “Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade”, the latter directed by Hiroyuki Okiura, not Oshii, and the only anime adaptation in the trilogy.

“Stray Dog: Kerberos Panzer Cops” is the second film and prequel to the series.

I've got a cool little teaser trailer here worth checking out for an upcoming Korean futuristic action thriller Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. The movie comes from director Kim Jee-woon, who previously directed I Saw The Devil, The Good the Bad the Weird, and The Last Stand. It's been a couple of years since he's made a movie and this one certainly looks interesting! I love this guy's movies so I'm definitely excited about watching this!

The film is an adaptation of the popular Mamoru Oshii manga. This isn't the first time it was adapted, though. In 1999 there was a feature-length anime film.

The story is set in the near future, "the film takes place in a world where the governments of South and North Korea are on the cusp of reunification, following seven years of preparation. When demonstrations opposing the unification turn more violent, a special police force is formed to combat them.

In-rang: The Wolf Brigade

South Korean auteur Kim Jee-woon has been circling and developing a live-action adaptation of Mamuro Oshii’s (Ghost in the Shell) anime Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade since before his 2013 English language debut The Last Stand (which was headlined by Arnold Schwarzeneggar).

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As the Korean “coffee culture” booms, these cozy and ubiquitous establishments continue to appear in almost every drama and every movie. Indie film director Kim Jong Kwan knew exactly how to jump on the bandwagon through his latest project, “The Table”.

“The Table”, which premiered at last year’s Busan International Film Festival, is a one-of-a-kind movie, with a captivating, albeit not-so-new, concept, showcasing stellar performances from three of the country’s hottest, upcoming actresses and one beloved, veteran actress. Joining distinguished actress Im Soo-Jung (“All About My Wife”, “Tale of Two Sisters”) are “Train to Busan” actress Jung Yu-Mi, Han Ye-Ri (“Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade”) and Jung Eun-Chae of “Nobody’s Daughter Hae Won” and “The King” fame.

If lengthy and ambiguous conversations over coffee, in an almost deserted coffee shop, wouldn’t pique your interest, then this movie might not be your cup of tea. The film definitely...

The three stars will join together in the sci-fi thriller movie based on the Japanese animation by the same name, which was produced by director Okiwuri Hiroyuki.

Kang Dong Won will be playing as the male lead – a young cop in a special force named Lim Joong Kyung, and Jung Woo Sung joins the cast in the role of Lim Joong Kyung’s superior officer named Jang Jin Tae. The female lead belongs to Han Hyo Joo, she will be playing a character named Lee Yoon Hee whose backstory is still vague as of yet and has a sister with the nickname Red Hat.

Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade anime poster (Source: IMDb)

Instead of setting the background in a post-World War II background where Japan had become a police state like the original Japanese anime, this Korean adaptation is set in an alternate universe where both North and South Korea...

At the moment, in Korea, there aren’t many stars that shine brighter or hotter than Gang Dong-won. The leading man of more than 20 features creates frenzies everywhere he goes, as proven by his appearance to receive the Star Asia award at the New York Asian Film Festival. Gang spoke with me about his featured film, Vanishing Time, and his upcoming films, director Kim Jee-woon’s Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade and director Jang Joon-hwan’s 1987. The Lady Miz Diva: Vanishing Time is a very interesting film with fairytale-like qualities. What was your sense of the projects when you first read the script? Gang Dong-won: The first time I read the script, I was making a movie called A Violent Prosecutor. When...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Exclusive: Gang Dong-won, Han Hyo-joo and Jung Woo-sung confirmed to star in sci-fi actioner.

Hit Korean director Kim Jee-woon - who has been a regular at top festivals like Venice and Cannes with titles such as The Age Of Shadows and The Good, The Bad, The Weird - has locked a top flight cast and is set to start production next month on sci-fi action thriller In-Rang (tentative title).

Based on the Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade franchise’s original written by animation master Mamoru Oshii (Ghost In The Shell), Kim’s live action Korean version will star Gang Dong-won (Master), Han Hyo-joo (Cold Eyes) and Jung Woo-sung (Asura: The City Of Madness).

Taking place in the near future where North and South Korea have announced they will reunify after a preparation period of seven years, an anti-reunification terrorist sect, a special police forces unit set up to counter them, and a powerful...

To say that we're fans of Okiura Hiroyuki is an understatement, to say we wish he'd make more films even more so. While his hands have been all over some of anime's best known classics, and his career includes working with Oshii Mamoru and the late, lamented Kon Satoshi, he himself has only directed two films so far: 1999's sublime Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade and the more recent (2011) A Letter To Momo. And while these films have both been released West of the Atlantic on Blu-ray, here in Europe we've had to wait a good deal longer to see these appear in English-friendly editions. Jin-roh could at least be gotten on DVD, but A Letter To Momo was conspicuously missing. Scottish distributor Anime Limited...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Mizuho Nishikubo's animated feature Giovanni's Island has picked up yet another award. The Production I.G film won Best Animated Film by the Mainichi Film Awards. This is the tenth distinction for the film since it began its festival run in 2014. The awards are sponsored by the Mainichi Shinbun newspaper in Japan and date back to 1946 to celebrate the best in Japanese productions. The Best Animated Film award was first awarded in 1989 to Studio Ghibli's Kiki's Delivery Service.This is the fifth Production I.G film to be awarded this distinction. Previous films to win the award were Patlabor 2: The Movie in 1993), Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade in 1999), Blood:The Last Vampire the Ofuji Noburo Award in 2000 and The Sky Crawlers in 2008....

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

To celebrate the upcoming Reel Anime Festival 2013, Madman is giving you, our dear readers, the chance to win some wonderful prizes! During the five weeks in the lead up to the festival, there will be a new competition offering you the chance to win an awesome prize pack every week. This week, we have an A Letter To Momo prize pack to give away, and it includes: - Cowboy Bebop Remix Complete Sessions (DVD)- Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade (DVD)- Blood: The Last Vampire (DVD)- Reel Anime 2013 theatrical posterFor a chance to win, all you have to do is to follow these two simple steps:1) Tell me in 25 words or less why you should win this prize2) Email your answer, name and postal address to me...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Japanese anime “A Letter to Momo” sees the return of acclaimed director Okiura Hiroyuki, some 11 years after his cult favourite “Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade”. Working again with Production I.G., this new offering, apparently 7 years in the making, is a very different kind of film compared to those usually associated with the famous studio, eschewing futuristic darkness for something far more family friendly. Perhaps unsurprisingly, since it saw Okiura working with illustrator Ando Masashi (“Spirited Away”) and art director Ono Hiroshi (“Kiki’s Delivery Service”), the highly accomplished film has a very Ghibli feel, though aiming for a slightly different feel and emotional style. The plot follows a 13 year old girl called Momo, who after the death of her father moves from Tokyo to her mother’s old family home on the peaceful Shio Island. Blaming herself for arguing with her father before his passing, the young girl carries with her...

Yes, if Internet reports are to be believed. (And we know how reliable those are. Ahem.) In any case, according to some Korean outlets (via Twitch), South Korean director Kim Jee-woon will be returning to his homeland after wrapping up the Arnold Schwarzenegger actionfest “The Last Stand”, in order to begin work on a live-action film based on the 1999 Japanese anime “Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade”. (I reviewed the title years ago here. Honestly, though, it’s been so long I can’t say if I remember all that much about the movie, though re-reading (er, re-skimming) my review, I seemed to have liked it. A lot.) The original was directed by Hiroyuki Okiura and co-written by its creator, Mamoru Oshii (of “Ghost in the Shell” fame), and is set in a parallel reality where the Nazis won World War II. The story follows a member of an elite para-military police...

From the director of Hiroyuki Okiura's 'Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade' comes his latest effort 'A Letter To Momo.'

Momo is a young girl who grew up in a big city. However, following the premature loss of her father, she has to move with her mother to the old family house on a remote island. Here, time seems to have stopped: old wooden buildings, holy shrines surrounded by trees, fields painstakingly carved out from steep hills... and no shopping mall.

Needless to say, Momo is not too overenthusiastic about this new environment. Most of all, her heart is still feeling uneasy about an unfinished letter left by her father. A letter that contained only two words: "Dear Momo..."

'A Letter to Momo' will be released in Japanese cinemas on 21 April 2012.

Hiroyuki Okiura's A Letter To Momo - the director's first effort since Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade - is still some months away from its April release in Japan but that didn't stop the producers from posting a new trailer for the film on YouTube a couple days ago.Momo is a young girl who grew up in a big city. However, following the premature loss of her father, she has to move with her mother to the old family house on a remote island. Here, time seems to have stopped: old wooden buildings, holy shrines surrounded by trees, fields painstakingly carved out from steep hills... and no shopping mall.Needless to say, Momo is not too overenthusiastic about this new environment. Most of all, her heart...

009 Re: Cyborg Trailer. Kenji Kamiyama‘s 009 Re: Cyborg (2012) movie trailer plot synopsis: features “a team of people, kidnapped from across the globe for human experimentation, who escape and turn their new super powers against their former captors.”

This looks really good. I’m impressed, especially with everyone individual power. Love the 3D animation. This is one to look out for.

More on anime, specifically substance and style:

For all the complaints that detractors may have about Japanese anime as a storytelling medium, its command of both style and kinetic energy is undeniable. Such invaluable assets go a long way in smoothing over the ambiguities and cultural barriers that seem to be inherent to the form. While style is never truly an adequate stand in for substance, it’s hard to tell your brain that when your eyes are taking in a visual feast. During such moments, the viewer is compelled...

The best in Japanese animation will be on screen throughout the night as part of Sci-fi-london's Oktoberfest this weekend.

An anime all-nighter takes place from 11.30pm on Saturday, October 8, until 8am on Sunday, October 9, at the Odeon Camden Town. Trailers for some of the films are included below.

First up is Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, the acclaimed and multi-award winning classic and the last fully hand-drawn animated feature. It's the work of Mamoru Oshii and Hiroyuki Okikura, who are responsible for other massive anime titles such as Akira and Ghost in the Shell.

There's also the latest in super-real 3D CGI with the London premiere of Tekken: Blood Vengeance - a 90-minute visual storm based on one of the world's favourite video games.

Next up is Trigun: Badlands Rumble, the first Trigun movie for over 10 years. The movie has all the elements found in the original television series - comedy,...

Twitch Film and Movies.com once again present the International Trailer Domination Tour, a selection of the best – and one crazy-ass low-budget success story – trailers from upcoming international films. In this edition we’ve got the return of an anime master, slick Korean gangster action, UK first person horror, an alien in a bikini and a documentary stunt that should have Morgan Spurlock blushing in shame at how tame his ideas are. 1. A Letter To Momo by Hiroyuki Okiura, Japan It was eleven years ago that director Hiroyuki Okiura burst on to the scene as the director of the Mamoru Oshii scripted anime feature Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. In my opinion, Jin-Roh is one of the greatest animated feature films ever made and the future could not have looked...

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Twitch Film and Movies.com once again present the International Trailer Domination Tour, a selection of the best – and one crazy-ass low-budget success story – trailers from upcoming international films. In this edition we’ve got the return of an anime master, slick Korean gangster action, UK first person horror, an alien in a bikini and a documentary stunt that should have Morgan Spurlock blushing in shame at how tame his ideas are. 1. A Letter To Momo by Hiroyuki Okiura, Japan It was eleven years ago that director Hiroyuki Okiura burst on to the scene as the director of the Mamoru Oshii scripted anime feature Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. In my opinion, Jin-Roh is one of the greatest animated feature films ever made and the future could not have looked...

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It was just yesterday that Twitch was excitedly writing about the first trailer for Hiroyuki Okiura's A Letter To Momo and today comes word that the film will have its world premiere as part of the four film Tiff Kids program at the Toronto International Film Festival.Okiura's second film is his first in eleven years, ending a lengthy gap since he first appeared on the scene directing the Mamoru Oshii scripted Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade.Check the complete lineup - with videos, where available - below.Toronto -- The Toronto International Film Festival® presents a charming lineup of films in this year's Tiff Kids™ programme (formerly known as Sprockets Family Zone). These selections from around the globe will captivate film-lovers of all ages, showcasing the best...

It has been a long, long wait for fans of director Hiroyuki Okiura and Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. With his debut feature Okiura created a modern day classic, a film that is - in my opinion - one of the greatest animated features ever made. It is virtually a perfect film but rather than capitalizing on its success Okiura simply faded into the background and didn't direct another feature for eleven long years. And now he's back with A Letter To Momo.Momo is a young girl who grew up in a big city. However, following the premature loss of her father, she has to move with her mother to the old family house on a remote island. Here, time seems to have stopped: old...

This is the first teaser trailer for Production I.G’s anime Momo e no Tegami (A Letter to Momo) from Hiroyuki Okiura. His last job as a director was for the adaptation of Mamoru Oshii’s Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade so I guess he was waiting for something special…

[See full post to watch this video]

Synopsis:

“Dear Momo” — that was all that was written on a letter left behind by Momo’s late father. Momo and her mother have just moved from Tokyo to the countryside of Japan’s Inland Sea. On an island lies a wondrous town surrounded on all sides by quaint homes and nature’s landscape. Even as Momo starts a new life, she wonders, “Father, what did you really want to write in your letter…?” One day, she discovers an ancient book in the attic, and from that day forward, strange happenings occur all around Momo.

[via Catsuka & @aicnanime & Ann]...

It has been eleven long years since Hiroyuki Okiura made his directorial debut with Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. Eleven years in which his only directing credit is the title sequence for the Cowboy Bebop feature. To say the silence has been surprising is an understatement - Jin-Roh is nothing short of a masterpiece and Okiura surely could have had his choice of projects since. But evidently this is a man who does not like to be rushed and the project he wanted to do next was the understated A Letter To Momo.Momo is a young girl who grew up in a big city. However, following the premature loss of her father, she has to move with her mother to the old family house on...

Nothing is sacred. The moment we heard that Akira was being adapted into a live-action movie, that meant that nearly every other last anime would eventually follow suit. Next up is Jin Roh: The Wolf Brigade, the 1998 anime from director Hiroyuki Okiura. This news comes from the Anime News Network (via AICN) where they report that Production I.G Vice President Maki Terashima-Furuta said that "somebody has the live-action rights, and somebody was planning to make a live-action Jin Roh, but at the moment, I have no comment." I think that means some big name is involved with this, but she isn't allowed to say who yet. Jin Roh: The Wolf Brigade is an anime set within Mamoru Oshii's Kerberos saga, an alternate history of a totalitarian Japan about what would happen if Japan lost World War II to Japan's friends - the Germans. The fascinating story follows a...

During this years Anime Expo, Production I.G vice-president Maki Terashima-Furuta acknowledged/confirmed that the live-action rights for Jin-Roh – The Wolf Brigade have been sold to “somebody” and that this “somebody” is planning to produce a live-action film based on Hiroyuki Okiura’s anime. However, she wouldn’t spill out any more details on the name of the buyer or when production will start.

I hope it’s a Japanese studio/record company so every role will be played by some young J-Pop star that will storm the charts with their cheesy title song that will also ruin every trailer.

Or maybe an Us studio that will dumb down the original to get a PG-13 rating and will just let “some Asian looking guy” (probably Keanu Reeves) take the lead. Can’t wait to see it…

The Jin-Roh universe has already been transferred into the real-world, Mamoru Oshii directed two films,...

Once my favorite animation house in Japan things have been relatively quiet on the Production Ig front in recent days. Sure, they’ve been busy contracting out on a number of projects but the amount of original material they’ve been working on has dropped off and what they have been doing - with the obvious exception of Mamoru Oshii’s Sky Crawlers - hasn’t been of any great interest to me. But that changes with their announcement of two brand new feature film projects.

Up first is The Abandoned Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror, a children’s oriented fantasy film. Ig are making a big deal over this one because it is the first feature to be developed using software developed by the company to convert 2D drawings into 3D animation - which sounds like an intriguing process as it should keep all the quirks and details...