Ninja Assassin - Ninja Assassin packs punch

Ninja Assassin
Director: James McTeigue
Stars: Rain, Naomie Harris, Sho Kosugi
Classification: 18A

Ninja Assassin is a modern take on an old story.

Martial arts, anime appeal and modern action filmmaking is alive and well in Ninja Assassin, the latest by director James McTeigue (V for Vendetta).

A modern take on an old story, the movie shows blood-spitting ninja fight sequences with manga-like exaggeration. And who doesn’t like ninjas?

McTeigue opts for flashy visual effects and darkened artistry, mixing up a traditional genre with modern-day action, complete with secret agents, Europol and a brigade of armed agents with machine guns.

The ripped and conflicted protagonist Raizo is played by Korean pop star Rain, who proves he can chop the part in a martial arts flick, however modernized with acrobatic moves and blood-gore effects.

They couldn’t resist throwing in a reference to his boy-band past when an agent makes a comment on his looks.

The storyline gets a little convoluted when Europol gets involved in the ninja-genre story of frayed loyalties and retribution.

The setting jumps to Berlin where forensic researcher Mika Coretti, played be Naomie Harris (28 Days Later), defies the orders of her superior when she discovers a money trail that leads to the elusive assassins of the east.

She quickly becomes the target of the deadly Ozuno Clan who seem to have considerably enhanced qualities, moving like shadowy figures with silence and stealth, until they face the main character Raizo.

Raizo’s back story is solid in martial arts style, an orphan who is trained to be a killer, enduring harsh discipline in training sequences, a conflict of loyalty and forbidden love.

Martial arts master Sho Kosugi plays the ruthless father of the Ozuno Clan, adding presence to the genre, delivering lines of wisdom.

Although the movie packs some serious action punch with fight scenes that are wickedly vivid and bloody, there are a few moments that reveal its weaknesses, from cheesy one-liners to borderline acting.

But if Quentin Tarantino’s style can be said to stay true in the retro realm, McTeigue ventures into new territory by molding old influences like film noir, B-movie horror, anime and martial arts into a modern action film in Ninja Assassin.

Anime Review: Claymore

by Josh Viel, 24 Nov 2009 15:14

When it comes to anime, I tend to look toward action-based series with a cautious eye. Too often, it seems, writers for action series take the easy route and fill them with paper-thin characters and nonexistent stories. Entertaining at times, perhaps, but entertainment at its most basic. Which is why, when I first read up about Claymore, and found that the series was essentially described as "girl that wield giant swords fight monsters," I was not enthusiastic. "Oh great," I remember thinking, "this is going to be another giant mess of incessant and needless fight scenes with no plot and too much fan-service."

Fortunately, I am happy to inform you that I was utterly and completely wrong.

Now, the setting of Claymore isn't particularly unique: In a fantasy world modeled on - what else? - medieval Europe, an organization consisting almost entirely of tall, blond, female warriors who wield large Claymores hunt down demonic creatures known as "yoma" to protect humans. Well, okay. The group of protagonists being comprised almost entirely by tall blond women isn't very common, especially in a shonen series, but still; this is essentially a "good guys versus demons" show, and it would be an understatement to say "that's been done before." So what's so special about this one?

Perhaps the most important element that sets Claymore apart from the rest is its intensely character-driven story. Whereas many action shows shove character development to the wayside to make room for... well, more action, the characters in Claymore are at the forefront of everything; they drive the action. Because the story flows out of the decisions of the characters, there is a clear sense that actions do have consequences - something that's oddly lacking in many other shows. So don't expect an abundance of deus ex machina devices to bail the characters out of their bad decisions. This makes it much harder to predict the outcome of fights, because there are few characters you can easily bet on just because the plot dictates that they can't die.

The dark themes of the setting also provide plenty of opportunities for character development. The secret behind the Claymores (the name given to the blade-wielding women by everyone else in this fantasy world, due to the swords they carry) is that yoma flesh has been implanted into their bodies in order to enhance their abilities. This comes at the cost of constantly having to battle against their yoma side, lest they "awaken" and become the very thing they despise. Additionally, those responsible for the creation and administration of the Claymores view them as completely expendable, quickly creating friction between the organization and its own foot-soldiers.

Unfortunately, the story starts to drag near the end, as the fights take longer and longer and become increasingly over-the-top. This would be less of a problem if the ending made up for it, but Claymore is sadly lacking in that area as well. Like many anime series, Claymore is based on a serialized manga series. And like many such anime series, the anime version of Claymore began production while the manga was still unfinished - in fact, the Claymore manga is still ongoing as of this writing. Suffice it to say, Claymore ends on a cliffhanger, leaving major plot threads hanging.

This is not to say that the ending is handled badly. In fact, for a series that is dedicated to following the manga's plot, the ending of Claymore is handled quite well. It ends at a logical point, at the climax of a major story arc, rather than in the middle of an arc like other series I could name. And it does tie up a number (but certainly not all) of the major and minor plot threads. Still, it was a disappointment to see the otherwise excellent series end without a true conclusion.

Visually, the series is outstanding, with fluid fight scenes and crisp animation. Still, there was one issue I found with the art, and it really has more to do with character design rather than the art itself: Every Claymore has blond hair, silver eyes, and wears an identical outfit. Now think about the amount of facial detail you tend to get with the typical anime art-style and you'll begin to see why this could be a problem. It doesn't really rear its head for most of the series, however, in the last few episodes there are two dozen Claymores gathered at one place for a major confrontation, and nearly every scene just devolves into a guessing game.

Naruto Shippuden Accel 3 (PSP) New PV // PSP『火影忍者 疾风传 究极觉醒3』新PV

The man inside the "Naruto Shippuden Narutimate Accel 3 Commercial Trailer PSP" above is Kazuhiko INOUE (Kakashi Hatake) and the woman is Junko TAKEUCHI (Naruto Uzumaki) in NARUTO.

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Discontent Seeps Into Japan's Anime Studios

Low Pay, Long Hours and Dwindling Demand Change the Plot for Animation Juggernaut

By YUKA HAYASHI

TOKYO—Anime, Japan's stylized animation that has become hugely popular around the world, helped reshape the country's image as a cultural trend-setter. But behind the scenes, things aren't so rosy.

Japan's animation industry is struggling. Anime workers are unhappy, toiling long hours at low pay. Sales have been declining. On top of that, there is fast-growing competition from across Asia. Studios in China and South Korea now churn out high-quality anime-style programs, helped by cheaper labor and, in some cases, government subsidies.

The Decline of Anime

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An 18-meter robot hero from the popular animation series "Gundam" was installed in Tokyo in July.

In a nation once known for its manufactured goods, anime has grown into Japan's most popular cultural export, influencing animation artistry world-wide, with a following among adults as well as children. The anime movie "Spirited Away" won the 2002 Academy Award for best animated feature, and before that the Pokemon franchise was a television staple and box-office success in the U.S., not to mention a trading-card and merchandising frenzy.

A shrinking population of children in Japan has discouraged toy makers, television networks and other traditional sponsors from funding new programs. That has driven many anime studios—most of which are small shops—toward making animated soft porn and violent movies targeted at adult audiences. At the same time, YouTube and other free Internet services have hurt sales of DVDs. Sales of Japanese-made anime DVDs slid 18% from a year earlier to 72.8 billion yen (about $800 million) in 2008, after peaking at 93.7 billion yen in 2006, according to the Japan Video Software Association, a trade group.

Morale is low. Industry executives estimate nine out of 10 new workers quit within three years, with the many talented employees leaving for better-paying jobs in areas like videogames. A survey conducted this year for industry executives showed that animators in their 20s made just 1.1 million yen ($11,000) a year on average, while those in their 30s earned 2.1 million yen.

Yasuna Tadanaga, 23 years old, left her position as an animator at a small Tokyo studio last year, only six months after landing what she thought was her dream job. To meet deadlines, Ms. Tadanaga worked 13 to 14 hours each day. During one month, she was given just one day off.

Tough Times for Anime's Animators

3:30

A new generation of anime workers in Japan are struggling to stay afloat in a declining industry.

"The unspoken understanding was we worked on weekends because we loved the work," Ms. Tadanaga said. "We had to have a very good reason to take a day off."

Most young animators work as freelancers and often lack benefits. Many are paid by the number of sketches they produce, and that price has changed little in three decades.

Rie Otani, 22, grew up watching anime after school and dreamed of becoming an animator. After two years of training at a trade school, she joined Telecom Animation FilmCo., a Tokyo studio that participated in the production of "Spirited Away."

But like creative professionals starting out in competitive industries elsewhere, she discovered that the job involved more drudgery than glamour. Her contract position as an entry-level animator requires her to stare at a computer screen for nearly 12 hours a day.

Ms. Otani's goal is 300 sketches a month, and her monthly take-home pay sometimes falls below 100,000 yen ($1,050).

A History of Japanese Anime

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"I enjoy working with all these people who all love anime," says the tall, pony-tailed Ms. Otani, who draws pictures that connect key sketches to create moving images. "But I make so little money, and I worry if I can ever leave my parents and start on my own."

Even the president of Telecom Animation expresses some dismay about the state of the anime world. "The industry has become decadent and fatigued," says Koji Takeuchi, president of Telecom Animation, which is housed in an aging suburban building above a grocery store. "So many pieces are dark and oppressive, and the message of hope and fun is no longer there."

Mr. Takeuchi says his studio has taken steps to help its young employees, such as providing a more affordable health-insurance plan. He says he also promotes skilled animators to permanent positions.

The Japanese government says it is trying to support the industry, with plans to increase spending on education and training young animators and allocating more funds toward film marketing. But nurturing home-grown talent has become more difficult as Japanese companies increasingly outsource anime drawing to studios in China, South Korea and Vietnam, where labor costs are lower.

Osamu Yamazaki, a 47-year-old director of anime films, worries that moving the production process overseas will diminish Japan's ability to cultivate creative talent.

"People have tremendous power by just being young," he says. "Without young blood, we'll lose our ability to think flexibly and creatively."

Write to Yuka Hayashi at yuka.hayashi@wsj.com

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More In Tech

Nintendo Video-On-Demand Service Set for Japan Launch- Source: Siliconera

"Theater Room" channel will allow users to watch feature films and TV shows via their Wii console.

The Japan-exclusive Wii no Ma ("Wii's Room") channel is about to get an upgrade that will add the ability for users to watch movies and TV shows via their Wii console. Tomorrow, Nintendo will push an upgrade that will add a theater space called Theater no Ma ("Theater Room").

The service will give the console video-on-demand capabilities much like those seen on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Support for the Japanese service will come from companies such as Walt Disney Japan, Warner Brothers Japan, NTV, NHK, Pokemon Corporation, TV Asahi, Sesame Workshop, J League Media, Asmik Ace, Toei, Warp Star, Howcast, and Bonus. Screenshots reveal content such as movies like "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", episodes of the Kirby anime, and several Sesame Street programs featuring Elmo.

Exact content and pricing has yet to be announced, but screenshots reveal a ¥100 pricing for the rental of an episode of Kirby. One interesting technical note is that videos will be able to be transferred to a Nintendo DSi and viewed on the handheld.

Theater no Ma has only been announced for Japan, but Lazard Capital Markets analyst Colin Sebastian recently told Gamasutra that he expects Nintendo to "launch a service in the U.S., establishing a family-oriented media hub in the living room, and providing a more competitive option to Xbox Live and PlayStation Home".

Neal Ronaghan, Contributing Writer

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• Game: Wii Channels
• Company: Nintendo

'SKY CRAWLERS: INNOCENT ACES' FOR Wii STARTS ITS FINAL DESCENT INTO EUROPE

'SKY CRAWLERS: INNOCENT ACES' FOR Wii STARTS ITS FINAL DESCENT INTO EUROPE

NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe to Launch Flight Action Title Based on Acclaimed Anime Feature Film in PAL Regions February 2010 -

CERGY-PONTOISE, FRANCE–19 November 2009– NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S today confirmed the Europe and PAL release of Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces, the flight action game exclusively for Wii based on the acclaimed 2008 Japanese anime feature film from internationally renowned director Mamoru Oshii. The game will bring its unique blend of high altitude fighter action and beguiling Japanese anime production values to Wii players in Europe and beyond on February 2010.

Developed by Project Aces, the team behind Ace Combat at NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc. in Japan, Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces pushes the Wii hardware to the extremes of its capabilities, delivering an impressively hi-fidelity rendition of intense arcade-style aerial combat. The Wii Nunchuk is used as a joystick to control the planes in flight, and the high altitude action is supplemented with over 30 minutes of gorgeous anime cinematics. The brand new story has been created by the Project Aces team in close collaboration with the licensor, keeping faithful to the Sky Crawlers universe.

“The talented Project Aces team here in Tokyo have worked very hard to make the best possible flight game on Wii and we are very proud with what we have achieved,” said Daisuke Uchiyama, producer NAMCO BANDAI Games Inc.“The control system lets players handle the game like a real aircraft using the Wii Nunchuk as a joystick, which is really a lot of fun for anyone who likes flight games.”

Fate/stay night Gets TV reproduction Special Editions (Updated)

To mark the theatrical release of Fate/stay night Unlimited Blade Works in January, Type-Moon's Fate/stay night television series will be recompiled into two special edition DVD/Blu-ray Disc volumes. Fate/stay night TV reproduction I and II will each re-edit and re-shoot the contents of 12 television episodes. Both volumes will ship on January 22.

New songs are being produced for the TV reproduction volumes' opening and ending sequences, and new opening animation footage is also being included in them. Sachi Tainaka will re-record her "disillusion" opening theme song from the television series with reworked arrangement and vocals. The TV reproduction I volume will feature a new song by "Jukai [Jyukai] feat. Sachi Tainaka" as its ending theme, while TV reproduction II will use a new Tainaka song as its ending theme.

TV reproduction's opening and TV reproduction II's ending will also ship on a CD single on January 20, the same day that Tainaka's 11th CD single with Fate/stay night Unlimited Blade Works' theme song will also ship.

Source: Neowing (link 2, link 3)

Image © Type-Moon/Fate Project

Update: According to CDJapan (the English-language counterpart to Neowing) and Amazon Japan, the two TV reproduction volumes are each 60 minutes long. Thanks, Jarmel.

KLue - Love anime? Geek out with the experts at Animation Asia Conference

KLue - Love anime? Geek out with the experts at Animation Asia Conference

The Anime Festival Asia (AFA) is Southeast Asia's "biggest event celebrating all things related to Japanese animation and popular culture". While the AFA is set to happen on 21 and 22 Nov in Suntec Convention and Exhibition Hall in Singapore, its more serious brother the Animation Asia Conference will take place a day before. (20 Nov) If you're just as serious about anime, this conference is a must-go.

Toaru Majutsu no Index とある魔術の禁書目録

The story starts in a big city where 2.3 million people reside; it is so big that it occupies most of the western region of Tokyo. As 80% of the citizens are students, it is called an academic city. They have special curriculums that develop supernatural abilities, and the students are sorted into different levels, from level 0 to level 5, depending on their supernatural power. The protagonist, Komijo Toma, is also a student but he is ranked level 0, and is close to dropping out of the school. In his right hand, there resides a special power, “Imagine Breaker”, that nullifies any other supernatural powers; the power even nullifies the saving grace of God. One day, during the summer break, a Sister in white falls into his room from the air. The nun says that she is running away from the magical world, and names herself Index, or the Index of Prohibited Books. Although he lives in a city in which supernatural powers are taken for granted, he cannot help but suspect the fantastic story told by this girl who must have given him a false name. At that very moment, two wizards appear. Their target is the girl in white, Index.