Movies - Appleseed

Home > Listing Index > Movies > Appleseed

	Movies - Appleseed

Appleseed (Japanese: アップルシ－ド Appurushīdo) is a science fiction manga created by Masamune Shirow which, like much of his work, merges elements of the cyberpunk and mecha genres with a heavy dosage of politics, philosophy, and sociology. As of 2005, four books have been released between 1985 and 1989. There have also been a several adaptations for TV, film and video games.

Manga

Originally published in Japan in 1985, Book One Appleseed: The Promethean Challenge was published directly to paperback instead of being serialized, a rarity in the Japanese manga market. This was soon followed by the publication of Book Two, Appleseed: Prometheus Unbound, Book Three Appleseed: The Scales of Prometheus in 1987, and Book Four Appleseed: The Promethean Balance in 1989.

In 1986, Appleseed won the Seiun Award — the Japanese equivalent of the Hugo Award — for Best Manga.

In 1990, Shirow produced the Appleseed Databook, a detailed look into the history, the people, and the technology found in the world of Appleseed.

From 1988 to 1992, Appleseed was published in English by Eclipse Comics, packaged by Studio Proteus. The manga is currently published by Dark Horse Comics. Book One of this edition was nominated for the Squiddy Award for New Continuing Series in 1989, and Book Three was nominated for the Squiddy Favorite Limited Series in 1990.

Appleseed Hypernotes was released in 1996 as a collected volume in Japan. It consisted of a four chapter story followed by technical information about the world, mechs, and equipment much like Appleseed Databook. Originally published in Comic Gaia in serial form, it was reprinted for readers in the United States in Super Manga Blast (issues 25-36), a Dark Horse Comics publication. According to , an online manga news site, one of the terms for Hypernotes publication stated that Appleseed Hypernotes could not be released in English as a collected format. The reason for this is because Shirow was unsatisfied with the work and wanted to fix it before releasing it as a complete book for English readers. It has been said that Appleseed Hypernotes was Book Five of the Appleseed series.

Shirow has stated that he originally planned the series to be composed of a total of ten books, but currently has made no plans to continue the series.

Adaptations

Appleseed was also the inspiration for two anime adaptations, the first an OVA released in 1988 and directed by Kazuyoshi Katayama, the second a CGI movie released in 2004 and directed by Shinji Aramaki.

Aramaki will also be directing the sequel to the 2004 movie which is set to be released in 2006, the movie will once again feature animated computer-generated imagery and John Woo is said to be involved its production. Also planned for 2006 is a more traditionally animated 26 episode series and a PlayStation 2 game by Sega.

Characters in the 2004 CGI movie

Deunan Knute

The daughter of Carl and Dr. Gilliam Knute, Deunan, who is considered as a highly skilled warrior, has spent almost her entire life fighting in a war that was, for the most part, over. It was not until she was captured by an ES.W.A.T. (Extra Special Weapons And Tactics) team in the middle of a ruined city, led by Hitomi and her former lover Briareos, that she was finally evacuated from the Badlands. When she arrived in Olympus, the change of environnment was severe, but it was a greater shock to her when she found that Briareos had lost over 75% of his original body during the last Global War and was now a cyborg.

The day after she was brought to the city of Olympus, Deunan learnt that over half of the population of the city was composed of artificial humans called Bioroïds. She also found out that her new friend, Hitomi, was one herself. Deunan also discovers that other people are looking for her... mostly because she possesses, without knowing it, the secret of "Appleseed". That interest will become important when Hitomi's life will be at risk and that the "Appleseed Data" will be needed to save her. But that would mean defying the powerful Olympus Regular Army (O.R.A.), composed at 100% of humans and under the command of General Edward Uranus III and Colonel Hades.

Briareos « Bri » Hecatonchires

At one time, Briareos was Deunan Knute's lover, as well as a comarade-in-arms in battle. During a year of hard separation for both of them, he was severly injured on the North African front. When Hitomi and the Elders saved him, he had over seventy-five percent of his body replaced by state-of-the-art mechanical components, making him a highly advanced cyborg. During Deunan's stay in Olympus he will be assigned, by his ES.W.A.T superiors, to protect her and will also start to search for the "Appleseed Data".

Athena Areios

Prime minister of Olympus, Athena Areios is a first-generation Bioroid created by Deunan's mother, Dr. Gilliam Knute. Because she is a first-generation Bioroid, she doesn't have the emotional limitations the second-generation has, so she has greater latitude to use "extraordinary" methods to try to find Deunan. Of course, she also runs the risk that either the Council of Elders or General Uranus would find out and take action against her, so she, along with her chief-of staff Nike, have to be very careful.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Appleseed ]

This page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article Appleseed; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.