Directors: Takayuki Hamana
Starring: Kouichi Yamadera, David Matranga, Maaya Sakamoto, Luci Christian, Ami Koshimizu, Caitlin Glass, Hiro Shimono, Micah Solusod, Jouji Nakata, Mike McFarland
Running Time: 282 minutes
Certificate: 12
Extras: A making of for each episode.
Almost all anime and manga fans will be familiar with the Appleseed franchise, whether that be through films or the books. APPLESEED XIII is the first time the story has been brought to life as a series. It may be a furious action piece, but the show’s biggest draw is also where it partially fails. APPLESEED XIII is comprised of 13 episodes, each of which was produced by a different production company. Although the designs of characters and vocal work remain the same, there are often a number of clear differences that, aesthetically, make the show inconsistent. Sometimes the faces are bland and lifeless, but another episode shows details that were absent before. They aren’t huge changes, but they do make it harder to immerse in the world.
In a world where the Earth’s population has been halved thanks to war, an elite team of agents must keep the peace. Set in a world inhabited by both humans and cyborgs, the world is a vastly different place. You’d never know that from this series though, as everything is delivered as being exceptionally normal. It’s a huge plus to not have to wade through dialogue filled with exposition, and instead we’re just plonked down in a fully realised world which we have to pay attention to in order to catch up. It allows for the action packed plotlines to remain focused on throughout.
The big divider here is the animation. This is CG anime style that incorporates motion capture. The motion capture element is jarring at first due to the traditional style of anime being very still at times. Here, even background characters are swaying back and forth, and subtle movements such as shoulder shrugs are commonplace. It’s something many viewers will be used to, but others will find it hard to concentrate. It also means that the lip movements do not translate well to the dub, as they are far more accurate to the original Japanese language. On the plus side, the animation does make great use of lighting, and more importantly reflective qualities that anime usually can’t replicate. This results in striking sunsets and cool dusk set sequences.
Despite the body and lip movement being bolder, the facial expressions still seem to lack a human quality. With so much motion on display, the dead eyes of the characters are just unsettling. Fortunately, the main character of Deunan is a likable heroine who mixes femininity and strength. She starts off as the gung-ho rookie, but it’s her relationship with her cyborg partner that allows for us to connect. This is the saving grace of the show, as the animation, 80s techno music, and a few moments of forced voice-over work, fall into the category of love it or hate it.
Extras: Although it makes for an inconsistent show in terms of animation quality, the 1 studio per episode makes for some fascinating making of footage. Every episode has an accompanying ‘making of’ which looks at the different studios. Some are more experienced in shows, while others have worked primarily in games. The animators themselves are a lovable bunch of characters, and each has their own interpretation on the material. A fine watch that enhances the show itself.
APPLESEED XIII is released on DVD and Blu-ray on 7th October via Manga Entertainment.
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