Review of "Agito of the Silver Hair": Charming characters and a deep story

"Agito of the Silver Hair": A story of hope and conflict for the future

■Overview of the work

"Agito of the Silver Hair" is an original work produced by GONZO, an animated feature film released in 2006. Set on Earth 300 years in the future, when the "forest" has become sentient and begins attacking people due to a genetic engineering error, the film depicts the encounter and growth of a young boy, Agito, and a young girl, Tula, who has woken up from a 300-year slumber. Directed by Keiichi Sugiyama, based on an original story by Umanosuke Iida, and distributed by Shochiku, the 95-minute film has been praised for its epic scale and deep human drama.

■ Story

300 years into the future, Earth has seen the "forest" gain a will of its own due to a genetic engineering error, and has begun to attack people. Undaunted by this environment, Agito, a young boy, lives a tough and happy life. One day, he wakes up from a 300-year slumber and meets Tula, a young girl who holds the key to restoring civilization to the Earth. The two meet by fate on a devastated Earth, and while they are attracted to each other, they are confused by the differences in their upbringings, and grow up while struggling with conflict.

■Explanation

"Let's go, for our future"

On Earth, forests have started attacking people. One day, Agito, a boy living in a neutral city searching for ways to coexist with the forest, meets Tula, a girl who has been asleep inside a machine for 300 years. Tula holds the key to restoring the world to normal, but her mission comes with great danger. Where will the mission and forbidden power that toy with Agito and Tula lead the story?

■Cast

• Agito: Ryo Katsuji
• Tula: Aoi Miyazaki
• Yorda: Yuko Kotegawa
• Cain: Masaru Hamaguchi (Yoiko)
• Hajan: Toshikazu Nukawa
• Snack: Kenichi Endo
• Agassi: Ren Osugi
• Minka: Minami Omi
• Jessica: Atsuko Yuya
• Beli: Kurumi Mamiya
• Zerui: Tomoko Kaneda
• Dr. Sakur: Hideyuki Tanaka
• Nabe Oyaji: Mugihito
• Beard: Takahisa Houki
• Moustache: Takehiro Koyama
• Master: Hiroshi Naka
• Child Agito: Yumiko Kobayashi
• Maintenance Soldier: Mitsuaki Hoshino
• Announcer: Yukari Horie

■ Main staff

• Director: Keiichi Sugiyama
• Original story: Umanosuke Iida
• Screenplay: Nana Shiina, Naoko Kakimoto
• Character design: Takeshi Ogata
• Animation character design, chief animation director: Atsushi Yamagata
• Mechanical design: Kenji Ando, ​​Masahiro Maeda
• Assistant Director: Koji Yoshikawa
• Animation directors: Naoyuki Onda, Mitsuru Obara, Masami Goto, Keizo Ichikawa, Hideki Fukushima, Hideki Kakida
• Effects animation director: Akikazu Masuo
• Mechanical animation director: Koichi Usami
• Storyboard: Umanosuke Iida, Masahiro Maeda, Hiroyuki Kakudo, Keiichi Sugiyama
• Chief Director: Iwato
• Directed by: Masato Bessho, Yukio Takahashi, Kaoru Suzuki, Kenichi Shimizu, Kentaro Mizuno
• Settings: Seiji Sorita, Tomohiro Kawahara, Yosuke Nanjo, Kanetake Ebikawa
• Art setting: Hajime Sato, Rei Nakahara, Masanori Kikuchi
• 3D Director: Takayuki Masuo
• 3DCG Director: Yasufumi Soejima
• Visual coordinator: Eriko Murata
• Director of photography: Harutsugu Ishiguro
• Edited by: Fumi Hida
• Sound Director: Kazuhiro Wakabayashi
• Music: Taku Iwasaki
• Music producer: Shiro Sasaki
• Music Production: Victor Entertainment
• Producers: Maki Horiuchi, Koji Kajita, Yoshiyoshi Kobayashi, Tsutomu Yanagimura, Noboru Sugiyama, Yasuaki Kurata
• Animation producers: Shunichi Kozō, Yuji Hori, Hisaaki Sakabe
• Animation Production: GONZO
• Production: Silver Hair Agito Production Committee (Media Factory, GDH, Shochiku, Yahoo! JAPAN, TV Asahi, Dentsu)
• Distributor: Shochiku

■ Main Characters

• Agito: A boy who lives in a neutral city. He has a pure and innocent personality, like a grown-up small child, and is the type who acts before thinking too much. He falls in love with Tula, who came from the past world, and undergoes the ritual to strengthen his body in order to gain the power to save her.
• Tula: A girl who has been asleep in the stay field for 300 years. Her father was a researcher in the Global Greening Project. Although she has a reserved side to people, she is actually a considerate and kind person. She is shocked by the changes in the future world and tries to do something about it.
• Shunack: A young man from the past, he is intelligent and has a competitive personality. He awakened five years earlier than Tula, and underwent a strengthening ceremony in a neutral city, but rebelled and joined the Laguna army. He ended up becoming the vanguard that burned down the forest. He is currently the colonel in charge of Tria City.
• Cain: Agito's childhood friend. With a strong sense of justice and a good physique, he leads Agito. He is anxious because Agito is insensitive to his sister Minka's secret feelings and shows no sign of noticing.
• Minka: Agito's childhood friend. At the local diner, she is an idol-like figure, cheerful and reliable. She likes taking care of people, and takes good care of the lazy Agito. Furthermore, she has a slight crush on Agito.
• Hajan: Minka and Cain's father. He underwent a ritual to strengthen his body in order to protect his family and the town. He usually devotes himself to blacksmithing, but if necessary, he will fight with all his might. He is a good-natured man who likes alcohol.
• Yorda: Representative of the neutral city. Calm, collected, and knowledgeable. Together with Agassi and Cain's father, he cut down the forest to create the neutral city. The three also underwent the ritual to become strengthened bodies and fought against the Ragna forces. Since then, they have been bound together by a strong sense of solidarity. He is also a good friend of Agito, always watching over him with a warm heart, as he is a motherless man.
• Agassi: Agito's father. He has traveled all over the world, but after undergoing the ritual of strengthening with Yorda and Hajan, he created a neutral city. After a fierce battle with the Ragna army, his current appearance is...
• Jessica: A major under Shunack. She was sent to Tria City by the Central Command of the Laguna Army to monitor Shunack. She keeps a distance from him in order to find out his secret purpose.
• Bely: The twin spokesman who conveys the will and various demands of the "Forest". He is related to Zerui as a twin. He has no physical body and can only be seen by enhanced humans.
• Zerui: The twin spokesperson for the Forest, conveying its will and various demands. He is related to Bely as a twin. He has no physical form and can only be seen by enhanced humans.
• Dr. Sakur: Tula's father, a scientist who promoted the Earth Greening Project. He was so absorbed in his research that he neglected his family. He feels responsible for the world being devastated when the project failed, and does his best to resolve the situation...

■ Theme songs and music

• OP1: Chowa oto ~with reflection~
  • Lyricist: KOKIA
  • Composer: KOKIA
  • Arrangement: Takeshi Senoo
  • Sung by: KOKIA
• ED1: Melody of Love (soundtrack ver.)
  • Lyricist: KOKIA
  • Composer: KOKIA
  • Arrangement: Taisuke Sawachika
  • Sung by: KOKIA

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Agito of the Silver Hair" is a work that combines a grand worldview with deep human drama. The setting, which is set on Earth 300 years in the future, when the "forest" has become sentient and started attacking people due to a genetic manipulation gone wrong, has left a strong impact on viewers. In addition, the story, which depicts hopes and conflicts for the future through the meeting and growth of the boy Agito and the girl Tula, has captured the hearts of many people.

In particular, the scenes where Agito's pure and innocent personality and Tula's kindness intersect resonate with viewers. The scene where Agito decides to undergo the strengthening ceremony in order to save Tula, and Tula's determination to do something despite being shocked by the changes in the future world, leave a strong impression on viewers.

Additionally, the supporting characters such as Shunak, Cain, and Minka are also fascinating, and their backgrounds and conflicts add depth to the story. The individuality of each character, such as Shunak's struggles as a young man from the past, Cain's sense of justice and compassion for his sister, and Minka's reliable and caring nature, enrich the story.

In addition, the direction of director Keiichi Sugiyama and the beautiful visuals of character designer Tsuyoshi Ogata have also been praised. In particular, the 3D images by 3D director Takayuki Masuo realistically depicted the landscape of a devastated Earth, creating a visual impact. In addition, the magnificent soundtrack by music composer Taku Iwasaki is also an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the story.

■ Background and production secrets of the work

"Agito of the Silver Hair" is an original animation produced by GONZO. GONZO has previously worked on popular works such as "LAST EXILE" and "Full Metal Panic!", and expectations were high due to the high quality of the work. In particular, this work has succeeded in enhancing the visual expressiveness by actively incorporating 3D images.

The original creator, Umanosuke Iida, is known as a science fiction writer, and his unique worldview is reflected in this work. Iida's depiction of the future depicts the progress of science and technology and the risks that come with it, encouraging viewers to think deeply.

During the production process, character designer Tsuyoshi Ogata repeatedly reworked the visuals of Agito and Tula before settling on the current designs, while mechanic designers Kenji Ando and Masahiro Maeda designed mecha that matched the devastated Earth landscape, solidifying the worldview of the story.

In addition, Taku Iwasaki, the composer, collaborated with a number of orchestras to create a magnificent soundtrack. The result is beautiful music that enhances the atmosphere of the story. KOKIA's singing voice, who sang the theme song, is also an important element that doubles the emotional impact of the story.

■Influence and evaluation of the work

"Agito of the Silver Hair" was highly praised from the time of its release. In particular, the story, which combines a grand worldview with deep human drama, was highly praised by many viewers. The beautiful visuals and music were also highly praised, and the film was praised for its high level of completion as a theatrical animation.

This work was noted as demonstrating new possibilities for science fiction animation, and influenced many subsequent works. In particular, the use of 3D images and the depiction of deep human drama had a major impact on later animation works. Furthermore, themes such as genetic manipulation and environmental issues reflect issues facing modern society, and the work was praised for encouraging deep reflection in the viewer.

Furthermore, this work also became a platform for young voice actors such as Ryo Katsuji and Aoi Miyazaki to shine, and had a major impact on their careers. Ryo Katsuji's role as Agito and Aoi Miyazaki's role as Tula in particular left a strong impression on viewers, helping to raise their reputations.

■ Recommendations and related works

"Agito of the Silver Hair" is recommended for those who enjoy science fiction animation and deep human drama. It is a must-see for those who are looking for a spectacular world view, beautiful visuals, and a moving story. It is also recommended for those who are interested in themes such as genetic manipulation and environmental issues.

Related works include "LAST EXILE" and "Full Metal Panic!", both produced by GONZO. These works also depict a grand worldview and deep human drama, and fans of "Agito of the Silver Hair" will enjoy them. In addition, "Ghost in the Shell" and "Evangelion", which are highly acclaimed science fiction animations, are also recommended as related works. These works also have deep themes and beautiful visuals that can be enjoyed.

In addition, we also recommend other works by KOKIA, who was in charge of the music. In particular, KOKIA's beautiful singing voice and the magnificent soundtrack are important elements that double the excitement of "Agito of Silver Hair". Fans will also enjoy KOKIA's other albums and concerts.

Conclusion

"Agito of the Silver Hair" is a moving science fiction animation that combines a spectacular worldview with deep human drama. The setting, set 300 years in the future on Earth, where the "forest" has become sentient and started attacking people due to a genetic manipulation gone wrong, leaves a strong impact on viewers. In addition, the story, which depicts hopes and conflicts for the future through the encounter and growth of the boy Agito and the girl Tula, has captured the hearts of many people.

This work has been highly praised for many elements, including beautiful visuals and music, fascinating characters, and profound themes. In particular, the use of 3D images and the depiction of deep human drama had a major influence on later animation works. Furthermore, themes such as genetic manipulation and environmental issues reflect issues facing modern society, and the work has been praised for encouraging deep reflection in the viewer.

"Agito of the Silver Hair" is recommended for those who enjoy science fiction animation and deep human drama. It is a must-see for those who want a spectacular world view, beautiful visuals, and a moving story. It is also recommended for those who are interested in themes such as genetic manipulation and environmental issues. Please experience this moving work.