New SOS Great Tokyo Explorers: A thorough look at the appeal of fascinating urban adventures

New SOS Great Tokyo Expedition Team - The ultimate in adventure and technology

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

October 27, 2006 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Shochiku

■Frequencies

40 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Katsuhiro Otomo ("SOS Great Tokyo Expedition Team" published by Kodansha)

■ Director

Shinji Takagi

■ Production

Animation Production: Sunrise Emotion Studio Production: Sunrise Production: Bandai Visual, Sunrise

■Works

© Katsuhiro Otomo, Kodansha, Bandai Visual, Sunrise

■ Story

Summer 2006. Fifth grader Ryuhei Ozaki finds a notebook written by his father Shohei when he was an elementary school student titled "The Great Tokyo Exploration Record." Ryuhei invites his chat buddies Shun and Yoshio to form a new expedition team. One day during summer vacation, the four of them, including his younger brother Sasuke who tagged along, go down a manhole underground in search of a secret treasure marked on a map. Eventually, the boys accidentally meet Matayoshi who lives underground, and discover that the world they thought was deserted is inhabited by many shady but kind adults.
The children are welcomed by the residents, but something seems to have gone awry, as the elderly Yamashita, who claims to be a survivor of the former Japanese Army, and even Yoshio's cousin Momoyo get caught up in the affair, and the neighborhood becomes a battlefield of extremist firebombs and bullets from .38 rifles. What is the true identity of the "Japanese treasure" hidden underground?

■Explanation

Superb entertainment that advances the worldview of the original work!
At the 19th Tokyo International Film Festival and its sponsored project, "animecs TIFF 2006," a new animated film was unveiled as its world premiere, despite being a 40-minute medium-length film, and was met with rapturous acclaim - this was the "Shin SOS Daitokyo Tankentai." Based on Katsuhiro Otomo's short manga "SOS Daitokyo Tankentai" (first published in the April 1980 issue of "Manga Shonen"/Asahi Sonorama), the film is a bold sequel that incorporates ideas that were not depicted at the time.
This work takes the digital technology cultivated in "Steamboy" a step further and challenges new frontiers in 3D animation. The natural and powerful character portrayal, which is a departure from conventional 3DCG, has attracted much attention from all quarters, especially in the anime industry. A truly groundbreaking 3D animation has been born that inherits the techniques of traditional Japanese cel animation.
But the highlight of this work is not only the technical aspects, the life-sized depiction of the boys' "summer adventure tale" is sure to captivate many. The audience themselves become part of the expedition, and are sure to be amazed and enjoy the various events they encounter deep underground in Tokyo. The film is produced by Sunrise Emotion Studio, the creators of "Steamboy," and brings together a team of elite staff including director Takagi Shinji. While it is not a flashy blockbuster, the film is an excellent work that paves the way for a new era. Otomo Katsuhiro also gave it high praise, saying, "It's a great honor for me as the original author. It's my favorite animation of recent years."

■Cast

Ryuhei Ozaki, Sanae Kobayashi, Sasuke (Satoshi Ozaki), Akiko Yajima, Shun Sakuragi, Sayaka Aida, Yoshio Okido, Takami Umeda, Momoyo Takiyama, Yu Asakawa, Matayoshi, Kozo Shioya, Sojiro Yamashita, Satoshi Shimada, Shohei Ozaki, Kazunari Futamata, George, Unsho Ishizuka

■ Main staff

・Original work: "SOS Great Tokyo Expedition Team" by Katsuhiro Otomo (Kodansha)
・Character design / Katsuhiro Otomo・Screenplay / Sadayuki Murai・Character design, animation director / Shuichi Obara・Effects animation director / Takashi Hashimoto・Animation assistant / Mitsunori Murata・Art director / Junichi Taniguchi・Color design / Nagisa Abe・CGI director / Masashi Kokubo・Modeling chief / Hiroki Yamada・Animation chief / Tomonari Nakajima・Compositing chief / Mitsuhiro Sato・Sound and music director / Keiichi Momose・Music / Yoshihiro Ike・Animation production / Sunrise Emotion Studio・Production / Sunrise・Production / Bandai Visual, Sunrise・Director / Shinji Takagi

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

"SOS Great Tokyo Explorers" is a 40-minute mid-length animation released in 2006, based on Katsuhiro Otomo's short manga "SOS Great Tokyo Explorers". This work is a bold adaptation of the worldview of the original work, born as a crystallization of new adventures and technology. Below, we will explain in detail the appeal and recommended points of this work.

The appeal of the story

The story begins when Ryuhei Ozaki finds "The Great Tokyo Exploration Record," written by his father, Shohei, when they were elementary school students. Ryuhei invites his chat buddies, Shun and Yoshio, to form a new expedition team. One day during summer vacation, Ryuhei's younger brother, Sasuke, joins them, and the four of them go down a manhole underground and begin their adventure. Underground, they meet a man named Matayoshi, and learn of the existence of suspicious but good-natured adults living there. However, the peaceful underground world is transformed into a battlefield of flying Molotov cocktails and bullets when an old man named Yamashita, who claims to be a survivor of the former Japanese Army, and Yoshio's cousin, Momoyo, get caught up in the conflict. What is the true identity of the "treasure of Japan" hidden underground, and where will the boys' adventure lead? The story unfolds in a way that draws the viewer in.

Technological innovation

This work takes the digital technology cultivated in "Steamboy" a step further, and challenges new frontiers in 3D animation. It is characterized by natural and powerful character depictions that set it apart from conventional 3DCG, and has attracted attention from all quarters, particularly in the anime industry. It can be said to be a work that maximizes the possibilities of 3D animation while inheriting the techniques of traditional Japanese cel animation. In particular, the depiction of the underground world and the realism of the action scenes leave a strong impression on the audience.

Character Appeal

The characters in this work are depicted as life-size boys, and their growth, friendship, and adventurous spirit are realistically portrayed. The performances of the voice actors, including Kobayashi Sanae as Ozaki Ryuhei, Yajima Akiko as Sasuke, Aida Sayaka as Sakuragi Shun, and Umeda Takami as Okido Yoshio, are also superb, and the characters' personalities stand out. Additionally, the adults who live in the underground world, such as Matayoshi, Yamashita Roujin, and George, are also charming and play an important role in adding excitement to the boys' adventure.

Music and Sound

The music was composed by Yoshihiro Ike, and the beautiful melodies that bring out the tension and excitement of the adventure are memorable. The sound effects and background music arranged by Keiichi Momose, the sound director, are also exquisite, realistically recreating the atmosphere of the underground world. In particular, the detailed sound effects, such as the sounds of Molotov cocktails and bullets, and the sounds of underground water, enhance the realism of the work.

Recommended points

"SOS Great Tokyo Expeditionary Team" is a work that combines a moving story of adventure and friendship with the latest 3D animation technology. Particular highlights are the charm of the characters, who realistically depict the boys' growth and friendship, the realistic depiction of the underground world, and the beautiful music and sound effects. In addition, the story development, which is a bold adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's original work, is also attractive and has the power to draw the audience in. Highly recommended not only for anime fans, but also for those who like stories about adventure and friendship.

Additional Information

This film was shown as its world premiere at the animecs TIFF 2006, a sponsored event of the 19th Tokyo International Film Festival, where it was met with rapturous acclaim. The film was produced by a team of elite staff including director Takagi Shinji, utilizing the technical capabilities of Sunrise Emotion Studio. Katsuhiro Otomo also gave it high praise, saying, "It's a great honor for me as the original author. It's my favorite animation of recent years."

Related Titles

The original work for this film, "SOS Great Tokyo Explorers" by Katsuhiro Otomo, was published in the April issue of "Manga Shonen" in 1980. Other works by Katsuhiro Otomo include "AKIRA" and "Steamboy", which are also recommended for anime fans. In particular, "Steamboy" was produced by Sunrise Emotion Studio, just like this film, and there are technical similarities between the two.

How to watch

After its theatrical release, "SOS Great Tokyo Expeditionary Team" was also released on DVD and Blu-ray. It is also available on some video streaming services. If you are an anime fan or like adventure stories, be sure to give it a watch. A moving story about the adventures of the underground world and the growth of the boys awaits you.

summary

"SOS Great Tokyo Expeditionary Team" is a work that combines a moving story of adventure and friendship with the latest 3D animation technology. Highlights include the charm of the characters that realistically depict the boys' growth and friendship, the realistic depiction of the underground world, and the beautiful music and sound effects. Another attractive feature is the bold story development that is an adaptation of Katsuhiro Otomo's original work, which has the power to draw the audience in. Highly recommended not only for anime fans, but also for those who like stories of adventure and friendship. Please watch it at least once and experience its charm for yourself.