The appeal and evaluation of "Tekkonkinkreet": A deep look into the story and characters

The appeal and reputation of Tekkonkinkrete

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

December 23, 2006 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Asmik Ace

■Frequencies

111 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

"Tekkonkinkreet" by Matsumoto Taiyo

■ Director

Michael Arias

■ Production

・Animation production: STUDIO4℃
Produced by: "Tekkonkinkreet" Production Committee (Aniplex, Asmik Ace, Shogakukan, Beyond C, Dentsu, TOKYO MX)

■Works

©2006 Matsumoto Taiyo / Shogakukan / Aniplex / Asmik Ace / Beyond C. / Dentsu / TOKYO MX

■ Story

Takaramachi is a "hell" town of loyalty, compassion and the Yakuza. It is the only home for two boys, Kuro and Shiro, who are "cats" that roam freely. However, the town is enveloped in an uneasy atmosphere as land speculation in the name of development, the Yakuza, violence, a mysterious "children's castle" construction project, the shadow of a sinister trio of assassins, and a man known as "Snake" appear. When Takaramachi changes dramatically, the destinies of these two people are also greatly shaken.

■Explanation

The film is based on the legendary masterpiece comic by Matsumoto Taiyo. It was directed by Michael Arias, who was a Warner Bros. producer on "The Animatrix". The film combines cutting-edge 3DCG technology with traditional hand-drawn animation to create a visual production full of unprecedented drive and flight. The director is Ando Hiroaki, who has worked on many of STUDIO4℃'s major works, the art director is Kimura Shinji, known worldwide for his work on "Steamboy", and the general animation director is Nishimi Shojiro, who is renowned for his fast-paced action scenes. The film surprised the world with the high-quality expression that does not allow for a single compromise, which is unique to STUDIO4℃. In addition, UK techno heavyweight Plaid participated in the music. It beautifully expresses the profound and poetic work of Matsumoto Taiyo. The voice actors for the main roles of Shiro and Kuro are Ninomiya Kazunari of Arashi and young actress Aoi Yu, and the film brings together a luxurious cast of leading Japanese filmmakers.

■Cast

・Kuro Itachi/Kazunari Ninomiya (Arashi)
・Shiro/Yu Aoi・Kimura/Yusuke Iseya・Sawada/Kankuro Kudo・Nezumi (Suzuki)/Min Tanaka・Grandpa/Rokuro Naya・Fujimura/Tomoaki Nishimura・Boss/Mugihito・Chocola/Nao Omori・Vanilla/Yoshinori Okada・Kozou/Mori Sanchu (Muneko Kurosawa, Tomoko Murakami, Miyuki Oshima)
・Asa/Yukiko Tamaki・Yoru/Mayumi Yamaguchi・Akutsu/Harumi Asai・Yasuda/Atsushi Imaizumi・Goto/Brian Burton-Lewis・Thug/Toru Nara・Apache 3/Shunsuke Mizutani・Apache 4/Tatsuhiro Fukiage・Suzuki's Henchman 1/Hiroto Nakajima・Suzuki's Henchman 2/Hiroshi Shibata・Children's Castle Attendant/Seiichi Yoneoka・Ota/Yuji Matsumaru・Couple Man/Masayuki Furuya・Station Announcer/Toshiya Matsushita・Snake/Masahiro Motoki

■ Main staff

Original story by Taiyo Matsumoto, Director Michael Arias, Director Hiroaki Ando, ​​Screenplay by Anthony Weintraub
・Chief animation director, character design / Shojiro Nishimi ・Art director / Shinji Kimura ・CGI director / Takuma Sakamoto ・Animation director / Chie Uratani ・Animation director, vehicle design / Masahiko Kubo ・Color design / Miyuki Ito ・Animation director / Mutsuko Kajitani ・Music / Plaid
・Sound design: Mitch Osias
・Editing: Mutsumi Takemiya ・Animation Production: STUDIO 4℃
・Distribution: Asmik Ace ・Production: "Tekkonkinkreet" Production Committee (Aniplex, Asmik Ace, Shogakukan, Beyond C, Dentsu, TOKYO MX)

■ Theme songs and music

・TM1
・A Certain Town's Ultramarine ・Lyrics by Masafumi Goto ・Music by Masafumi Goto ・Arrangement by ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION
・Song/ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION

The appeal and reputation of Tekkonkinkrete

"Tekkonkinkreet" is an anime film based on the manga of the same name by Matsumoto Taiyo, and was released in 2006. This work captivated many audiences with its unique worldview, deep themes, and innovative visual expression. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and evaluation of this work.

The appeal of the story

The setting of "Tekkonkinkreet" is "Takaramachi," a town where loyalty, compassion, and the Yakuza swirl. Two boys, Kuro and Shiro, who roam freely and are nicknamed "Cats," live in this town. Their daily lives are shaken by land speculation in the name of development, Yakuza violence, a mysterious "Children's Castle" construction project, a sinister trio of assassins, and the appearance of a man known as "Snake." The story depicts how the fates of Kuro and Shiro change as Takaramachi changes.

The appeal of this story lies in its worldview, where reality and fantasy intersect. Takaramachi is modeled after a real city, yet the people who live there and the events that occur there are unrealistic. Kuro and Shiro's adventure depicts the absurdity and beauty of the world seen from a child's perspective, deeply moving the audience. Furthermore, the truth about the "Children's Castle" and the true identity of the "Snake" are revealed as the story progresses, stimulating the audience's imagination and increasing their immersion in the work.

Innovative visual expression

The visual expression of "Tekkonkinkreet" is different from conventional animation. Director Michael Arias skillfully combines cutting-edge 3DCG technology with hand-drawn animation to create images that are full of a sense of drive and flight. In particular, the scenes in which Kuro and Shiro run around the city and the dynamism of the battle scenes leave a strong impression on the audience.

Director Ando Hiroaki has worked on many major works by STUDIO4℃, and has used his experience to achieve high quality in this work as well. Art director Kimura Shinji is known for his work on "Steamboy" and his detailed art settings create a realistic atmosphere of Takaramachi. Chief animation director Nishimi Shojiro further enhanced the appeal of the work by depicting fast-paced action scenes.

The music is also one of the attractions of this work. The soundtrack, produced by UK techno heavyweight Plaid, matches the visuals perfectly and deepens the worldview of the work. In particular, the background music that livens up Kuro and Shiro's adventure stirs the audience's emotions and enhances their immersion in the story.

The appeal of the cast

The cast of "Tekkonkinkreet" is also not to be missed. Kazunari Ninomiya (Arashi), who plays the lead role of Kuro, expresses the purity and strength of a boy, while Yu Aoi, who plays Shiro, portrays delicate emotions. In addition, a luxurious cast of leading Japanese filmmakers, including Yusuke Iseya as Kimura, Kankuro Kudo as Sawada, and Min Tanaka as Nezumi, has been brought together to add depth to the work.

In particular, the performances of Ninomiya Kazunari and Aoi Yu as the voice actors of Kuro and Shiro captured the hearts of the audience. Ninomiya Kazunari perfectly expressed Kuro's adventurous spirit and friendship, while Aoi Yu perfectly expressed Shiro's kindness and strength, bringing excitement to the story. The other cast members also brought their characters to life, raising the quality of the entire production.

The appeal of the theme song

The theme song, "A Certain Town's Ultramarine," was performed by ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION. Written and composed by Masafumi Goto, this song sings of the melancholy and hope of Takaramachi, symbolizing the theme of the work. In particular, this song, which plays in the background of Kuro and Shiro's adventure, stirs the audience's emotions and increases their immersion in the story.

Ratings and Recommendations

"Tekkonkinkreet" was highly praised in all aspects, including the story, visual expression, cast, and music. In particular, the directorial skills of Michael Arias, who faithfully reproduced the original work by Matsumoto Taiyo while adding a new interpretation, were highly praised by many audiences. STUDIO4℃'s high-quality animation production also enhanced the appeal of the work.

This film is recommended for a wide range of audiences, from children to adults. Kuro and Shiro's adventure will give children dreams and hope, and will remind adults of the absurdity and beauty of reality. Animation fans will enjoy the innovative visual expression, and music fans will be able to enjoy the sounds of Plaid and ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION.

Furthermore, "Tekkonkinkreet" has also been praised for its depiction of social themes. The development and land speculation of Takaramachi, as well as Yakuza violence, reflect real-world issues and provide the audience with deep insight. The presence of the "Children's Castle" also makes viewers think about the future and hopes of children. These themes evoke deep emotion and empathy in the audience, enhancing the value of the work.

summary

"Tekkonkinkreet" is an animated film based on the original work by Matsumoto Taiyo, and has captivated many audiences with its unique worldview, deep themes, and innovative visual expression. The film has received high praise in all aspects, including the story, visual expression, cast, and music, and is recommended for a wide range of audiences, from children to adults. In particular, the adventures of Kuro and Shiro will give the audience dreams and hope, and will make them reaffirm the absurdity and beauty of reality. The film has also been praised for its depiction of social themes, evoking deep emotion and empathy in the audience. Please watch this film and experience its charm for yourself.