The appeal and reviews of HIGHLANDER - Director's Cut

Detailed review and recommendation of HIGHLANDER Highlander ~Director's Cut~

■Overview of the work

"Highlander: Director's Cut" is an animated feature film released on June 5, 2007, based on the 1986 film "Highlander." This director's cut is a special edition of the 2006 animated feature "Highlander," and director Yoshiaki Kawajiri has given it a new perspective. It is distributed by Go Cinema and is made up of one 96-minute episode. Animation was produced by Madhouse, and the copyright belongs to ©2006 Imagi Animation Studios Limited and Davis-Panzer Productions.

■ Story

Colin, leader of the Celtic clan, loses a battle when his lover Moya is killed by the Roman general Marcus. However, he is resurrected as an immortal who cannot die unless his head is cut off. Colin, who never gives up on his revenge, continues to pursue Marcus for nearly 2,000 years, and arrives on the desolate island of Manhattan in New York. This epic revenge story that transcends time will deeply move and excite viewers.

■Explanation

"Highlander - Director's Cut" is an animation produced to commemorate the 20th anniversary of director Russell Mulcahy's 1986 film "Highlander". Director Yoshiaki Kawajiri has depicted the story from a new perspective while respecting the setting of the original work. In particular, the Japanese dubbed version features a luxurious cast of voice actors such as Shun Oguri, Koichi Yamadera, Minami Takayama, Megumi Hayashibara, and Kosei Tomita, whose acting skills and voice acting further enhance the appeal of the work.

■Cast

Colin MacLeod: Shun Oguri, Marcus Octavius: Koichi Yamadera, Dahlia: Romi Park, Joe: Minami Takayama, Gara: Megumi Hayashibara, Amelgan: Kousei Tomita, Rudy: Yusaku Yara, Doc: Unsho Ishizuka, Moya: Yurika Hino, Deborah: Sanae Kobayashi

■ Main staff

・Original Story: Highlander・Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri・Original Story: Gregory Widen・Screenplay: David Abramowitz・Storyboard: Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Hiroshi Hamasaki・Direction: Hiroshi Hamasaki・Assistant Director: Takuji Endo・Character Design, Chief Animation Director: Tsune Abe・Animation Director: Satoshi Tazaki・Mecha Animation Director: Masami Ozone・Color Design: Osamu Mikasa・Art Director: Yuji Ikeda・Sound Director: Masafumi Mima・Animation Producer: Yuichiro Saito・Production: IMAGI ANIMATION STUDIOS LIMITED
・Animation Production: Madhouse

■ Related works

・HIGHLANDER

■Detailed evaluation

"HIGHLANDER - Director's Cut Edition" is a work that recreates the epic worldview of the original work in the new medium of animation. In particular, Director Yoshiaki Kawajiri's direction has firmly inherited the essence of the original work while deepening the story with his own unique perspective. The 2,000-year-long tale of revenge deeply moves and excites viewers, and is depicted as a story of love and battle that transcends time.

The character portrayal is also excellent, with Shun Oguri as Colin MacLeod, who realistically portrays the protagonist's desire for revenge. Koichi Yamadera as Marcus Octavius ​​gives a performance that exudes the dignity of a ruthless Roman general, and the conflict between the two characters heightens the tension of the story. Furthermore, the performances of the star-studded voice actors, including Romi Paku as Dahlia, Minami Takayama as Joe, and Megumi Hayashibara as Gara, are also superb, bringing out the individuality of the characters.

Visually, Madhouse's animation production is of a high standard, and the depiction of the devastated Manhattan Island in New York is realistic and beautiful, creating a visual impact. The work of character designer and chief animation director Abe Hisashi carefully depicts the characters' expressions and movements in great detail, successfully conveying the emotions of the story visually. Additionally, the work of mecha animation director Ozone Masami is also superb, enhancing the power and beauty of the battle scenes.

Music and sound are also important elements that enhance the appeal of the work. Sound director Masafumi Mima uses sound to express the realism of the battle scenes and the feelings of the characters, enhancing the emotions of the viewer. Music, from grand orchestral pieces to tense battle music, is used skillfully to match the development of the story, enhancing the viewer's sense of immersion.

■ Recommendation points

"HIGHLANDER Director's Cut" is a work that can be strongly recommended not only to fans of the original work, but also to people who like animation and action movies. In particular, the following points are the reasons for the recommendation.

1. **Epic Story and Deep Themes**: This 2,000-year-old revenge drama is depicted as a timeless tale of love and battle, deeply moving to viewers. Universal themes such as revenge and forgiveness, love and hate are explored in depth throughout the story.

2. **Amazing voice actors**: The performances of the amazing voice actors, including Shun Oguri, Kouichi Yamadera, Minami Takayama, Megumi Hayashibara, and Kosei Tomita, realistically express the personalities and feelings of the characters, enhancing the appeal of the story. In particular, the conflict between Colin and Marcus is made even more tense by the performances of these two voice actors.

3. **High-quality animation**: Madhouse's animation production realistically recreates the power and beauty of the depiction of the devastated Manhattan Island of New York and the battle scenes. The work of character designer and chief animation director Abe Hisashi and mecha animation director Ozone Masami is also superb, creating a visual impact.

4. **Music and Sound Effects**: Sound director Masafumi Mima's work expresses the realism of the battle scenes and the emotions of the characters through sound, enhancing the viewers' emotions. Music is also used skillfully to match the development of the story, enhancing the viewer's sense of immersion.

5. **Reinterpretation from a new perspective**: Director Yoshiaki Kawajiri has respected the original setting while depicting the story from a new perspective. In particular, the Director's Cut version includes additional scenes and new direction, providing a fresh perspective for fans of the original work.

■ Summary

"HIGHLANDER - Director's Cut Edition" is a work that recreates the magnificent worldview of the original work in the new medium of animation, and the direction of Director Yoshiaki Kawajiri, the performances of the stellar voice actors, the high-quality animation, and the music and sound effects combine to deeply move and excite the viewer. In particular, the 2,000-year-long revenge drama is depicted as a story of love and battle that transcends time, deeply moving the viewer. This work is highly recommended not only for fans of the original work, but also for those who like animation and action movies.