Masamune Shirow’s classic manga APPLESEED, already adapted to the screen twice, is getting another revamp courtesy of director Shinji Aramaki and producer John Woo. The film comes out on DVD next Tuesday, but if you’d like to see it on the big screen, for FREE no less, then All Nippon Airways and New York-Tokyo’s upcoming 12th edition of the “Nippon Eiga” series at the Imaginasian Theater may be just what you’re looking for. RSVP information and more for the March 26th Screening after the jump.

(photo credits ©2007 SHIROW MASAMUNE / SEISHINSHA・EX MACHINA FILM PARTNERS)

ANA
presents
“NIPPON EIGA” SERIES: PART 12

Special Screening of
APPLESEED: EX MACHINA
presented in superior digital projection, with Dolby 5.1 surround sound

Director: SHINJI ARAMAKI
Producer: JOHN WOO
Original Comic Author: SHIROW MASAMUNE
Costume Design: MIUCCIA PRADA (two of Deunan’s costumes)
Music Supervisor: HARUOMI HOSONO
Theme Song “Rescue:” HASYMO (HARUOMI HOSONO, RYUICHI SAKAMOTO, YUKIHIRO TAKAHASHI)

Japan | 2007 | 105 min. | HDCam SR Projection | Japanese with English Subtitles

Wed. Mar. 26 – Doors open 6:15pm – Film starts 7:00pm
The ImaginAsian, 239 East 59th Street (Bet. 2nd & 3rd Ave.), NYC

http://www.newyork-tokyo.com/rsvp

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Summary
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Based on the popular science fiction manga by Shirow Masamune (GHOST IN THE SHELL, ORION, BLACK MAGIC M-66), APPLESEED: EX MACHINA is upgraded new film of the 2004 anime classic APPLESEED. Directed by Shinji Aramaki (who also did the previous APPLESEED film in 2004), famed Hong Kong and Hollywood action director John Woo was fully involved with this film as the producer. In addition, Miuccia Prada designed two of lead character Deunan’s costumes for the new film. The music was supervised by Haruomi Hosono, best known as an ex-member of the world famous YMO (Yellow Magic Orchestra), and the film’s theme song was produced by HASYMO (by Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yukihiro Takahashi, and Haruomi Hosono who are the original members of their previous projects, Human Audio Sponge (HAS) and Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO)). For APPLESEED: EX MACHINA, Hosono also chose a broad selection of edgy music by some of Japan’s best known talents including Towa Tei, Cornelius, m-flo, Rei Harakami, and many others. Supported by so many international talents and today’s most advanced 3D CG animation techniques, director Aramaki has pushed anime toward the next level with the futuristic hard-hitting action of APPLESEED: EX MACHINA..

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Director
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SHINJI ARAMAKI

Born in 1960, Fukuoka.
ARAMAKI has been mainly involved in the planning of animation and mechanical design. In recent years he has extended his scope of activities to various areas, including the direction of 3D CG game trailers and animations.
His TV animation work as mecha designer includes GENESIS CLIIBBER MOSPEADA (1983), GASARAKI (1998), ASTROBOY (2003), WOLF’S RAIN (2003), and REIDEEN, and as a production designer FULL METAL ALCHEMIST (2004), etc.
As for original videos (OVAs), he has planned, supervised and handled production design for the BUBBLEGUM CRISIS SERIES (1987), and in 1989 wrote, planned, directed and designed the mecha for MEGAZONE 23 series.
His film work includes KAPPA (1994), in which he handled the model design and special effects CD scene storyboard, and the film PING PONG (2002), in which he created the storyboards for the table-tennis scenes. Since the release of APPLESEED in 2004, ARAMAKI has made many media appearances, gaining notice from fans outside of the normal gaming and anime circles.

By NYT