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Column by Scott Green

New Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira) Based Anime US Bound

Bandai Visual USA, Inc. has announced that they will be releasing “SOS! TOKYO METRO EXPLORERS: THE NEXT on both Blu-ray Disc and standard DVD in the US on December 11, 2007. Director Shinji Takagi, who served animation director on Steamboy and Blood: The Last Vampire lead team behind the animation of Steamboy in this adaptation of Akira creator Katsuhiro Otomo’s short manga SOS! Big Tokyo Metro Explorers. The movie, which employs a cell shaded look with 3D CGI, follows a fifth grader who discovers a notebook that leads him and his expedition of friends to a community living under Tokyo.

Staff includes

Directed by Shinji Takagi
Screenplay by Sadayuki Murai (Millennium Actress, Perfect Blue, Kino's Journey, Boogiepop Phantom)
Original Story & Character Design by Katsuhiro Otomo
Character Design & Animation Directed by Hidekazu Ohara (The Cannon Fodder segment of Memories)
Sound Directed by Keiichi Momose (Blood: the Last Vampire, Steamboy)
Music by Yoshihiro Ike (Blood: the Last Vampire, Karas, Freedom)
Animation Created by Sunrise Emotion Studio

The Blu-ray edition will retail for $64.99. The DVD will retail for $54.99. Features include include audio commentary by the creators, behind-the-scenes featurette, creator interviews, theatrical trailer, 12-page booklet exploring the world of SOS! TOKYO METRO EXPLORERS: THE NEXT