November 20, 2009
Japan's leading animation studio Production I.G, Inc. and Singapore's Storm Lion Pte Ltd announced today at the Anime Festival Asia's Animation Asia Conference 2009 in Singapore a collaboration between the two companies in the creation, development and production of a full 3D CG animated feature film entitled Titan Rain.
Titan Rain marks the first ever collaboration between Production I.G and Storm Lion. It utilizes a unique 3D CGI technique and a cutting-edge anime creativity to appeal to the worldwide audience. "I can think of no better partners than Production I.G in such a groundbreaking project that will surpass both technical and creative standards in CG Anime feature production," says Storm Lion's CEO, Edmund Shern. Shern's own sci-fi racing creation, Freedom Formula: Ghost of the Wasteland is currently being developed as a major live-action Hollywood feature film with New Regency and producer Bryan Singer (X-Men, Superman Returns) at the helm, with script by Mike Finch (who recently scripted Robert Rodriguez's Predators).
Shern's sentiments are echoed by Mitsuhisa Ishikawa, President & CEO of Production I.G, Inc. Ishikawa says, "We believe that Storm Lion will bring a more international flavor to this collaboration and help give this anime a unique quality which will appeal to new audiences worldwide."
Work on the animated feature has already begun and the project is slated for a major theatrical release all over the world. Directing the animated feature is Atsushi Takeuchi.
Takeuchi has designed mechas and vehicles for most of Production I.G's big titles including the Patlabor movies, Ghost in the Shell, Innocence, IGPX and Venice Golden Lion-nominated The Sky Crawlers, for which he also drawn the storyboards of the air battle scenes. He is also the first Japanese creator to ever direct an episode of the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars where he also designed all of the characters and mechas. "In order to survive in today's complexed society, the human race needs to be strong," Takeuchi explains. "Facing the harsh reality of life is one of the main themes of this project and I'm truly excited to be able to present this in the form of an anime to the world."
The story for Titan Rain is written by Tow Ubukata and Edmund Shern. One of the most charismatic young novelists in Japan, Tow Ubukata, who's written best seller titles such as Le Chevalier d'Eon, Heroic Age and Mardock Scramble; says, "I hope to bring something unique to the table for the new generation of anime fans while drawing influences from past Science Fiction shows."
Titan Rain is Shern's second foray in collaborating with a Japanese creator. Shern previously wrote the international edition of Yoshitaka Amano's Mateki: The Magic Flute for Radical Books.
Titan Rain will also feature characters and concepts will be designed by Takashi Okazaki, the world-famous creator of Afro Samurai.
Bear McCreary, one of Hollywood's most exciting up and coming composers and the man responsible for the soundtracks to Battlestar Galactica and Caprica, will be scoring the soundtrack to the animation. His work on the television series Battlestar Galactica has been described as offering "some of the most innovative music on TV today," by Variety. Bear says, "Science fiction and fantasy anime films were a part of my first inspiration to become a composer, so this opportunity to collaborate with the creative and talented artists at Storm Lion and Production I.G in this genre is a dream come true. The musical score to Titan Rain will be as original, dynamic and powerful as the story and visuals."
Bear also scores the series, Trauma, Eureka and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and will be scoring the upcoming CAPCOM video game Dark Void.
Titan Rain begins pre-production in 2010 and will debut in early 2012 internationally.
About Storm Lion
Storm Lion was founded by Edmund Shern as an integrated entertainment company with a dual core business as a publishing company for generating new intellectual properties that can be published, marketed and developed for graphic novels, video games, animated features, television and feature film, and a media company dedicated to developing film and television projects in Hollywood and Asia. Shern also serves as Chief Operating Officer for Storm Lion's sister company - LA based, Radical Publishing.
In March 2009, Storm Lion announced that Freedom Formula: Ghost of the Wasteland, a Singaporean-created comic book title written by Shern had been acquired by New Regency for development into a major live-action feature film that will be distributed by Fox.
© 2010 PRODUCTION I.G, INC AND STORM LION PTE LTD
And I third Okazaki for this:)