I used to be a huge fan of Japanese anime when I was a teenager but as I got older the novelty wore off and I started to notice how lazy some of the animation was.
I now know the anime of the past was limited to a strict budget and time limit which is why many corners were cut (looped frames, moving 'still' images and sometimes jerky animation).
'Appleseed Ex Machina' however has made me realise how advanced Japanese animation has become and I'm extremely impressed!
Beautifully rendered in CGI this manages to keep the appearance of the comics and graphic novels created by Masamune Shirow and at the same time produce some fast paced action the likes of a Hollywood big budget movie. That said, action cinema maestro John Woo produced this feature!
The film's been criticised for having a hard to follow story but I honestly had no trouble with it, in fact it seemed to make more sense than most of the Japanese films I've seen in the past.To cut it simple (and to keep from spilling too many spoilers!), the film is about cyborgs, biotics (genetically modified clones) and humans being controlled against their will and a team of elite cops (ES.W.A.T) trying to solve the case and protect the city whilst they themselves are losing control.
This is definitely worth a watch, I've ordered the 2004 film 'Appleseed Ex' so will review that once it arrives.
If this is the future of anime I may start collecting it again... time to get my overdraft extended me thinks!
