Halo Legends anime announced. Helmed by Ghost in the Shell and Appleseed directors
The Halo franchise is set to break new ground for videogame collaborations with Halo Legends, an all-new anime short film project announced by Microsoft at Comic-Con 2009.
As you may expect from the above statement, Halo Legends seeks to do for Halo what The Animatrix did for The Matrix. And that original groundbreaking work has, as you may well know, been followed up by other similar works like the anime-Batman short stories film known as Batman: Gotham Knight. But this is the FIRST time that a videogame property has been tapped for an anime short film project. Which, in my eyes, will further help to elevate videogames in the eyes of the mainstream world.
Like the above features, this new project will be a joint collaboration between Microsoft and several top-tier Japanese animation (anime) studios.
At the top of the chain include Microsoft’s 343 Industries (more on that later) and creative director’s Shinji Aramaki (Appleseed, Appleseed EX Machina) and Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell films). With additional production from Joseph Chou of J-Spec Pictures. Halo Legends will be distributed globally by Warner Bros. Home Video.
The short stories will explore new sides of the Halo universe that fans have not seen before. Fans will be taken to different time periods, encounter various themes and viewpoints, and see new takes on classic Halo characters, settings, enemies, weapons and worlds.
Here is the first trailer for Halo Legends!
As for the short films themselves, they are being created by a who’s who list of some of the most influential and well known animation studios. Including the creators behind such world renowned anime as Dragon Ball, Fullmetal Alchemist, Cowboy Bebop, and the aforementioned Ghost in the Shell and Animatrix.
And that wasn’t the only Halo news that will interest gamers.
Microsoft also unveiled a new company called 343 Industries (named after Halo 1’s 343 Guilty Spark character). Much like EA Sims (which was created to focus solely on developing new products in “The Sims” line), 343 Industries was created by Microsoft to focus solely on Halo products and the Halo brand.
To that end, Microsoft followed up the announcement of Halo Legends by announcing the all-new “Halo Waypoint”. This is an Xbox Live “Halo-centric destination” that will live on Xbox 360’s “Xbox Live” online service. Launching this Fall 2009, the Halo Waypoint will not only act as THE place to be for Halo fans to receive the latest news, take part in events, receive updates on Halo products and tap into Halo media (such as podcasts, trailers and screenshots); It will also have in-game benefits that go beyond the “information center”.
The Halo Waypoint will allow Halo fans to take part in a “career system” where players can achieve Halo-rankings that will not only snag them Achievements, but can also unlock aspects of specific Halo titles or gain them other “outside-Halo-Waypoint” benefits and rewards. VERY COOL.
And as you’d expect, the Halo Waypoint will act as the EXCLUSIVE worldwide debut for all future glimpses at the new Halo Legends project. In addition to the first teaser trailers, fans will also have access to exclusive Halo Legends video that they can’t find anywhere, else such as behind-the-scenes videos on the making of Halo Legends. And there will also be “The Big One”, that is — limited, early Halo Legends episode premiers that will launch exclusively on Xbox Live’s Halo Waypoint.
So when it launches be sure to get in their early and watch all the video! You will not want to miss out on whatever exclusive early-bird Achievements/Awards Microsoft has up their sleeves.
And that’s not all!
Here is the list of anime studios that will be working on Halo Legends:
BONES
Founded in 1998, Bones has become one of the top animation studios in Japan in less than a decade. The studio is best known for its incredible body of work on mega-hit franchises such as “Cowboy Bebop: The Movie,” “Fullmetal Alchemist,” “Sword of the Stranger” and “Eureka Seven.”
CASIO ENTERTAINMENT
Casio Entertainment was founded in 2004 and is renowned for its visual effects work on the movie “Dai Nipponjin” (“Big Man of Japan”), which was officially invited to the 2007 Cannes Film Festival and nominated for Best Visual Effects at the 2008 Asian Film Awards. Casio Entertainment is also known for its computer-generated animation support work on several top Japanese video games.
PRODUCTION I.G.
Production I.G has produced a number of acclaimed feature films, original video animation, TV shows and video games. For their storytelling and quality of animation, “Ghost in the Shell,” “Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade” and “Blood: The Last Vampire” have earned critical accolades in Japan and all around the world. “Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence,” directed by Mamoru Oshii in 2004, was the first Japanese animation feature ever to compete for the Palme d’Or at the Festival de Cannes.
STUDIO4?C
STUDIO4?C is one of the top animation studios in Japan. Founded by the industry veteran Eiko Tanaka and acclaimed animation artist Koji Morimoto, it has become globally known for its uncanny ability to marry the spirit of high art with mainstream anime aesthetic. STUDIO4?C is known for works including “The Animatrix,” “Tekkonkinkreet” and “Batman: Gotham Knight.”
TOEI ANIMATION
Toei Animation, established in 1956, is the oldest animation studio in Japan. Toei has produced the largest number of global hit TV anime series for kids, such as “Dragon Ball,” “Digimon,” “Sailor Moon,” “One Piece” and many more.
And here are various PR quotes from different groups/people regarding Halo Legends,
“The opportunity to work with talents such as Shinji Aramaki, Mamoru Oshii and others from some of the greatest anime studios is a very rare opportunity for Microsoft,” said Frank O’Connor, “Halo” franchise development director and provider of story and creative direction for 343 Industries. “We’ve seen the world through Master Chief’s eyes, and we’ve experienced facets of the universe through a variety of literary prisms, but now we get to watch new tales unfold in really rich, visually dynamic ways. I think anime fans and ‘Halo’ fans alike are in for a real treat.”
“‘Halo’ and its characters are a very natural fit for anime,” said Aramaki, creative director for the “Halo Legends” project. “As a fan of the ‘Halo’ universe, it is an honor to work with Microsoft and my very talented peers from other studios to create this collection.”
“As a leading entertainment distributor and a company identified with premier anime content, we’re very pleased to be working with Microsoft on ‘Halo Legends,’” said Amit Desai, vice president, Family, Animation and Partner Brands Marketing, Warner Home Video. “The combination of the talent involved and the ‘Halo’ brand ensure the collection is something consumers are really going to enjoy.”
I hope this is a good transition from the game..
Same here Thomas. I’m such a fan of Halo’s sci-fi storyline that I play through the campaigns just to see what cutscene’s coming next. So a whole anime movie will be a treat!
Hahaha.
