Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo
Film poster
Kanji巨神兵東京に現わる
Revised HepburnKyoshinhei Tōkyō ni arawaru
Directed byShinji Higuchi
Screenplay byHideaki Anno
Monologue byŌtarō Maijō
Produced byHideaki Anno
Toshio Suzuki
Narrated byMegumi Hayashibara
CinematographyKeiichi Sakurai
Keizo Suzuki
Edited byAtsuki Sato
Hidemi Ri (theatrical version)
Music byTaisei Iwasaki
Production
companies
Release date
  • July 10, 2012 (2012-07-10)
Running time
9 minutes
10 minutes (theatrical version)
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo (Japanese: 巨神兵東京に現わる, Hepburn: Kyoshinhei Tōkyō ni Arawaru) is a 2012 Japanese kaiju short film directed by Shinji Higuchi.[1] A live-action prequel[2] and spin-off[3] of Hayao Miyazaki's 1984 anime film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, the film is a co-production between Studio Ghibli, Special Effects Laboratory Co., Ltd, and Khara, Inc. In the film, a woman from Tokyo recounts how her city was obliterated within hours by giant divine warriors.

Plot

As mysterious orange spores appear in Tokyo, an unnamed female resident of the city receives a strange visit from her brother who tells her that the city will be destroyed tomorrow and she should leave beforehand. Due to her belief that it is merely a rumor on the internet, she dismisses his warning and does not inform her fellow city residents of the supposed danger.

The following day, the orange spores combine over Tokyo to form a Giant God Warrior hovering in the sky. As the being descends upon the city, it shrinks to the size of a large building. After observing its surroundings, the warrior opens its mouth to reveal a weapon that shoots red bullets and a purple laser beam called the proton beam.[4] A direct opposite of the Genesis creation narrative is displayed onscreen as the city is destroyed. An army of Giant God Warriors then can be seen walking holding spear-like objects in a blazing Tokyo.

Following this event, the warriors launched an event known as Seven Days of Fire, which destroyed most of the human civilization on Earth and recreated the planet's ecosystem.[lower-alpha 1]

Production

Design

The design of the film's giant creature was provided by Hayao Miyazaki, from his manga series Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.[5][6]

Special effects

The film was Studio Ghibli's first live-action production[7][8] and features exclusive use of digital composition techniques and special effects technology.[9] Some of the miniatures used in the film were previously constructed, used, and stored at Toho Studios, Marbling Fine Arts, and Special Effects Laboratory Co., Ltd.[10]

Release

Theatrical

Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo received a theatrical release in Japan on November 17, 2012, preceding Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo.[11] Director Shinji Higuchi decided to add new sound effects and give the Giant God Warriors new computer-generated wings in the final scene of the film for its theatrical release.[12]

Reception

Accolades

On February 23, 2013, the film received the VFX-JAPAN Award for CM, Hakuten Video Division.[13]

Notes

References

  1. ↑ Caleb Goellner (24 April 2013). "Studio Ghibli's Full 'Giant God Warrior' Short Appears Online [Video]". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
  2. ↑ Cotter, Padraig (9 May 2020). "Giant God Warrior Appears In Tokyo Is Ghibli's First Live-Action Film". Screen Rant. Valnet Inc. Archived from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  3. ↑ "『風の谷のナウシカ』スピンオフ!?短編映画『巨神兵東京に現わる』上映決定！｜シネマトゥデイ". Cinema Today (in Japanese). Cinema Today Co., Ltd. 10 May 2012. Archived from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  4. ↑ "「館長 庵野秀明 特撮博物館」開幕、「巨神兵東京に現わる」全ぼう明らかに". Eiga.com (in Japanese). Kakaku.com. 9 July 2012. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  5. ↑ Jerry Beck (25 April 2013). "Watch Studio Ghibli's first live action short "Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo"". IndieWire. Archived from the original on 7 February 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  6. ↑ Meredith Woerner (24 April 2013). "First live-action monster movie movie from the minds of Studio Ghibli". io9. Archived from the original on 7 February 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  7. ↑ Alanna Bennett (30 July 2012). "Watch the Trailer for Giant God Warrior Appears In Tokyo, Studio Ghibli's First Foray Into Live-Action". The Mary Sue. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  8. ↑ Todd Brown (24 April 2013). "Watch Studio Ghibli's GIANT GOD WARRIOR APPEARS IN TOKYO". Screen Anarchy. Archived from the original on 7 February 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  9. ↑ "東京都現代美術館の企画展「館長 庵野秀明 特撮博物館」が開催 ～エプソン製プロジェクターで特撮短編映画「巨神兵東京に現わる」を上映". PC Watch (in Japanese). Impress Co., Ltd. 10 July 2012. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  10. ↑ "YEARBOOK 2013". Spaceship (in Japanese). Vol. 140. Hobby Japan. 1 April 2013. p. 32. ISBN 978-4-7986-0594-4. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  11. ↑ "『ヱヴァQ』同時上映に『巨神兵東京に現わる』が決定！ジブリ鈴木Pの提案で実現！｜シネマトゥデイ". Cinema Today (in Japanese). Cinema Today Co., Ltd. 9 November 2012. Archived from the original on 2 June 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  12. ↑ "日本にフルCGアニメは根付くのか？ 第11回：樋口真嗣（映画監督・特技監督）". CGWORLD.jp (in Japanese). 13 March 2013. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
  13. ↑ "「三丁目の夕日'64」、もののけ島、巨神兵など VFX-JAPANアワード受賞". AnimeAnime.jp (in Japanese). 23 February 2013. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
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