Japanime 02 will also screen the Australian premiere of Satoshi Kon’s Millennium Actress, which is the first foreign language animated feature to be picked up for distribution by U.S. studio Dreamworks. Other highlights of the festival include Australian premieres of the hugely popular Cowboy Bebop Movie, one of the most entertaining anime features of recent times; Utena, the latest pinup girl on the gay and lesbian film festival circuit; Patlabor 3, Princess Arite and a fully restored and digitally remastered Akira – the film credited with introducing anime to legions of fans in the West. The remastered Akira features a new translation that is closer in meaning and tone to the original Japanese version.
The increasing use of technology in animation is evidenced in a number of films such as the fully digital CGI features Blue Submarine No 6, Aurora and the stunning 2D/3D animated fantasy A Tree Of Palme. This year also features sessions on the work of independent directors who defy the corporate ethic of Japan, with showcases on the work of directors such as Koji Yamamura; plus a program of films based on the work of Rumiko Takahashi, the most popular manga writer in Japan and one of the nation’s richest women.
As in 2000, Sydney based animation producer Deborah Szapiro is curating Japanime 02 and it is presented by Dendy Cinemas.
