Appleseed Alpha
An alternate-origin Appleseed film set in post-war ruins.
Appleseed Alpha (also styled as Appleseed α) is an animated military science fiction cyberpunk film. It is an alternate version of the story's origins and does not follow the previous Appleseed film canon. The film was announced on February 11, 2014, and had an advance digital release on July 15, 2014.
Quick Facts
- Director
- Shinji Aramaki
- Producer
- Joseph Chou / Eiichi Kamagata
- Writer
- Marianne Krawczyk
- Based On
- Appleseed · Masamune Shirow
- Music
- Tetsuya Takahashi
- Studio
- Lucent Pictures / Sola Digital Arts
- Distributor
- Stage 6 Films (United States) / Aniplex (Japan)
- Released
- 15 July 2014 · United States · 2015 · 01 · 17 · Japan
- Runtime
- 93 minutes
- Country
- Japan / United States
- Language
- English
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The film is set in the 22nd century after a devastating world war. Veterans Deunan Knute and Briareos live in the ruins of New York, doing jobs for a cyborg despot named Two Horns. Deunan hopes to pay off their debt and find the legendary utopic city of Olympus, but Briareos is pessimistic. They are sabotaged whenever close to finishing a job. They meet Olson, a cybernetics-equipped soldier, and a young girl named Iris. Two cyborgs named Talos and Nyx pursue Olson and Iris. Talos, an agent from Olympus with a messiah complex, wants to use Iris to control leftover war weapons. After Olson is killed, Deunan and Briareos follow Talos to a secret bunker where a giant mobile fortress is activated using Iris' retinal pattern. With help from Two Horns and Mattews, Deunan boards the fortress and kills Talos. Briareos destroys the fortress by sniping its power core, killing Iris, who reveals she is a bioroid created for the mission. Deunan and Briareos then depart for Olympus, absolved of debts, unaware they are observed by Olympus Officer Hitomi, Iris' human template.
Reader's Guide
Appleseed Alpha is notable as an alternate version of the Appleseed story's origins, diverging from previous film canon. For example, Briareos is already a cyborg and did not become separated from Deunan to be later reunited in Olympus to join ESWAT. The film was produced by Sony Pictures Worldwide and Lucent Pictures Entertainment as a CG-animated feature. It received a selection for screening at the Fantasia Festival on July 19, 2014. Critical reception included Zac Bertschy from Anime News Network calling it 'the most visually stunning Appleseed movie yet,' and Hollywood Outbreak website noting that 'thanks to the extensive motion and facial capture work on the project, the animation is a perfect balance of realism and science fiction-esque fantasy.' A two-volume prequel manga by Iou Kuroda was published in Morning Two in 2014, expanding the film's narrative context.
Did You Know?
- The English voice cast includes Luci Christian as Deunan Knute, David Matranga as Briareos, and Wendel Calvert as Two Horns.
- Appleseed Alpha was selected for screening at Fantasia Festival on July 19, 2014.
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