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Cyborg 009 Call of Justice Special Promo Shows Battle With Emperor

The official website of Cyborg 009 Call of Justice, TOHO animation's new 3D CG anime project based on Shōtarō Ishinomori's classic science-fiction hero manga Cyborg 009, began streaming a special promotional video for the anime on Tuesday. The video shows the cyborgs in battle with the Emperor, and features the film's theme song "A.I. am Human" by Monkey Majik. Koudai Kakimoto, the films' director, edited the video himself.

The anime consists of three parts, and all three are receiving limited two-week theatrical runs in Japan. The first film opened on November 25, while the second film opened on December 2. The third film will open on Friday.

The film's story depicts Joe Shimamura and the other cyborgs' struggle with the Bresudo, a group of people who possess superhuman powers and intellect, and have manipulated human history since ancient times. Bresudo's goals are unknown, and they cast a dark shadow over the world.

Although only a few people believe in the Bresudo's existence, one journalist named Lucy Davenport heads to Texas to contact a certain family, and she meets the cyborgs. The cyborgs themselves have been freed from their duty of protecting humanity ever since the establishment of the UN Guardian troops, and they now live quiet lives of peace. However, Lucy's visit and the return of the Bresudo draw Joe and the others once more into battle.

Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Moribito - Guardian of the Spirit, Eden of the East is credited as chief director of the anime project. Koudai Kakimoto (Psycho-Pass movie unit director, Aoki Hagane no Arpeggio: Ars Nova DC assistant director) is directing the film. Kamiyama and Kakimoto previously collaborated on the 009 Re:Cyborg anime film, which Kamiyama directed and Kakimoto served as unit director. I.G Port's new anime studio subsidiary Signal.MD (Tantei Team KZ Jiken Note, Anime Tamago's "Colorful Ninja Iromaki" short) is animating the films, with Ishinomori Production and Production I.G producing. Masatsugu Saitō (Captain Earth, Expelled from Paradise) is designing the characters.

Illustrator Akihiro Kimura (Emerald Dragon game) will launch a manga of the films on Friday, with a prologue chapter already released on November 25.

The cast for the new anime is different from previous incarnations of Cyborg 009, including 2012's 009 Re:Cyborg film and last year's Cyborg 009 Vs. Devilman project. However, 009/Joe Shimamura's original voice actor Kazuhiko Inoue is returning to the franchise to play the Emperor, the anime's "last boss."

The anime celebrates the original manga's 50th anniversary.

Source: Akiba Sōken