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Student Group Crowdfunds 'Kūchū Gunkan Atlantis' Independent Anime for Theatrical Release

The next Gainax may be a group of college students in Kyoto known as Gekigadan. The group is made up of volunteers independently producing the "Kūchū Gunkan Atlantis" (Aerial Battleship Atlantis) anime project. Gekigadan's official YouTube and Twitter accounts began streaming a trailer for the project on Saturday.

The anime's first video, labeled as "pilot film 1," debuted last November.

The anime centers on a captured girl named Luna, an enemy who gets in the way, and a boy named Cyan who sets out to rescue Luna. (Note: Romanizations of characters' names are not confirmed.) The story is set on the island Atlantis, which floats in the sky, and the robot Gekiga-gō plays a pivotal role.

The Japanese pop culture website DON'CRY is partnering with Gekigadan to launch a crowdfunding campaign for the project on July 1. If successfully funded, the 15-minute anime will screen in theaters in Tokyo and Kyoto in October. Rewards for crowdfunding backers will include end credits, DVDs, design materials, and illustration collections.

Gekigadan's official Twitter account has been posting information about the project since September. The posts reveal illustrations, staff, animation cuts, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of the production process.

Gekigadan is comprised of about 30 members, and they rent a two-room wooden apartment to work on the anime project. The anime's planned 15-minute runtime includes an opening and ending, and the anime will feature more than 200 cuts.

DON'CRY editor-in-chief Nodashō posted an article about Gekigadan and "Kūchū Gunkan Atlantis" on Saturday. He believes Gekigadan could become the next studio like Gainax (Neon Genesis Evangelion, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Gunbuster). He noted similarities between the founding of Gainax and Gekigadan. Gainax also began as a group of college students from Osaka University of Arts—Hideaki Anno, Takami Akai, Hiroyuki Yamaga, and others—who produced anime under the name Daicon Film before founding the studio Gainax. The group released the Daicon films anime shorts in 1981 and 1983, before Gainax was founded in 1984.

Nodashō is calling on DON'CRY readers and others to help support Gekigadan and its efforts as a new animation team aiming to produce high-quality work. More information about Gekidan, its anime project, and the crowdfunding campaign will be revealed soon.

Thanks to Dennis R. for the tip.

Sources: DON'CRY, Kai-You