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24th Animator Expo Short 'Rapid Rouge' Streamed
posted on by Karen Ressler
Japan Animator Expo, the project of weekly anime shorts from Hideaki Anno's Studio Khara and the media company Dwango, began streaming the 24th short film "Rapid Rouge" ("Shinsoku no Rouge") on Friday.
The short ends with a preview for "Rapid Rouge episode one," where the story will continue, though does not provide a release date.
Animator Expo describes the story:
War is a constant. But the prize has changed.
Lives were lost over oil in yesteryears. But now, it is water.
Yatsushima was a nation blessed with water resources, but nations of the Aestern realm manipulated the ruling shogunate, turning it into a puppet regime. The outflow of water from Yatsushima to neighboring nations severely impacted the lives of its citizens. Some were unwilling to be complacent to such heinous acts. Many of these rebels were young, and their insurrection was the spark that started the Yatsushima Revolution.
Daisuke Onizuka (Evangelion: 2.0 You Can [Not] Advance CGI director) directed the short off an original work and image boards by Mahiro Maeda (Gankutsuou). Kazuya Tsurumaki (Evangelion Rebuild films) drew the original character designs and Syūichi Iseki adapted the designs for animation and served as animation director.
"Rapid Rouge" was not originally listed when the season titles were announced. The two remaining titles that were listed for this season are "2 of killers of 2" by Kazuto Nakazawa and "Hammerhead" by Ōtarō Maijō and Mahiro Maeda.
This season's previously streamed shorts include Kanón by director Mahiro Maeda, Sex and Violence with Mach Speed by Studio Trigger's Hiroyuki Imaishi, Obake-chan (Little Ghost) by Shigeto Koyama, Tsukikage no Tokio by Suda51 and Takanobu Mizuno, Three Fallen Witnesses (Sanbon no Shōgensha) by Satoru Utsunomiya, The Diary of Ochibi by Moyoco Anno and Masashi Kawamura, Kazuya Tsurumaki and Hajime Ueda's I can Friday by day!, ME!ME!ME! CHRONIC feat.daoko / TeddyLoid, "(Making of) Evangelion:Another Impact," Ikuto Yamashita and Kazuhiro Furuhashi's Iconic Field, Tadashi Hiramatsu and Ren Sakaki's Ibuseki Yoruni, and Moyocco Anno's Memoirs of amorous gentlemen.
Hideaki Anno himself is serving as executive producer of the entire project initiative with Dwango President Nobuo Kawakami, and he also designed the image character mascot "(Tor)-kun." Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki created the title logo, and fellow Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki colored it. The shorts mostly feature the voice talent of Ranma ½ and Cowboy Bebop co-stars Kouichi Yamadera and Megumi Hayashibara.
Image © nihon animator mihonichi LLP
