Leeds Young People's Film Festival to host anime marathon as We ♥ Anime roadshow comes to town
This March, anime fans both young and old have an all-new anime marathon including classic favourites, hotly anticipated new titles, a talk from an anime expert and much more as part of the 12th Leeds Young People's Film Festival.
On April 2nd, manga and anime fans can get a full day of animated thrills, both old and new, from as little as £2 per film, as the We ♥ Anime roadshow comes to Leeds' stunning HYDE Park Picture House for a full day of anime action. Beginning with a Studio Ghibli classic (Laputa: Castle in the Sky), followed by cyber adventure Summer Wars and the gun-slinging Trigun: Badlands Rumble, before climaxing with the high-octane thrill ride of Redline, the day promises to be filled with the best new anime around and much more, with goody bags containing t-shirts, DVDs, books worth over £30 (more than the price of the pass!) for the first 60 passes bought, a cosplay contest, and a film talk with a difference from an anime expert.
Laputa: Castle in the Sky (11am) Much loved by anime fans around the world, this is a rare chance to see this Studio Ghibli classic onthe big screen. Created by the ‘greatest living animator’ Hayao Miyazaki in 1986, Laputa: Castle in the Sky follows two youngsters racing against pirates to find a legendary floating castle and stop the evil Muska from using the castle's power to rule the world. Based on Gulliver's Travels, Laputa still has the power to enchant young and old, as well as veteran anime fans and those who may be new to the genre with its now trademark Studio Ghibli style.
Summer Wars (2pm) With character designs by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, Neon Genesis Evangelion character designer, animation by Madhouse, and direction by Manoru Hosoda, director of much of the Digimon franchise and the hugely successful The Girl Who Leapt ThroughTime, Summer Wars will hold its first English language screening at 2pm. A stunning real world/virtual world split, Summer Wars is the wonderfully animated story of a family birthday party being thrown into chaos by events in the virtual world of Oz, where the devastating Love Machine virus threatens to destroy virtual reality, and ultimately reality itself.
Trigun: Badlands Rumble (4.30pm) Based on the cult Trigun manga and TV series of the 1990s, director Satoshi Nishimura brings his action-packed space western Trigun: Badlands Rumble to the big screen in action-packed feature length adaptation at 4.30pm. Following Vash the Stampede as he is pursued by bounty hunters, Trigun is a gun-toting adventure featuring many beloved characters from the original Trigun series.
‘Wrong about Anime’ with Jonathan Clements (7pm) Recognising that anime culture is about more than movies, the day will also host a cosplay contest, and anime expert Jonathan Clements will be presenting his talk ‘Wrong with Manga’ before the 7pm screening of Redline. Jonathan is the author of Schoolgirl Milky Crisis: Adventures in the Anime and Manga Trade, and has translated over 70 anime and manga. Currently writing a history of Japanese animation for the British Film Institute, his ‘Wrong about Anime’ talk examines the history of the West's relationship with Japanese animation, with special reference to anything that might get a cheap laugh, from crazy journalists to mad producers, deluded politicians and the Pope's interest in Pokémon. Redline (7pm) Following its hugely popular screening at last year's Leeds International Film Festival where Redline ranked as the audience's overall 4th placed film, narrowly behind the international phenomenon that was The King's Speech, hold on tight and prepare to close We ♥ Anime with the ride of your life! Redline is the toughest, most destructive underground car race in the universe and JP is a reckless competitor oblivious to speed limits who will go all out to win. In love with one of his competitors, and having to avoid a military crackdown by the government of Roboworld, who will survive this deadly and destructive race? Redline is the latest feature from one of the most exciting animators on the planet, Takeshi Koike (Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust), and is an unmissable thrill ride from start to finish. The 12th Leeds Young People's Film Festival is presented by supported by Screen Yorkshire, HYDE Park Picture House, Leeds City College, Education Leeds and artforms, and runs from 28th March – 8th April 2011. Tickets for We ♥ Anime are available now from www.leedsyoungfilm.com, or by calling City Centre box office on 0113 2243801.
