Summary

"Casshern" marked the feature film directorial debut of acclaimed Japanese music video director Kazuaki Kiriya, who also wrote the original screenplay. The film opened to rave reviews in Japan and became an immediate hit. It has since gained an international cult following, including in the United States where fans on film and genre websites are already eagerly anticipating its domestic release. An action-packed sci-fi thriller, "Casshern" blends Japanimation and manga-inspired live action resulting a new kind of hybrid filmmaking that is both visually stunning and thought-provoking. The human cast propels the action against a backdrop of CGI, special effects, and a wide range of animation techniques, from state of the art to simple stop-motion animation. It is late in the 21st century. After 50 years of devastating war between Europa and the Eastern Federation, the latter has emerged victorious, and the new federation of Eurasia is formed. There can be no glorious peace, however, as the planet has been ravaged by chemical, biological and even nuclear weapons and the entire human race is dispirited and exhausted by half a century of war. A geneticist named Azuma brings hope in the form of a "neo-cell," which can rejuvenate human parts with no risk of rejection. But nature interferes with science to create a new kind of menace that forces the entire human race to fight an ultimate war against its own extinction.