Appleseed XIII (sometimes referred to as XIII or 13 for short) is the 2011 relaunch of the series following the 2003 and 2007 films.

Contents 1 Updates 1.1 2012 1.2 2011 2 Appleseed XIII: Tartaros 3 Official Trailer 4 Premise 5 Series Appearance 6 Photo Gallery [7] 7 Series Carryovers 7.1 Mecha 7.1.1 Landmates 7.1.2 Mobile Fortresses 7.1.3 Vehicles 7.1.4 Timepieces 7.2 Weapons 7.2.1 Seburo 7.2.2 Colt 7.3 Battle Armor 7.4 Characters 8 Music 9 Voice Actors 10 Release Schedule [18] 10.1 Appleseed XIII: Yuigon 10.2 Appleseed XIII 10.3 Appleseed XIII: Yogen 11 Limited Edition BluRay Box Set [19] 12 Reception [20] 12.1 Poll results on The Appleseed Wiki 13 North American Release 14 References 15 Links

UpdatesEdit

2012Edit

APPLESEED 13 UPDATES for July 2012:

• US release date confirmed! American-based anime distributor Funimation announces that Appleseed XIII will be screened in North America in 2013. More at http://www.funimation.com/appleseed-xiii

2011Edit

December: Unlimited Translations Works finished releasing the first 3 subtitled episodes.

September:

• The second episode, The Captured Cradle, is now viewable on watchani.me.

August:

• A revised, fanbase-subtitled version of Appleseed XIII, The End of Eden is now viewable on watchani.me!

July:

• The theatrical remix trailer for Appleseed XIII: Yuigon appears on YouTube, and is viewable on this page.
• High definition, ^[1] fanbase-subtitled copies of Episode One, The End of Eden, are available for download on various file hosting sites.

June:

• Episode One, The End of Eden now available on watchani.me! ^[2]
• Series has begun, with preview June 1st midnight screening on Nico Nico Douga!
• First episode review is now available, click here to read.
• Shirow Masamune releases a limited edition poster to coincide with the series debut in Tokyo!
• Citizen announces official series wristwatches!

Appleseed XIII: TartarosEdit

『劇場リミックス版 Appleseed ⅩⅢ〜遺言〜』アクションプロモ(01:20)
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Official TrailerEdit

Appleseed XIII trailer(01:34)
386 views

Click here for MORE video.

Appleseed XIII (アップルシード 13) is a Japanese science-fiction anime series based upon the works of Shirow Masamune, and the manga saga he wrote beginning in 1985. Taking it's place alongside three other related motion picture releases, Appleseed XIII distances itself from the others by claiming to follow more closely the original material written by the author, and also by featuring almost entirely new production members.^[3] That said, a few connections with the earlier interpretations have been maintained through Micott and Basara (planner for the 2004 and 2007 episodes), and Atsushi Takeuchi (mecha design for the 2004 film). Previous director Shinji Aramaki is not involved in this new production.

Premise Edit

The saga is set in mid 22nd-century Earth, and takes place following at least two world wars. The planet has been largely depopulated, few organized countries exist, and yet numerous power struggles still continue, serving to threaten even the dying remainder of mankind with total destruction. Amidst the chaos stand several shining exception: the city-state of Olympus, located on a manufactured island in the South Atlantic, and the leviathan industrial nation of Poseidon, a recreated Japan.

Olympus claims, or at least assumes, control of the earth through its overarching government, which comprises mostly of "Bioroids." These are humans who are genetically perfected prior to birth, to feature improved biology, but most importantly, peaceable instincts and utmost political neutrality. Aided by an impartial supercomputer named Gaia, their aim is to rebuild and repopulate the planet as Utopian paradise, with a portion of their species mingled in the general population, so as to insulate humankind from their own destructive nature.

However, the small nation has struggles of its own to contend with. The rest of the world is not so content with Olympus' plans for their future, and resist these efforts, typically through terrorism, both home and abroad. Domestically, a new organization has formed in the shadows of the gleaming metropolis, called the Human Liberation Front, representing all of those who oppose the existence and leadership of the Bioroids. Giving this group its teeth are the terrorist Argonauts, lead by Al Ceides, a man presumed dead some twenty years earlier during a siege upon Poseidon.^[5]

Battling these threats and others, is the Olympus ESWAT, or Extra Special Weapons And Tactics team, an elite paramilitary force which employs the latest in cybernetics, advanced weaponry, and powered-armor flight suits known as Landmates. Appleseed XIII revolves around their efforts to maintain law and order, and tells its story through the actions of two war-weary operatives: Deunan Knute and her partner, cyborg Briareos Hecatonchires, ex-mercenaries from the last global war, two people committed to preserving the ideal of Olympus, even if they themselves have yet to agree with it.

Series Appearance Edit

Graphically, the new series appears to draw heavily on two sources, first the artwork provided by Shirow Masamune in the original manga (graphic novel) series, and second, the more contemporary look of the 2004 CGI movie. The individually distinct look of 2007's Appleseed Ex Machina, co-directed by John Woo, has not been carried forward.^[6]

Like the two earlier efforts, Appleseed XIII is animated using motion-capture and CGI, and similar to the 2004 movie, features a variation of cel-shading on the characters and props, while going a step further and adding what appears to be pen strokes and subtle traces of ink, as though the anime is really a hand-drawn manga which has come to life. The palette employed contrasts between bright colors in the urban environments of Olympus, to drab monochromes in the war-torn wastelands of the rest of the world, and also the various mecha. This again is a similar practice to the 2004 movie, though the contrast appears to be much higher between the settings.

Photo Gallery ^[7]Edit

All images from Appleseed XIII episode one, The End of Eden.

Series Carryovers Edit

Mecha Edit

Landmates Edit

In terms of Landmates, most designs originating in the 2004 film have been closely recreated, owing to mecha designer Atsushi Takeuchi's involvement in both works. One of the more prominent examples is a unit seen first in the older movie, being used by the antagonist of that installment, the ORA. In the trailer to the Appleseed XIII, produced seven years later, the very same design appears during a chase sequence, with minor coloration differences. The ESWAT Landmates in pursuit unsurprisingly also resemble examples from 2004, but are painted urban-camo gray, instead of the gloss white and fuchsia color schemes of the earlier movie.^[8]

Mobile Fortresses Edit

The multi-legged gun platform known as the Mobile Fortress also makes a return, only in a more spider-like form, faithful to the earliest visions seen in book two of the manga, "Prometheus Unbound." Unlike its 2004 appearance, where the Fortress was strictly earthbound, it now features anti-gravity levitation capabilities, and can slowly fly, just as Masamune had originally intended it to,^[9] and, just like it was seen doing in the very first Appleseed movie from 1988.^[10]

Vehicles Edit

Briareos' three-wheeled cyborg motorbike makes its first motion-picture debut, after previously being exclusive to the earlier mangas. The ESWAT Wasp Insertion Aircraft returns following Appleseed Ex Machina, but is closer in appearance to Masamune's older pen sketches, and lacks exposed anti-gravity rails.

TimepiecesEdit

The popular watches of Appleseed Ex Machina have made a return, in the form of the Citizen Appleseed XIII satellite watches. Check out their own page for a video that features additional CGI footage of the series and detailed renderings of a male and female version of the watch. Unlike Ex Machina, these appear to be available for general sale, although in a limited edition of 990 pieces worldwide.

Weapons Edit

Seburo Edit

In the first press-release graphic for Appleseed XIII, which imitates the artwork used for the 1988 Appleseed (OVA), Deunan Knute is clearly depicted gripping a Seburo M-5 handgun. This caused some controversy since the weapon was never seen in Appleseed, as the Seburo Bobson Centennial 6MM had instead typically been Knute's concealed-carry sidearm.^[11] While the M-5 also hearkens from another Masamune work, Ghost in the Shell,^[12] it's placed in a saga which is set nearly a century earlier than the events of Appleseed, and is arguably not related nor a prequel.

Colt Edit

Prior to her use of the Bobson Centennial 6MM, Deunan Knute sometimes employed an antique Colt M1911 style handgun.^[13] Such a gun appears in the official trailer being used by her, albeit with a more angular Seburo-style trigger guard, suggesting it is a 22nd-century reproduction or licensed variation.

Battle Armor Edit

ESWAT's battle armor suits return to the original design of the manga and first two movies, following a significant deviation in 2007's Appleseed Ex Machina. They once again feature overlapping armor panels on the shoulders, and rigid, ribbed forearm reinforcements. Deunan Knute also resumes the practice of wearing gloves that lack fabric over the index finger for added dexterity when handling triggers, as depicted previously.

Characters Edit

Deunan Knute and ESWAT Commander Lance make relatively unchanged reappearances, whereas Briareos Hecatonchires sports a face seen only in the third and fourth volumes of the manga, featuring only two cybernetic eyes, as opposed to four (and a large round nose which is typically mistaken to be a fifth eye). His eyes are blue, as they were in the 1988 movie. Hitomi, who has looked distinctively different in every movie so far, reverts to her manga appearance, and features long, full black hair, and accurate Japanese symmetry.

Music Edit

The soundtrack of Appleseed XIII is being composed by Japanese pianist Conisch, with direction from Youta Tsuruoka.^[14] Domestically in Japan, Conisch is well known for his work on various television series, and also for penning the soundtrack to the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime,^[15] among others.

Originally, it had been rumored that a Toshimichi Otsuki would compose the soundtrack, but this prediction proved incorrect, as Ootsuki is actually the manager for Starchild, a music production company owned by Japan's King Records. Starchild has since been confirmed to be the producer/distributor for the Appleseed XIII soundtrack.^[16]

Voice Actors Edit

Reprising his role of Briareos Hecatonchires is the Japanese voice actor Kōichi Yamadera, who provided his voice for the character in Appleseed Ex Machina. Deunan Knute will be voiced by a newcomer, Japanese pop-artist Maaya Sakamoto; previously, her character had been handled by Ai Kobayashi.^[17]

At this point, no voice actors for a possible North American dub have been confirmed.

Release Schedule ^[18] Edit

Counter to popular belief, Appleseed XIII will not be broadcast on network TV. Instead, will be released as a combination of movie-theater debuts, online streaming episodes, and optical disc sets.

Appleseed XIII: Yuigon Edit

Using material from the first half of the series, Yuigon will debut first in theaters found in Tokyo and Osaka, on June 13, 2011. Yuigon will then be screened in Nagoya June 27.

Appleseed XIII Edit

The regular, thirteen installment anime series officially began on June 1, 2011, with a preview screening of the first episode, The End of Eden online, at midnight in Japan. Episodes two and three can be viewed by purchasing a limited edition BluRay box set (see below). The fourth installment, through to the thirteenth, will follow in July via the streaming format.

Appleseed XIII: Yogen Edit

A compilation of material found in the second half of the series, Yogen sees it's debut in Tokyo (and not Osaka) on October 24, 2011, before being screened in Nagoya, November 7. This appears to conclude the series.

Limited Edition BluRay Box Set ^[19]Edit

While a limited edition debut BluRay release has been known for some time, the Appleseed XIII production committee recently announced that a special box set will also be sold at the premiere of the series, at selected theaters in Japan. Retailing for ¥10,000 (approximately US $125/CDN $120), fans will be given a three-episode disc in high-definition, a 48-page Appleseed XIII Archives, another softback entitled The Making of Appleseed XIII, as well as promotional material for the forthcoming Citizen Eco-Drive Satellite Wave. Purchasers will also be entitled to a complimentary framed poster, on a first-come, first-serve basis.

This graphic is a signed and numbered reproduction of a recently finished colour sketch by series creator Shirow Masamune, who has skillfully combined the spirit of the new series with the graphic style of the original manga. The site stresses that the posters are in extremely limited quantity; no doubt these giveaways will command a high-resale value in the future.

Reception ^[20] Edit

Audience reception of the new series appears to be divided, but fairly strong.

Poll results on The Appleseed Wiki Edit

We hosted a poll from March 9 to June 29, asking users for their feedback regarding the first official Appleseed XIII trailer. With 117 respondents, the final result was that 68 percent of viewers liked the trailer, with 32 percent expressing disappointment.

Another short poll, which ran for a couple weeks in June, asking for opinions on the promo poster by Shirow Masamune, found that out of 10 respondents, nine liked the poster, while one respondent disliked it.

North American Release Edit

It has been confirmed that Appleseed XIII will be released in North America sometime during 2013. ^[21] More details to follow.

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ 720P resolution at time of writing.
2. ↑ The Appleseed Wiki does not endorse or affiliate with watchani.me. If this site is in violation of copyright, please contact us immediately for appropriate content removal.
3. ↑ Appleseed XIII CG Anime series green lit for next spring - Anime News Network, October 24th, 2010.
4. ↑ As per a translation of the official blog on appleseed13.jp-02-0000.
5. ↑ Appleseed XIII (TV) - Anime News Network, March 4th 2011.
6. ↑ Observances seen from watching the trailer.
7. ↑ Courtesy watchani.me If this photo gallery is in violation of copyright, please contact us immediately for appropriate content removal.
8. ↑ Comparisons between the 2004 Appleseed trailer (0:41 in) and the Appleseed XIII trailer (0:21 in).
9. ↑ Appleseed book three, "The Scales of Prometheus," Shirow Masamune.
10. ↑ Comparisons between the 1988 Appleseed trailer (1:59 in) and the Appleseed XIII trailer (1:15 in).
11. ↑ Appleseed book three, "The Scales of Prometheus," also the short story "Called Game," seen in the graphical encyclopedia "Appleseed ID", both by Shirow Masamune.
12. ↑ Seburo page (Wikipedia sourced) on the Ghost in the Shell Wiki.
13. ↑ Appleseed book two, "Prometheus Unbound," Shirow Masamune.
14. ↑ The official Appleseed XIII trailer, also Anime News Network sourced references on the Animesuki Forum.
15. ↑ Anime News Network fact file for Conisch.
16. ↑ As per the official trailer credits.
17. ↑ Appleseed XIII Released on Film/Net/Blu-Ray Disc Simultaneously - Anime News Network, March 4th, 2011.
18. ↑ Appleseed XIII Released on Film/Net/Blu-Ray Disc Simultaneously - Anime News Network, March 4th, 2011.
19. ↑ As per a translation of the official blog on appleseed13.jp.
20. ↑ These observances are based upon user feedback generated on this site, and others. All information is unofficial, and mostly generated from polls.
21. ↑ As per http://www.funimation.com/appleseed-xiii

LinksEdit

• Appleseed XIII official page (Japanese)
• Anime News Network - Appleseed XIII
• Internet Movie Database - Appleseed XIII