Appleseed (manga): Difference between revisions

Appleseed (manga)
	Promotional poster for Appleseed (2004)
Genre	Cyberpunk
Manga
アップルシ―ド
Written by	Masamune Shirow
Published by	Kodansha/Media Factory/Seishinsha
Anime
Appleseed
Directed by	Kazuyoshi Katayama
Studio	Bandai Visual
Anime
Appleseed
Directed by	Shinji Aramaki
Studio	Digital Frontier/Geneon
Related
	Appleseed TV, Appleseed Movie 2

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For the Aesop Rock album, see Appleseed (album).

Appleseed (Japanese: アップルシ－ド Appurushīdo) is a science fiction manga created by Masamune Shirow which, like much of his work, merges elements of the cyberpunk and mecha genres with a heavy dosage of politics, philosophy, and sociology. As of 2005, four books have been released between 1985 and 1989. There have also been a several adaptations for TV, film and video games.

Manga

Originally published in Japan in 1985, Book One Appleseed: The Promethean Challenge was published directly to paperback instead of being serialized, a rarity in the Japanese manga market. This was soon followed by the publication of Book Two, Appleseed: Prometheus Unbound, Book Three Appleseed: The Scales of Prometheus in 1987, and Book Four Appleseed: The Promethean Balance in 1989.

In 1986, Appleseed won the Seiun Award — the Japanese equivalent of the Hugo Award — for Best Manga.

In 1990, Shirow produced the Appleseed Databook, a detailed look into the history, the people, and the technology found in the world of Appleseed.

From 1988 to 1992, Appleseed was published in English by Eclipse Comics, packaged by Studio Proteus. The manga is currently published by Dark Horse Comics.

Appleseed Hypernotes was released in 1996 as a collected volume in Japan. It consisted of a four chapter story followed by technical information about the world, mechs, and equipment much like Appleseed Databook. Originally published in Comic Gaia in serial form, it was reprinted for readers in the United States in Super Manga Blast (issues 25-36), a Dark Horse Comics publication. According to Anime Tourist, an online manga news site, one of the terms for Hypernotes publication stated that Appleseed Hypernotes could not be released in English as a collected format. The reason for this is because Shirow was unsatisfied with the work and wanted to fix it before releasing it as a complete book for English readers. It has been said that Appleseed Hypernotes was Book Five of the Appleseed series.

Shirow has stated that he originally planned the series to be composed of a total of ten books, but currently has made no plans to continue the series.

Adaptations

Appleseed was also the inspiration for two anime adaptations, the first an OVA released in 1988 and directed by Kazuyoshi Katayama, the second a CGI movie released in 2004 and directed by Shinji Aramaki.

Aramaki will also be directing the sequel to the 2004 movie which is set to be released in 2006, the movie will once again feature animated computer-generated imagery and John Woo is said to be involved in the production. Also planned for 2006 is a more traditionally animated 26 episode series and a PlayStation 2 game by Sega.

2004 CGI movie

Plot outline

2131 AD. Deunan Knute, a young legendary female soldier is a survivor of the Third World War which has brought planet Earth to the brink of destruction. Alongside her former lover and comrade Briareos, who is now a cyborg, Deunan is brought to a utopian city called Olympus, also inhabited by a genetically engineered species called Bioroïds. There, she integrates the prestigious ES.W.A.T. organization to serve as the city's guardian. But what she discovers is not the promised land of peace, but rather a deadlier battlefield than before. Can she unlock the secrets to this paradise before it's too late?

Characters

Deunan Knute

The daughter of Carl and Dr. Gilliam Knute, Deunan, who is considered a beautiful and highly skilled warrior, has spent almost her entire life fighting in a war that was, for the most part, over. It was not until she was rescued by an ES.W.A.T. (Extra Special Weapons And Tactics) team, led by Hitomi and her former lover Briareos, in the middle of a ruined city just after Deunan had a short but fierce battle with unidentified enemies, that she was finally evacuated from the Badlands. When she arrived in Olympus, the change of environment was severe, but it was a greater shock to her when she found that Briareos had lost over 75% of his original body during the last Global War and was now a cyborg.

The day after she was brought to the city of Olympus, Deunan learnt that over half of the population of the city was composed of artificial humans called Bioroïds and that her new friend, Hitomi, was one herself. Deunan also discovers that other people are looking for her... mostly because she possesses, without knowing it, the secret of "Appleseed". That interest will become extremely important when Hitomi's life will be at risk and the "Appleseed Data" will be needed to save her and the entire Bioroïd population of Olympus. But the discovery of the "Appleseed Data" could condemn the human population to extinction without Deunan knowing about this detail. But that would mean defying the powerful Olympus Regular Army (O.R.A.), composed at 100% of humans and under the command of General Edward Uranus III and Colonel Hades.

Voices

Ai Kobayashi (Japanese), Amanda Winn Lee (credited as Jennifer Proud, English)

Briareos « Bri » Hecatonchires

At one time, Briareos was Deunan Knute's lover, as well as a comrade-in-arms in battle. During two years of hard separation for both of them, he was severly injured on the North African front. When Hitomi and the Elders saved him, he had over seventy-five percent of his body replaced by state-of-the-art mechanical components, making him a highly advanced cyborg. During Deunan's stay in Olympus he is assigned by his ES.W.A.T. superiors to protect her and also begins to search for the "Appleseed Data." In the original story, Briareos was a black man from the Mediterranean who served under Colonel Karl Knute, Deunan's father.

Voices

Juuruta Kosugi (Japanese), James Lyon (English)

Athena Areios

Prime Minister of Olympus, Athena Areios is a first-generation Bioroid created by Deunan's mother, Dr. Gilliam Knute. Because she is a first-generation Bioroid, she doesn't have the emotional limitations the second-generation has, so she has greater latitude to use "extraordinary" methods to try to find Deunan. Of course, she also runs the risk that either the Council of Elders or General Uranus would find out and take action against her, so she, along with her chief-of staff Nike, have to be very careful.

Voices

Mami Koyama (Japanese), Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (credited as Mellisa Williamson, English)

Nike

Nike is Athena Areios's chief-of-staff, as well as being commander-in-chief of ES.W.A.T. Although she is a second-generation Bioroid, and being such having her emotions controlled, she is fiercely loyal to Athena, not to mention the Bioroid's prime purpose... the salvation of humanity.

Voices

Miho Yamada (Japanese), Mimi Woods (English)

Hitomi

A second-generation Bioroid, Hitomi is charged with recruting new members of ES.W.A.T.. She had led the rescue mission of Deunan Knute in the Badlands, as well as aiding her getting settled in Olympus. Although her emotions are regulated, she has interest in the emotion of love, and is disturbed by hate, as expressed by the human soldiers of the O.R.A.

Voices

Yuki Matsuoka (Japanese), Mia Bradly (English)

Edward Uranus III

Supreme commander of the O.R.A., General Edward Uranus III has a great distrust of the Bioroids, and wishes to either control them or totally eliminate them. But unlike his subordinate Hades, he is not given to irrationality. A friend of the Knute family, Uranus deeply regrets the death of Dr. Gilliam Knute and wants to persuade Deunan to help him in his quest.

Hades

Colonel Hades is Gen. Uranus's subordinate. Like Uranus, he has a great distrust of the Bioroids. However, his distrust has evolved into an all-consuming hatred, and wishes to see the Bioroids destroyed.

Originally, Hades served under Carl Knute, Deunan's father, in Los Angeles' S.W.A.T., but was thrown out by Carl because of his extreme methods. He held a grudge with Carl, and is furious that Carl's D.N.A. is in all the Bioroids.

References

"Manga News from Studio Proteus". Anime Tourist. May 24, 2002. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
"New Appleseed Movie and TV Series in the Works". Anime News Network. April 14, 2005. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

@@ Line 76: / Line 76: @@
 ====Briareos « Bri » Hecatonchires====
-At one time, Briareos was Deunan Knute's lover, as well as a comrade-in-arms in battle. During two years of hard separation for both of them, he was severly injured on the North African front. When Hitomi and the Elders saved him, he had over seventy-five percent of his body replaced by state-of-the-art mechanical components, making him a highly advanced cyborg. During Deunan's stay in Olympus he will be assigned, by his ES.W.A.T. superiors, to protect her and will also start to search for the "Appleseed Data". In the original story, Briareos was a black man from the Mediterranean who served under Colonel Karl Knute, Duenan's father.
+At one time, Briareos was Deunan Knute's lover, as well as a comrade-in-arms in battle. During two years of hard separation for both of them, he was severly injured on the North African front. When Hitomi and the Elders saved him, he had over seventy-five percent of his body replaced by state-of-the-art mechanical components, making him a highly advanced cyborg. During Deunan's stay in Olympus he is assigned by his ES.W.A.T. superiors to protect her and also begins to search for the "Appleseed Data." In the original story, Briareos was a black man from the Mediterranean who served under Colonel Karl Knute, Deunan's father.
 '''Voices'''