Freedom Project

As mentioned in my earlier post, I have managed to grab tickets to the screening of Freedom Project and one thing I must say, it’s pretty awesome stuff.

Freedom Project is a Japanese promotion project by Nissin Cup Noodles for their 35th anniversary in 2006. A 6-part OVA series, commissioned with Katsuhiro Otomo (Creator of Akira (1988) and Steamboy (2004)),is entitled ‘Freedom’.

Despite the very used ‘typical’ “the-whole-world-is-in-danger-I-must-meet-that-girl-in-the-picture-as-she-is-hawt!!11oneone” (dystopianism the word isn’t it?) storyline. Freedom Project delivers it’s storyline in a very nice, balanced package that keeps the audiences wanting for more…

…cup noodles anyone? 

The director of this series is Shuhei Morita, known for his award-winning animation short Kakurenbo: Hide & Seek. I’ve watched Kakurenbo during Animania 2006 in Melbourne, Australia and have enjoyed every moment of it. Same for Freedom Project, I think that Shuhei Morita has really directed this show well.

I really love the 3D cel-shading that was used in the flim. It kinda reminds me of Appleseed at some parts of the film. The animation was excellent and fluid. I also enjoyed how each character has their own distinctive traits.

The OP song used is “This is Love”, sang by Utada Hikaru. The OP sequence has been very nicely placed together, with the whole ’360-motion-focus-on-an-object’ (Think there’s a term for it, anyone knows?). The manga race-sequence also did remind me of Speed Racer (Mach Go Go Go) as well.

  ^ THIS IS SPAR FREEDOM PROJECT! / My drill will pierce thru the heavens!

After the whole screening, there was also a Q & A session with Vong Yong How, our Singaporean animator (Lighting Artist) who’s working in the Project Freedom Committee over in Japan. Despite the awkward silence at the start of the session and in between certain  weird questions (“Can you tell us when is the next Inuyasha is coming out?”), I think Yong How has managed to answered all that was fired at him. I didn’t ask any as I’d forgotten what I had wanted to ask (ORZ) and was too busy trying to take a photo.

  ^ 18-55mm Kit lens + 1600 ISO. Maybe I should have used flash… 

I would like to actually thank Yong How again for personally coming back to Singapore just for this Q & A session. It was a rather inspiring session and it was nice meeting you as well.

And below’s a couple of photos I took just before the screening.

 ^ Found while googling for Freedom Project’s screenshots. More here 

Really enjoyed the Nissin Cup Noodles advertisements as well.

I wonder when’s my turn to stand on stage and give a Q & A session (When I get famous or something) ^^;

 Loading ...