Redline (2010)

Overview

“Redline” is a 2010 Japanese feature-length animated film directed by Takeshi Koike. The original story is by Katsuhito Ishii, and the screenplay was co-written primarily by Ishii together with Yoji Enokido and Yoshiki Sakurai. The animation was produced by Madhouse. Set in the distant future, it is a science-fiction car-action film that depicts racers challenging the no-holds-barred race “Redline,” which determines the fastest in the universe, through visuals that thoroughly insist on hand-drawn animation.

The production period was approximately seven years, and the number of drawings exceeded 100,000. At a time when CGI was becoming mainstream, the fact that not only the characters but also the backgrounds were finished by hand, pursuing a sense of speed and physicality, is particularly noteworthy. Live-action actors such as Takuya Kimura (JP), Yu Aoi (Sonoshee), and Tadanobu Asano (Frisbee) were cast as the voices of the main characters.

It had its world premiere at the Locarno International Film Festival in 2009, received high praise at film festivals both in Japan and abroad, and was then theatrically released in Japan on October 9, 2010. Box-office revenue was only about 100 million yen and was disappointing, but after the subsequent home-video release it gained a cult following. The catchphrase is “Break the limit.”

Trailer

Film Data

• Original title: REDLINE
• Director: Takeshi Koike
• Original story: Katsuhito Ishii
• Screenplay: Katsuhito Ishii, Yoji Enokido, Yoshiki Sakurai
• Producers: Kiyotaka Ninomiya, Kentaro Yoshida, Yukiko Koike
• Executive producer: Masahiro Fukushima
• Planning: Masao Maruyama
• Animation production: Madhouse
• Music: James Shimoji
• Sound directors: Katsuhito Ishii, Hiroshi Shimizu
• Distributor: Tohokushinsha Film
• Release dates: October 9, 2010 (Japan) / August 14, 2009 (world premiere at the Locarno International Film Festival)
• Running time: 102 minutes
• Country of production: Japan
• Language: Japanese

Plot Summary

In the distant future. Even in an era when air cars had become mainstream, there were still racers who insisted on four-wheeled ground vehicles and competed in speed. Once every five years the no-holds-barred race “Redline,” in which the use of weapons and interference of any kind is permitted, is held, and racers vie to become the fastest in the galaxy.

The racer JP, with his pompadour and leather jacket, insists on competing solely with speed without mounting any weapons on his machine. He enters the preliminary Yellowline race in the machine “TransAm 20000” prepared by his partner, the genius mechanic Frisbee, but crashes and is eliminated when a bomb planted by Frisbee for match-fixing detonates.

However, when the venue for Redline is announced as the military dictatorship “Roboworld,” two teams withdraw, and through viewer voting the chance to compete in the main race comes to JP. Amid his reunion with his first love, the racer Sonoshee, conflict with his partner Frisbee, and interference from the Roboworld military, JP challenges a race that pushes beyond the limit.

Production Background

The starting point of this work lies in the long-standing collaboration between Katsuhito Ishii and Takeshi Koike. Ishii entrusted the animation sequences in his live-action works “Party 7” (2000) and “The Taste of Tea” (2004) to Koike. Koike demonstrated his unique visual sensibility in works such as “World Record” from “The Animatrix” (2003) and gained recognition overseas as well.

The direct predecessor was the OVA “Trava: Fist Planet” released in 2001–2002. This work, co-directed by Ishii and Koike, features the racer Trava and the mechanic Shinkai as protagonists, and both characters also appear in “Redline.” Although the OVA ended unfinished, this film developed its style and world-view.

The project began when Ishii proposed “I want to do a car race,” and Koike accepted it as his feature-length directorial debut. The production period, initially planned for about three years, extended to seven years due to the accumulation of meticulous attention to detail. Koike himself handled the storyboards, direction, animation supervision, and the design of characters, machines, and backgrounds, unifying the entire work.

Characteristics

The core of this work lies in its deliberate insistence on “hand-drawn” animation in an era dominated by CGI. By drawing even the backgrounds in a cel style and leaving the “blurring” and “irregularities” of pencil lines, it created a subjective sense of presence and physicality that calculated CGI lacks. While inheriting the lineage of Yoshinori Kanada-style effects animation, extreme perspective, variations in timing on a frame-by-frame basis, and explosions and smoke that undulate as if alive elevate the race scenes into a visual chaos resembling a festival.

The visual style is strongly influenced by Western graphic art such as American comics, Moebius, Heavy Metal, and 2000AD, characterized by high-contrast images in which shadows are unified with solid black fills. The stylized characters and the exaggerated designs of machines visualize a comical, otherworldly setting.

The narrative structure is simple, centering on romance and friendship while having diverse characters compete within the framework of a no-holds-barred race. The influence of Hanna-Barbera’s “Wacky Races” (1968–1969) is clear; it reinterprets the basic concept of a “no-holds-barred” race in which distinctive machines and drivers compete while engaging in interference as a stylish science-fiction action for adults. Koike himself has acknowledged a nuance along the lines of “a cool ‘Wacky Races.’”

Characters

• JP (Joshua Punkhead) (voice: Takuya Kimura): A racer whose trademarks are a huge pompadour and a leather jacket. Because he carries no weapons he is nicknamed “the really nice guy.” He has continued to love Sonoshee, his admiration since boyhood, single-mindedly. His machine is the TransAm 20000 Kai WR.
• Sonoshee McLaren (voice: Yu Aoi): The daughter of a junk-shop owner and a racer of the marine tribe. She has the nickname “Cherry Boy Hunter.” She began racing under her father’s influence and dreams of standing on the Redline podium. Winner of the Yellowline. Her machine is the Club Sonoshee.
• Frisbee (voice: Tadanobu Asano): JP’s childhood friend and a genius mechanic. While supporting JP’s dream, he becomes involved in match-fixing with the mafia in order to repay debts. Though conflicted, he ultimately prioritizes friendship.
• Old Man Mole (voice: Takeshi Aono): A teammate who runs a junk shop. A father figure to the orphaned JP and Frisbee.
• Boss Inuki (voice: Cho): The boss of the mafia to which Frisbee owes money. He has Frisbee plant a bomb in JP’s machine and tries to make money through fixed races.
• Lynchman (voice: Tatsuya Gashuin): A heel hero of unknown affiliation and a bounty hunter. He sells videos of his own activities. At the request of the Redline organizing committee he sabotages Roboworld’s “Orbital Disintegration Cannon.” His machine is the Lynch Car.
• Johnny Boya (voice: Yoshinori Okada): A hybrid of the Kaneda tribe. A young man who became Lynchman’s disciple out of admiration. He rides in the Lynch Car together with Lynchman.
• Trava (voice: Kanji Tsuda): A hybrid of the Anista tribe. Main pilot of the Speed Master. He is the protagonist of the OVA “Trava: Fist Planet” and appears as a racer in this work. He has a background as a former soldier.
• Shinkai (voice: Yoshiyuki Morishita): A hybrid of the marine tribe. Sub-pilot and mechanic of the Speed Master. He also served as Trava’s partner in “Trava: Fist Planet.” He competes in the main race together with Trava.
• Boiboi (voice: Akane Sakai) / Bossboss (voice: Akemi): A sister duo of direct descent from the chieftain of the Supergrass tribe. They enjoy popularity as the two-girl idol unit “Superboins.” Their machine is the Boin Car (equipped with transformation functions). Their racing style is glamorous and flashy.
• Miki (voice: Shunichiro Miki) / Todoroki (voice: Ikki Todoroki): A pair of 31-year-old virgins from the artificial planet Earth Island and cosmic billionaires. They had obtained the right to compete in Redline by winning the Blueline, but lost the qualification once when arrested by Gori-Rider. They make a comeback through viewer voting. Their machine is the Semimaru (multi-legged vehicle).
• Hamesh Freinii (Gori-Rider) (voice: Daisuke Gori): A violent police officer of the wise-ape tribe. A regular competitor for three consecutive appearances, he has the nickname “Dirty Policeman.” He shows no mercy to violators and particularly regards Miki and Todoroki as enemies. His machine is the Gorilla Tank (armed police car).
• Machine Head Tetsujin (voice: Koji Ishii): Of the marine tribe, mermaid lineage. He has won four consecutive tournaments and has reigned as the Redline champion for twenty years as “the fastest man in the universe.” A cyborg racer whose body is integrated with his machine. He specializes in platinum acceleration. His machine is the God Wing.
• President of Roboworld (voice: Yukio Hirota): The dictator who rules the military dictatorship Roboworld. Fearing the leakage of state secrets, he orders the military to obstruct the holding of Redline.
• Colonel Volton (voice: Unsho Ishizuka): The Minister of Defense who stands at the top of the Roboworld military. He commands the “Volton Corps of Hell,” feared throughout the galaxy, and attempts to thoroughly eliminate the racers.

Soundtrack

The music was composed by James Shimoji. Known for Ishii’s works such as “Party 7,” Shimoji composed a wide variety of pieces for each scene, ranging from driving techno/rock tracks to mellow ballads.

The original soundtrack released on October 6, 2010, contains 42 tracks totaling approximately 79 minutes and includes songs featuring guest vocals, supporting the work’s “experiential” appeal from the auditory side.

Reception

Although box-office revenue at the time of release was only about 100 million yen and disappointing, critically the density of the animation and the sense of speed were particularly highly praised. After the home-video release it gained a cult following, and today it is regarded as one of the important works that expanded the expressive possibilities of Japanese animation.

On Rotten Tomatoes, as of the time of writing, the approval rating based on 10 reviews is 70% (average rating 6.8/10).

Tim Maughan of Anime News Network gave it an overall grade of A+ and described the film as “something very special, very different, and insanely exhilarating,” stating, “This is the most insanely exciting, visually exhilarating anime film you’ve seen in decades.” He also positioned “Redline” as “animation not only at its best, but also largely animation for animation’s sake.”

Richard Kuipers of Variety praised it as “One of the most visually spectacular toons in recent years.” Tim Jones of THEM Anime Reviews awarded it five stars, highly evaluating its humor, outstanding animation, and characters, and stated that it is “an unforgettable anime experience” and “It’s beautiful, gripping, and fun.”

In Japan it took first place in the audience satisfaction ranking for the opening weekend according to a Pia survey.

Although the simplicity of the story and differences in preference regarding character design have been pointed out, the extreme pursuit of movement expression through hand-drawn animation has consistently been the central point of evaluation both in Japan and abroad.

Awards

This work has received the following awards at international film festivals.

• Utopiales Audience Award (Prix du public): Awarded at the science-fiction film festival “Utopiales” held in Nantes, France (2010). A special mention from the jury (mention spéciale du Jury) was also conferred.
• Audience Award for Best Animated Film: Awarded at the 15th Fantasia International Film Festival held in Montreal, Canada (2011). It is an audience-voted award equivalent to the Best Animation Award.

Search Links

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Plot Synopsis (with spoilers)

Opening

The following text appears at the beginning:

A story from the far, far future
In an age when cars have abandoned four wheels and shifted to air cars
The tale of fools who cling to the vanishing spirit and race on

Preliminaries (Yellowline)

At the Redline preliminary “Yellowline” held on the planet Dorothy, JP competes for the lead in the TransAm 20000 prepared by Frisbee. However, Frisbee has colluded with the boss of the Inuki crime family and planted a bomb to make JP finish in second place. JP aims for victory, but just before the finish line the bomb detonates and the machine is wrecked. Sonoshee wins and obtains the right to compete in Redline.

When JP awakens in the hospital, reporters swarm around him, and he learns that the venue for Redline has been decided as the military dictatorship Roboworld. Because Roboworld does not recognize the holding of Redline and the president has announced military attacks against external intruders, two teams withdraw, and as a result JP obtains the right to compete in the main race through viewer voting.

Preparations and Reunion

The racers gather on “Europass,” a satellite that is a demilitarized neutral zone and a settlement for drifting refugees. JP persuades Old Man Mole, who runs a junk shop, to join the team; Old Man Mole is responsible for customizing the engine and parts, while Frisbee is responsible for the design and tuning of the machine.

JP is reunited with Sonoshee at a restaurant. JP has continued to think of her ever since he met her in his boyhood. Sonoshee wears a pendant of blue Steamlight crystal that is said to produce approximately 100 times the explosive power of the Gold Nitro used by ordinary racers when burned as fuel.

Racers (Shinkai, Trava, Machine Head Tetsujin) gather at the restaurant. There Colonel Volton of the Roboworld military appears and warns the racers that orders have been issued for the Volton Corps under his command to sortie.

On the day before Redline, guerrillas (lower-class laborers who desire the holding of Redline) destroy Roboworld’s underground relay power station, and Lynchman and Johnny Boya, commissioned by the Redline organizing committee, sabotage Roboworld’s solar-system-equipped military weapon, the “Orbital Disintegration Cannon.”

Start of the Redline Main Race

On the day of the Redline final. The mothership carrying the racers appears at the starting point on Roboworld via hyperdimensional drive (warp), and the Roboworld military attempts to intercept it with the Orbital Disintegration Cannon, but fails because of the cannon’s malfunction.

The race begins, and the progress of the race is broadcast live via galactic satellite. The racers run the course while dodging attacks from the Volton Corps.

Funky Boy Runs Amok

The miners who support Redline attempt to make the giant biological weapon “Funky Boy,” sealed in an underground facility, run amok in order to annihilate the Volton Corps, but are blocked by a hard protective wall. There the Gorilla Tank of Gori-Rider, who had been tunneling underground, falls and collides, and Funky Boy awakens and begins to run amok.

Sonoshee’s machine is wrecked by an attack from the Volton Corps, and JP rescues Sonoshee.

Funky Boy begins to destroy Roboworld, and the president decides to repel it with the repaired Orbital Disintegration Cannon; the firing of the cannon causes Funky Boy to disintegrate and vanish.

JP continues the race with Sonoshee riding in the TransAm.

Funky Boy regenerates through its self-regeneration ability, and Colonel Volton fuses with another biological weapon, grows gigantic, and defeats Funky Boy.

Frisbee’s Decision

The boss of the Inuki family confirms that money can be made from the fixed race and tells Frisbee to hand over the detonator he has, but Frisbee, who has come to want to see JP win, refuses. Frisbee is assaulted by the Inuki gangsters, but Old Man Mole rushes to the rescue and finishes off the boss and his underlings.

Final Neck-and-Neck Battle

JP’s TransAm and Machine Head Tetsujin’s God Wing use Steamlight on the final straight course to achieve platinum acceleration and engage in a neck-and-neck battle. Just before the finish line, the impact of the bomb that Old Man Mole accidentally detonates throws JP and Sonoshee out of the car, and they win by a narrow margin equal to the length of JP’s pompadour.

Among the rubble the two embrace and exchange a kiss.