Tekkonkinkreet, one of most talked about anime features of late, is now available for purchase on DVD, Blu-ray Disc, HD DVD and PSP. The action-packed animated film was given a very limited North American theatrical run earlier this summer but will find its largest audience with today’s release by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Hyped as the first feature-length anime film written and directed by American filmmakers, Tekkonkinkreet was directed by Animatrix producer Michael Arias from a screenplay by Anthony Weintraub. The story, adapted from a popular Japanese manga written by Taiyo Matsumoto, centers on two young boys who rule the streets of Treasure Town and are forced to deal with a newcomer who threatens to destroy the only way of life they know. Times are changing and a greedy developer named Snake has moved into town with a plan to build a new city. The Yakuza are easily bought out, but young hoodlums Black and White prove to be a problem that needs to be eliminated. The action and tension escalate to a bloody conclusion when Snake sends in powerful alien assassins to take care of them.
Bonus features on the home video release include a 40-minute making-of featurette and commentary by Arias. There are also interviews with the director and British band Plaid, which provided the original soundtrack for the movie. To read our review of Tekkonkinkreet, go to www.animationmagazine.net/article/7094.
