Appleseed (アップルシ - ド/ Appurushīdo in Japanese) is a series of Manga creates by Masamune Shirow between 1985 and 1989. The universe of Appleseed knew two adaptations in Anime: a left in video in 1988, and an adaptation in feature-length film of animation entirely made up of digital images. Manga, which currently comprises 4 additional volumes and two collections (including one published wrongly in France as a volume 5), is not finished. See the chronology

Synopsis

The Third World war (2099-2126) devastated part of the Earth, although the nuclear weapon was not used. The nations are reformed, while scattered group the human ones survive in cities in ruin.

The history starts into 2127. Dunan Nuts and Briareos “BIS” Hecatonchires (become Cyborg after a serious accident on the African Northern face) are two ex-commandos of L.A. (Los Angeles) S.W.A.T which decided to settle in a devastated city.

Years before, in the year 2080, scientists of whole planet founded an artificial city in the Atlantic Ocean answering in the name of Olympus. This utopian city was intended to accommodate the fruit of their research: human genetically modified called Bioroïdes whose first generation is born in 2083; it is the project Appleseed which aims at promoting peace in the world. Very quickly, Olympus thrives on all the plans and entâme of the actions of great scale to federate the nations of the sphere, in order to put an end to the various conflicts. Dunan and BIS are located by the services of Olympus (of which they are unaware of all) and are brought to the city, where they try to fit socially like the other survivors of the war. They enter the police force, and are promoted in the prestigious ES.W.A.T., a special branch of the S.W.A.T under the control direct of Olympus and using vehicles of the type mechanized units or matched (Landmates) to face in particular with terrorism.

But all does not go for best in Brave New World. Certain human feel oppressed by this highly supervised company and want “to release” their congeneric by terrorist acts. In addition, the computer managing the city (Gaïa), questioned on a manner of solving the tensions human/bioroïdes, decides that the latter are a “error in the equation” and takes the orders of the platforms of combat charged to protect Olympuis against all threats.

Appleseed , the “apple pip” (modified him genetically also, because it is spherical), is at the same time the symbol of the hope, of the rebirth, but also the grain of sand in the infernal gears.

These five paragraphs summarize of good part the history contained in volumes one and two, and the description of the so particular universe d'" Appleseed" contents in volume five.

Comment

The drawing of Shirow, as usual, sometimes is excavated and rather difficult to decipher, but also abounds in details. The account is composed of many little stories which intermingle, and it is sometimes difficult to keep the wire but it is that which give to the history all its richness and complexity which obliges us to read again the manga several times and to appreciate it still more.

The stories comprise many annotations, and half of the last volume of the French edition is a presentation of the world and actors of the history. Shirow described there its vision of the life and the policy, with the polemical side which there can be (in particular “The end justifies the means”).

The adaptation in video (1988) takes again only part of the intrigue and is centered on the police action.

The numerical version (2004) as for it, gathers elements of books 1 and 2 mainly and raises questions which are in relation to the policy, philosophy and sociology without forgetting to introduce some well rythmées scenes of action and pleasant to see which will make the happiness of the fans of the series.

Publication

  • Published in an original manner in Japanese by Seishinsha. Then republished by Kōdansha and Media Factory.
  • Published in French by Glénat, Italy N by Editions Star Comics, in German by EMMA, English by Eclipse Comics (license expired) then Dark Horse Comics with a translation of the Proteus Studio.
  • 4 volumes (Appleseed I-IV)
  • 1 collection entitled Appleseed Databook (joining together notes, comments and a new chapter), published in French under the title AppleSeed V .
  • 1 collection entitled Appleseed Hypernotes (joining together 4 chapters dating from 1992 and the notes, stories short and various interviews), French non-encore published.

List the volumes published in France

The series is published at Glénat in large size with hard-bound cover.

  1. AppleSeed I - 01/1994 -

  2. AppleSeed II - 10/1994 -
  3. AppleSeed III - 04/1995 -
  4. AppleSeed IV - 09/1995 -
  5. AppleSeed V - 07/1996 -

Rewards

In 1986 Appleseed gains the Galaxy Award équilvalent at the Hugo price for best the cartoon of science fiction.

Derivative products

Art book

  • Appleseed Creations (1988). Entirely in black and white except for the cover, A4 format, 66 pages, containing the designs hardware design and the characters of the OAV.
  • Appleseed Databook (1990). Product by Shirow, a sight detailed of the history, people of the technology of the world of Appleseed.

Film S

OAV

  • 1988 : Appleseed of Kazuyoshi Katayama. By the studios Gainax. A OAV in traditional animation (not-numerical) not to confuse with more recent film in synthesized images.

Cartoon films

  • 2005 : Appleseed of Shinji Aramaki with Have Kobayashi, Jûrôta Kosugi. It is a film entirely created in 3D (rather original use of the Concealment-shading), with the digitalization of movements of real actors. The management of the shades and the precision of the image are rather impressive, perhaps diverting for some.

Animated series

  • Appleseed (in production). Composed of 26 episodes. Diffused in first by Animax-asia with Hong-Kong

Video games

Music S

  • Appleseed OAV
  • Appleseed SOUNDTRACK . By different artists of which Tetsuya Takahashi.

Board games

  • Appleseed . Published by Tsukuda Hobby. From 2 to 6 players for one 10 minutes intermediate duration.

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