Set 200 years before the live-action film trilogy, this is Kenji Kamiyama’s first fantasy epic. He is known for Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Eden of the East. The film stands out for its impressive visuals, created from 130,000 hand-drawn frames and motion-capture performances that were then redrawn by hand. Despite this effort, it struggled at the box office, earning about ¥3.2 billion on a ¥4.5 billion budget. In Japan, it made less than ¥100 million, which was disappointing. The film is ambitious but divisive, as it struggles to balance its visual beauty with its storytelling.

This film, inspired by Masamune Shirow's manga “Appleseed,” is a fully CGI-animated reboot of the series. Unlike earlier versions, it follows two former soldiers as they try to survive in a ruined world. The visuals and characters are impressive, but the story feels simple and somewhat familiar. It's a good starting point for newcomers or anyone interested in seeing how visual technology has advanced.