Ask John: What are John’s Expectations for The Dream Machine
Question:
My question is regarding Satoshi Kon’s posthumous film, “Dream Machine,” which has been slated for release some time in 2011 for a while now. Do you have any idea if this release date is still valid? Any news regarding this film? What is your expectation of this film?
Answer:
Perhaps, in a degree of looking for the silver lining in a dark cloud, the positive is that while the world will never know exactly what a children’s anime directed by the late Satoshi Kon would be like, we don’t know what a children’s anime directed by Satoshi Kon is like, so there are no standards for Madhouse’s Yumemiru Kikai film to live up to. Yumemiru Kikai was to be Satoshi Kon’s first attempt at crafting a type of anime he’d never worked on before – a family film. Although we’ll never know exactly what the finished film would have been like had Kon personally directed it to completion, we also now won’t have to watch the film with the skewed expectations that it reflect and equal or surpass Kon’s prior films while unfolding in an entirely new style. Madhouse hasn’t released an abundance of information about the film, but production is still underway, now under the direction of Yoshimi Itazu, who was originally scheduled to manage just character design and animation direction on the film. Promoting Itazu to oversee the entire production may be the best conceivable option following Satoshi Kon’s untimely passing. Itazu worked on Kon’s Paprika and Paranoia Agent television series and served as animation director for the final six episode of Denno Coil. So not only is Itazu very familiar with Satoshi Kon’s artistic style and perspective, Itazu has experience working not just on Satoshi Kon anime but also on an acclaimed children’s anime that merged elements of real world drama and sci-fi. There may be few animators in Japan more uniquely experience and qualified to inherit and execute Satoshi Kon’s vision of Yumemiru Kikai than Yoshimi Itazu.
My anxiety surrounding the film has very little to do with the film being a posthumous work of a particularly visionary director. Especially in recent years, Madhouse has been routinely producing exceptional anime, many of those productions with in-house talent rather than especially high profile creators. My personal fear about Yumemiru Kikai isn’t that the film won’t hit a 2011 release (although it might not) or that it won’t live up Satoshi Kon’s reputation or audience expectations. My fear is that the film won’t get adequate exposure and distribution. Madhouse’s 2008 film Hell’s Angels premiered at the Tokyo International Film Festival but was never seen in public again. Madhouse’s feature film Yona Yona Penguin was reportedly made with international distribution in mind, yet it’s not received any significant Western distribution. The uncut director’s edit of Madhouse’s Highlander anime feature was tentatively promised for American release yet hasn’t been released outside of Japan. Madhouse’s Ultraviolet Code:044 television series and Supernatural the Animation OVA series are both based on American franchises, yet neither anime has gotten an American release. So I’m not worried about Yumemiru Kikai disappointing expectations; I’m worried that the finished film may not get wide or global distribution. Considering that we’re now nearly a quarter of the way through 2011 and nary even a teaser trailer for Yumemiru Kikai has surfaced yet, I have some doubts that the film will be ready for mainstream wide release this year, but I won’t be surprised if the finished film does begin getting select film festival premiere screenings this winter.
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“Perhaps, in a degree of looking for the silver lining in a dark cloud, the positive is that while the world will never know exactly what a children’s anime directed by the late Satoshi Kon would be like, we don’t know what a children’s anime directed by Satoshi Kon is like, so there are no standards for Madhouse’s Yumemiru Kikai film to live up to.”
I don’t know, either, but I can attest at least that I knew that it was no doubt inspired by a lot of childhood shows, including Ultra 7, the “banned” episode I helped him “find” on Youtube before they took it down. He had missed out during the initial broadcast, and he actually thanked me for finally being able to see it, since it’s the Japanese equivalent to Song of the South. [I.E. not getting a home video release any time soon.] This was, I think, actually a couple years before he even announced the project, I think. I can’t find the damned blog entry, but if anyone who knows Japanese has some free time on their hands to look through his archives, he uploaded openings and endings of anime which he enjoyed as a kid. [It might’ve been his ’08 entries.] I do remember him uploading the JP Astroboy opening[ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4HVYZhohGw&playnext=1&list=PL41B652E3245E64B4 ] or some other Tezuka-related thing , this thing [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OqUBfS9Sgs&feature=related ] and Rainbow Sentai Robin. [ http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=1471 , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-XCPdVAnuE ]
I also let him know about Wall-E, in case he wanted a reference, given that kids-themed anime might come off as unfamiliar to him. But he officially stated Yume Robo would be nothing like Wall-E, so that might even be better, because I’m kinda irked that Wall-E “borrowed” material from Freedom Project.
“we also now won’t have to watch the film with the skewed expectations that it reflect and equal or surpass Kon’s prior films while unfolding in an entirely new style.”
Personally, I’d rather the film sucked, and he still be alive and get another shot at something cooler later. Now, if it’s actually good, it’s gonna be that much sadder that he’s gone. Anyway, *my* concern is whether or not the Academy will give Madhouse a hard time about submitting it for Best Animated Film, because of the director’s credits.
“Promoting Itazu to oversee the entire production may be the best conceivable option following Satoshi Kon’s untimely passing.”
I was hoping that they’d consider Otomo to take over, given that they were peas in a pod, and it might be his chance to win the gold along with Kon. Plus, I feel like Otomo’s been redeeming himself lately after Steamboy with the LA Mushishi and Tokyo Explorers SOS! But this Itazu dude sounds like he knows his stuff, so at least it’s not gonna be some hack and/or novice taking over.
“My personal fear about Yumemiru Kikai isn’t that the film won’t hit a 2011 release (although it might not)”
Well, that’s a legit fear. Given that Kon’s work isn’t even selling very well *after* his death, even when they’re broadcasting it for free in Japan, who knows how long Dream Machine will take to be finished? Because he wasn’t a hit-maker, it’s going to be a low priority investment for Madhouse and/or NTV, which means we might have to wait even *longer* than 2011 for it to be done. Or maybe Maruyama is generous enough to want to get it fast-tracked. The whole NTV buy-out might also slow things down there, given the inevitable “re-structuring” which occurs with these mergers. FYI, though, Susumu Hirasawa’s been occasionally blogging about working on the score for the production, if you wanna catch him @hirasawa on Twitter.
I also will say that I *do* get occasional e-mails from a English-speaking Madhouse staffer who works with the Yume Robo crew, and nothing else appears to be off about the production yet. My feeling is, though, that they’re trying to build an audience for Kon’s stuff in general there, so that whatever costs of promoting and/or distributing Yume Robo would be justified. See, if Kon was “niche” in America, then he was barely “there” in Japan. That’s why an asshole like Aronofsky can just saunter over there and release Black Swan in May and not have more than random bloggers like Tomo Machi complain about him being an ingrate for not name-dropping Kon or Perfect Blue in regards to the former film. [Though I’m
wondering if he forgot about whether or not his remake rights for PB extend to Japan, and whether or not he’ll get into trouble over that LA film already there.]
“The uncut director’s edit of Madhouse’s Highlander anime feature was tentatively promised for American release yet hasn’t been released outside of Japan. Madhouse’s Ultraviolet Code:044 television series and Supernatural the Animation OVA series are both based on American franchises, yet neither anime has gotten an American release. ”
I don’t know what the hell’s up with Ultraviolet, either. Maybe other than Sky Crawlers, Sony’s out of the U.S. anime game for good? Because I recall that *they* were supposed to be bringing out Xam’ed, not S23. I also forgot about Hells Angels, but I *do* know that Kon and Maruyama were really close compadres, enough so that he’s willing to continue funding Yume Miru in a tough financial climate for the studio. In fact, the person I keep correspondence with had this to say:
“The staff of DREAMING MACHINE think that the most important thing is not to get money back, is to make the film until the end.”
So this is obviously more than just a disposable pet project for the company. This is intended to honor the guy’s legacy.
“I’m worried that the finished film may not get wide or global distribution.”
I think the global thing might be more likely, because of all the buzz in regards to Inception being compared to Paprika, as well as the intended remake from Petersen. Plus, if it *is* more “family”-friendly, it’d actually be an easier sell internationally than Kon’s other movies. Whichever company acquires it might even chip in for a dub this time. The real question is will it get adequate promotion?
Kon will be missed, but I look forward to this film. While I don’t expect it to truly feel like a Kon piece, I do think they will do whatever they can to ensure it is at the very least, a very good anime.
To hopeful thinking and love for one of my personal favorite directors.