'GENE' THERAPY
Tech TV Gets The Anime 'Shaft'
What's the
sci-fi series with the funky name? Geneshaft,
baby Awww, yeah. And that's the series TechTV has picked up to appear
in its Anime Unleashed programming block.
“Geneshaft
has a particularly strong hard-sci-fi vision of the
future,” says Laura Civiello, TechTV's director of acquisitions and
commissions. “With Anime Unleashed we especially aim for anime that
thoughtfully explores the interaction of humans and technology. Its
future society and its relation to genetic engineering and other
breakthroughs is richly detailed, and this was one of the big draws for
us.”
Directed by
Kazuki Akane (of Heat Guy J and Vision
of Escaflowne fame) and licensed by Bandai Entertainment,
Geneshaft ran 13 episodes in Japan in 2001. It was produced by Bandai
Visual and Studio Satelight, known for their combining cel and computer
generated animation in Metropolis, Macross Zero ,
and the Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust movie .
After centuries
of abusing and exploiting the earth, humanity is a race on the verge of
extinction. An elite group of scientists propose a radical and
desperate solution—using genetic engineering to create a new race of
humans gifted with special abilities. The plan is a success, and
humanity's future seems secure.
Two hundred
years later, a mysterious artifact appears in orbit between the earth
and the moon after scientists discover the ruins of ancient alien
civilization on Jupiter's moon Ganymede. This seemingly harmless object
has the potential to obliterate all of humanity and the entire earth as
well. A specially assembled team is sent on the ship Bilkis with the
prototype robot “Shaft” to investigate the artifact. But the artifact
itself is the least of their worries. The Bilkis crew is wanted for
desertion for leaving on their mission without apparent orders, the
Shaft still has kinks to be worked out, and a terrorist who will stop
at nothing to ensure that the mission fails is hiding amongst the team.
“Geneshaft
has great action, a complex and well-thought out future
world, strong characters and a well-done combination of CG and cel
work,” says Civiello. “We're excited to show it!”
Geneshaft
is tentatively scheduled to premiere next March.
-- Caitlin
Moriarity
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