Here is one such animated film. I’ve chosen this one because, every one shares animation films from Japan mostly but, there’s a lot of people who never guessed that quality films, comic books and graphic novels have come from Europe. For example Metal Hurlant, Black Sad, hell even Mysterious Cities of Gold, The Incal, Metabarons and more.

Directed by Pascal Morelli, Morto Cortese in Siberia is one of the better animated films if not the best of the bunch. With crisp animations and near R-rated action and mature themes, it grips you into it’s intrigue and drama.

With this book Hugo Pratt leaves behind the short story form he’d used for 21 interrelated tales and presents a truly epic graphic novel. In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution and the First World War, Corto Maltese is engaged by the Red Lanterns—a Chinese secret society made up entirely of women—to find an armored train laden with gold that belonged to the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II. They aren’t the only ones lusting after the treasure. The adventure, which shifts from the hidden courts of Venice to the mysterious alleys of Hong Kong, from Shanghai to Manchuria and Mongolia to Siberia, also attracts regular and irregular armies, as well as revolutionaries and counter-revolutionaries.
– https://www.idwpublishing.com/product/corto-maltese-siberia

A running time of 92 minutes is long enough for this energetic and lush adventure. My favorites scene has to be the scene on the ship when Corto and his friend Rasputin (who resembles but has not relation to the actual Rasputin) are confronted by assassins. The story takes you globe trotting as they both trek in search of lost gold and glory. I’m recommending this to any and all fans of the Adventures of TIN TIN.
Below is the full playlist for Corto Maltese in Siberia.

Keep yourself safe out there and talk hard. But above all keep your finger on that rewind button.

Playlist Link:

“And I am over a quarter of a century old. I’m getting freaking old.”
-SamHaiNe

Originally released on June 5, 1993 in Japan – Ninja Scroll didn’t reach stateside for another two years with an English dub by Manga Entertainment. But when it did it became an instant classic with scenes being used as Bumps during MTV’s Liquid Television and some Manhattan Public Access video collage programs; often spliced together with either Drum & Bass or (actual) 90’s Hip Hop.

The action movie based in Feudal Japan featured some incredible sequences of sword and memorable moments of “bad-assery”. Yes I made up a phrase, deal with it.

Animated by MADhouse and co-produced by Toho (Godzilla). If you really wanted to summarize this film, you can say it’s like Metal Gear Solid without the hours of expository dialogue and melodrama. In fact it’s a better Metal Gear Solid than the last Metal Gear Solid. A lone wolf is pulled into the murky world of espionage against a team of mercenaries with supernatural powers; terrorists, whose main goal is stealing the country’s gold supply and destabilizing the ruling government. Sound familiar?

“Ninja Scroll won the Citizen’s Award at the 1993 Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a rating of 93%, based on 14 reviews, with an average rating of 7.5/10.
During the 1990s, Ninja Scroll was among the most popular anime movies outside Japan, along with such movies as Akira and Ghost in the Shell. The North American video release of Ninja Scroll had sold more than 70,000 copies by May 1996, becoming Manga Entertainment’s best-selling title at the time. In February 2004, Cinefantastique  listed the anime as one of the “10 Essential Animations”.
Theron from Anime News Network exclaims that the “action scenes sizzle with energy and powerful maneuvers unencumbered by tiresome dramatics” and describe the plot as “mostly exists just to set up conflicts between the protagonists and the Devils of Kimon and allow various characters to show off their colorful ninja techniques”. He concluded that “Ninja Scroll‘s story is too thin for it to ever legitimately be considered one of the all-time great anime movies” but considers it to be a classic.”
– Wikipedia

A decade and a half after its release, Ninja Scroll is still one of the mainstays on everyone’s favorite Anime lists’.  Although not a domestic success in Japan, internationally it is celebrated. Since 1993, there has been a short animated mini-series that may or may not be a standalone story or a sequel. There have even been plans to produce a sequel with the main director returning to helm and script write. However, that sequel has been in limbo since it’s pitch went public. If you’re lucky you might even find the teaser trailer online.

Supposedly Hollywood had ideas about a U.S. live action film produced by Leo DiCaprio but that never saw the light of day and let’s hopes it doesn’t. American audiences are venomous pretentious rattlesnakes when it comes to film these days. Let’s wait to see how the Battle Angel Alita (2018) film does and then we can think about future U.S. anime adaptations like the rumored Gundam film that was just reported to be in development online earlier today.

Happy Anniversary NINJA SCROLL, you still look good in your old age.
Keep your fingers under the sword guard and on that Rewind button.

The music has a theatrical quality, as with most music associated with members Alex Westaway and Dan Haigh. That’s all I’m going to say about their previous musical endeavors. You can Google Fightstar if you want. “Fly For Your Life” builds tension with driving bass synths and a subdued beat. The jagged hi-hat pattern and chiming synths in the background build anticipation for a chorus that doesn’t disappoint. The chorus of this song is absolutely huge. The arpeggio of synth crawling all over it is completely beautiful. I know dubstep is pretty divisive among electronic music fans (thanks to all the bros!). The massive drums of the chorus are reminiscent of some of the best dubstep beats. Alex Westaway’s vocals weaving with the female vocals throughout the track are the highlight. It’s the chorus where this dynamic is at its best.

The music video itself is gorgeous. Like the music, it manages to have a definite retro feel without being generic. It complements the music perfectly and its Sin City meets Kill Bill meets Metal Gear animation creates an extremely memorable viewing experience. The faded colors throughout most of the video are kept interesting through an ever-changing environment and splashes of vivid red blood and flashing lights. Around the 3:50 mark of the video, everything that was subdued becomes vivid, terrifying in fact. If you have a method of streaming YouTube to your TV, you owe to yourself to watch this video on the biggest screen you possibly can.

GUNSHIP plan on releasing more new music soon and have what is, in my opinion, the best box set I’ve seen in quite some time for their album available for pre-order. The “16-bit Box Set” includes a signed copy of the CD, a t-shirt, GUNSHIP sunglasses, and a poster. The song and music video are definitely proof that these guys are going to be on our retro radar for a while. You can preorder the box set here: http://www.gunshipmusic.com/#!product/prd6/3156389881/pre-order-limited-edition-box-set