Vexille

Vexille(ベクシル 2077 Nhật Bản đóng cửa biên giới,Bekushiru 2077 Nihon sakoku,lit."Vexille: 2077 Japanese Isolation" )is a 2007 JapaneseCGIanimefilm, written, directed, and edited byFumihiko Sori,and features the voices ofMeisa Kuroki,Yasuko Matsuyuki, and Shosuke Tanihara.

Vexille
VexilleJapanese promotional poster
Directed by	Fumihiko Sori
Written by	Haruka Handa Fumihiko Sori
Produced by	Toshio Nakazawa Ichirō Takase Yumiko Yoshihara
Starring	Meisa Kuroki Yasuko Matsuyuki Shosuke Tanihara
Edited by	Fumihiko Sori
Music by	Paul Oakenfold
Production company	Oxybot
Distributed by	Shochiku(Japan) Funimation Entertainment(North America)
Release date	August 18, 2007(2007-08-18)
Running time	111 minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese
Budget	$10,000,000 US

At the60th Locarno International Film Festival,whereVexillemade its world premiere, the film was sold to 75 countries, including the United States–based distributor,Funimation Entertainment;however since that time the number increased to 129 countries.

Plot

By the 2060s,roboticstechnology has become extremely advanced, includingcybernetics.World opinion begins to turn against robotics, leading to theU.N.declaring a unilateral ban on further research in 2067.Japan,being home to robotics pioneer Daiwa Heavy Industries, strongly protests this ban, but is unable to prevent its passage. In protest, Japan withdraws from international politics. Allforeignersare deported, and further immigration is prohibited. In addition, the R.A.C.E. network is constructed—270 off-shore installations that cover Japan with an energy field, nullifying all communication with the outside world and making satellite surveillance impossible.Tradeand diplomacy continues, but Japan vanishes from the world scene.

Ten years later, theUnited States Navyspecial warfare unit "SWORD" is trying to trap a Japanese informant for Daiwa in Colorado. The instigator, Saito, escapes by cutting off his own leg. Analysis shows the leg is made of bio-metal. SWORD suspects that Japan has concealed extensive development of banned technologies. They embark on an unapproved scheme to infiltrate Japan and to find out the frequency of the R.A.C.E. network, enabling SWORD to gatherintelligenceon the country. Although the agents successfully enter Japan, they are detected by security forces before they can transmit their data. Vexille is the sole SWORD agent to evade capture, and only her lover Leon survives to be taken to Daiwa's headquarters. Vexille awakens to findTokyois now ashanty townruled by Daiwa. A smallresistance movementopposes the company, and uses Vexille's transmitter to successfully transmit the distortion frequency.

Maria, the head of the resistance, details the 10 years of secrecy while SWORD studies Japan in shocked horror—the islands are a lifeless wasteland. In 2067, an unknown disease struck Japan and was countered by an experimentalvaccine.In actuality, the disease was created by Daiwa and the "vaccine" was used as an excuse for Daiwa to begin testing experimentalnanotechnology.Every Japanese citizen was converted into a form ofsynthetic life.But there were unforeseen side effects; the conversion was imperfect, resulting in the infected humans losing theirfree willand becoming just lifelike machines. Some of the nanotech went amok, creating the "Jags", giant whirling constructs of semisentient metal that prowl the wilderness. The Jags destroyed all of Japan, save Tokyo which is protected by an inedible wall ofceramic.

The Resistance plans to draw the Jags along a service bridge to Daiwa's corporate headquarters, which now stands in the middle ofTokyo Bay.Vexille volunteers her assistance (and that of her flight-capable armor). However, though Vexille and Maria succeed in drawing the Jags to the end of the service bridge, the bridge has been detached from the headquarters, the Jags fall into the sea, and Vexille and Maria are captured. They are taken to Kisaragi, the master of Daiwa, who boasts that his research is nearly complete. And as he needs more test subjects, he is going to invade America. Vexille attacks him with a hidden knife, revealing that his blood is still human—he has not used the process himself. Saito then strangles him. The town council forces the ceramic gates open, destroying Tokyo and enabling the Jags to enter Daiwa's headquarters. Kisaragi, having somehow survived, shoots Saito and escapes with his research. The underling then releases Vexille and Maria before succumbing to his wounds.

Vexille pursues Kisaragi while Maria frees Leon, who shows concern for Vexille, angering Maria. Thus when Vexille prevents Kisaragi's escape in a helicopter, Maria grabs him and holds them together as a Jag devours them. Vexille and Leon are rescued by a SWORD helicopter just as Daiwa headquarters collapses into the bay, along with every Jag in Japan. As Vexille and Leon are flown from a now completely lifeless Japan, Vexille comments that humanity's spirit can never be taken away.

Cast

Japanese

• Meisa Kurokias Lt. Cdr. Vexille Serra
• Shosuke Taniharaas Cdr. Leon Fayden
• Yasuko Matsuyukias Maria
• Takaya Kurodaas Zack
• Akio Ōtsukaas Saito
• Romi Parkas Takashi
• Takahiro Sakuraias Ryo
• Toshiyuki Morikawaas Kisaragi
• Tetsuya Kakiharaas Taro
• Takayuki Sugoas Captain Borg
• Kenji Takahashi as Saga
• Jiro Saito as Chairman Itakura

English

• Colleen Clinkenbeardas Lt. Cdr. Vexille Serra
• Travis Willinghamas Cdr. Leon Fayden
• Christine Autenas Maria
• Christopher Sabatas Zack
• Jason Douglasas Saito
• Luci Christianas Takashi
• Illich Guardiolaas Ryo
• J. Michael Tatumas Kisaragi
• Todd Haberkornas Taro
• John Swaseyas Captain Borg
• Phil Parsonsas Saga
• Kent Williamsas Chairman Itakura

Music

The original soundtrack and music to the series features anelectronic,techno,urumee melamandtrancetheme, and featuresBasement Jaxx,Boom Boom Satellites,Asian Dub Foundation,Dead Can Dance,Carl Craig,The Prodigy,DJ Shadow,M.I.A,with singerMinkproviding the theme songTogether againandPaul Oakenfoldhandling the music score production, which was co-written with Ian Green andMichael J McEvoy.McEvoy also orchestrated and programmed the score.

Reception

This movie has been said to have aResident Evil-like plotline and has drawn many comparisons to the movie. A review of the DVD on website IGN gave this film 6 out of 10, finding it difficult to follow and riddled with plot holes. They also found fault with the soundtrack, particularly Paul Oakenfold's score: "A couple of tracks manage to rise to the occasion, but for the most part, Vexille's tunes feel limp and repetitive."Hypercomments on the film for "retreading of familiar territory already covered effectively byGhost in the Shell".It commends the visuals for its"cel-shadingandrotoscoping,leading to some incredibly impressive looking set pieces ". However, it criticises the action scenes which" aren't nearly as exciting as they should be — most of the action scenes boil down to rather mundane gun fights or chases, and while they look great there's no real energy in them. "It currently has a 60% approval rating onRotten Tomatoes.

Releases

For the Region 1 release Vexille was first released in a 1 disc format on May 20, 2008,followed by a 2 Disc special edition on November 4, 2008.Both versions include the original Japanese soundtrack as well as the English dub, with optional subtitles.

A Blu-ray Disc version was released on the same day as the 2 Disc special edition and includes exactly the same features as its DVD counterpart.

Region 2 DVD was released on September 1, 2008, in a limited edition steelbook 2 Disc set,featuring only the original Japanese soundtrack with English subtitles without English Dub. That version has since gone out of print and has been replaced by a standard 1 disc set with no extra features.

A Blu-ray Disc version is yet to be released on Region B.

Live-action film

Universal Studioshas acquired the rights to the film to produce a live-action remake.Beau FlynnandTripp Vinsonhave signed on as producers, Lisa Zambri as executive producer andEvan Spiliotopoulosas screenwriter.

See also

• Appleseed

External links

• VexilleatAnime News Network's encyclopedia
• VexilleatIMDb
• Official website(in Japanese)
• Official website
• TwitchVexillereview
• VarietyVexillereview
• The Japan TimesVexillereview