The Lord of the Rings’ Anime Director Should Make You Excited

Key Takeaways

• Kenji Kamiyama, known for directing iconic anime projects, leads The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim.
• Kamiyama aims to honor the original trilogy by blending practical effects with CGI in the animated film.
• The decision to focus on Helm’s daughter need not be as big a concern as some make it out to be, as evidenced by new footage.

The legacy of The Lord of the Rings – and the high standard set by Peter Jackson’s award-winning trilogy – casts a large shadow on any attempt to tell a new story in that universe. That same shadow now looms over The War of the Rohirrim, an animated epic set nearly 200 years before the trilogy, but if anything should have fans optimistic, it’s the new film’s director.

Kenji Kamiyama is a visionary director with an impressive legacy of his own, painted across some of the most notable Japanese animated projects of the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s. The opportunity to direct an anime based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s world was no doubt tantalizing to many directors of comparable skill, but it is for the reasons below that Kamiyama is an ideal choice.

The Career of Kenji Kamiyama

For those more familiar with Japanese animation, Kamiyama’s resume practically speaks for itself. His early career saw him as a background artist on films like TMS Entertainment’s Akira or Studio Ghibli’s Kiki’s Delivery Service, classics commonly known even among non-anime watchers. In the 90s, he came to be a part of Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell, Patlabor, Psycho-Pass), a studio wherein he would soon flourish as a director.

For a time, he continued to flex his skills as an animator, background artist, and writer. He served as an animation director on Hiroyuki Okiura’s Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade, and penned the script for the 2000 cult classic, Blood: The Last Vampire. In 2002, he made his directorial debut with a series of short Patlabor parody episodes called MiniPato. The greatest gag to come from that show was the knowledge that by the end of that same year, he would direct something truly masterful.

When Kamiyama Proved Himself

In 2002, Kamiyama directed Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, an expensive and risky follow-up to Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 classic. It was a gamble that paid off, and Kamiyama’s tutelage under Oshii no doubt prepared him to take on the challenge. Although series creator Shirow Masamune has stated that there is no definitive version of Ghost in the Shell, many would consider Stand Alone Complex to be the best in the franchise.

It is an almost frighteningly prescient sci-fi drama, elevated by Kamiyama’s intelligent script. It was gripping and suspenseful, but grounded by deeply human characters that brought a healthy levity to what could be an occasionally mind-bending experience. As a director, Kamiyama displayed an excellent command of pacing, composing captivating action through an emphasis on building tension.

How to Follow Up A Masterpiece

Kamiyama’s next projects would receive similar acclaim for their scripts, characters, and overall aesthetic sensibilities. 2007’s Moribito: Guardian of the Spiritis a fantasy adventure series following the mercenary Balsa as she protects Chagum, a prince hunted by the emperor to extinguish the spirit dwelling in his body. This adaptation of the novel series by Nahoko Uehashi has received praise for its characters, and the story’s exploration of cultural themes.

2009’s Eden of the East, Kamiyama’s next sci-fi series, follows Saki Morimi, who travels abroad to America, where she encounters Akira Takizawa, a strange boy suffering from amnesia. Soon, she finds herself entangled in a death game with the fate of the world at the center of it all. Fans of the series hold it in similar regard to Stand Alone Complex in terms of the writing quality.

Kamiyama continues to write and direct to this day, from the Netflix Ultraman series to the revival of Stand Alone Complex, both animated by Production I.G and Sola Digital Arts. He also directed Blade Runner: Black Lotus for Toonami. But one of his most impressive works in recent years has to be his contribution to Star Wars: Visions. His episode, “The Ninth Jedi” was a captivating short that tapped the franchise’s wealth of lore – both canon and non-canon – to deliver something fresh and exciting.

Why Fans Should Believe in Kamiyama

An impressive portfolio though it may be, skeptical Tolkien fans unfamiliar with anime might need more convincing, and the lackluster marketing for The War of the Rohirrim hasn’t helped.

It’s natural to be skeptical about the anime’s capability to capture the magic of such a storied cinematic adventure, even with the involvement of Peter Jackson as a producer. Thankfully, Kamiyama understands that skepticism, both as a fan and as an experienced storyteller.

“When I saw the live-action trilogy 25 years ago, I was left with the impression that it was an amazing movie, and I felt that I had to protect that impression (with this film) at all costs”

At a press conference regarding the new film, he spoke of his affinity for the original trilogy. He recalled how some special effects were so good that “you couldn’t tell it was CG, such as Gollum and the battle scenes.” The decision to animate The War of the Rohirrim primarily in 2D was born out of a desire by Kamiyama to honor the seamless blend of practical and CGI seen in the original. He wants to capture the power of the original by translating that blend.

He certainly isn’t lacking the resources to do so. WETA Workshop provided full cooperation with the production, even allowing access to the props for reference. Not to mention the involvement of numerous producers and screenwriters who worked on the original trilogy, like Philippa Boyens, who co-wrote the original films.

A Small Taste of What’s to Come

On December 3, an 8-minute extended preview was released for the film. Compared to previous marketing that had banked heavily on recognizable clips from the original films, this preview is a far more substantial tease at the storytelling. Yet again, Kamiyama’s command of tension shines, even with the noticeable editing to avoid spoilers. Just as Cate Blanchett narrated the original trilogy, Miranda Otto’s reprisal as Éowyn to narrate this tale lulls the viewer into this fantasy wonderfully.

A commonly cited concern some have about the film is how it will expand on the source material, largely out of necessity, and the quality of that original storytelling. Furthermore, the choice to center the film around Helm’s daughter rather than Helm himself has been a point of contention, but as the above preview demonstrates, that can be a blessing far more than a curse.

In the trilogy, Helm is a figure whose presence is felt even as a memory. Helm’s Deep is a name associated with one of the grandest battles ever filmed. In a way, making his daughter the protagonist is almost a safe move, preserving the reverence the audience has for him by looking at him through the eyes of a loved one. Simultaneously, it allows The War of the Rohirrim to do what the films were always great at. Namely, telling multiple characters’ stories.

The Horn Shall Sound Again

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim comes to theaters in North America next week, and it will be quite a special day, not only for this franchise but for the theatrical distribution of anime in general. To see a hand-drawn animated film given a wide release and treated in its marketing like any other motion picture release (even if not given the best marketing) feels surreal. And should it be successful, it spells great things for the future of the medium.

Source: Oricon News