Film · 2010
Redline
JP drives a customised Trans-Am into an interplanetary race where rivals carry weapons and the host planet threatens military intervention. Distorted machinery, extreme angles and saturated colour make speed the main attraction in Takeshi Koike's standalone film, with a romance between races.
Behind JP's leather jacket and pompadour is a shy racer trying to impress Sonoshee, whose determination caught his attention when they were younger. That gives his need to win a romantic motive. The film's hand-drawn characters and backgrounds offer another reason to look closely at its mechanical world, beyond simply following which car crosses the line first.
Frisbee, JP’s mechanic and childhood friend, keeps his Trans-Am running. JP refuses to carry weapons, although his rivals are allowed to attack as well as overtake. Inside the cockpit, the drawing makes acceleration physical: his arms fill the foreground, his hair streams backwards and the scenery smears past the windows.
Standalone film · Approx. 102 min · one film
Standalone animated film directed by Takeshi Koike, with animation by MADHOUSE. Japanese theatrical release, 2010.
