The Five Killers

[dreamless]

The Trailer (http://web.mac.com/eric.calderon/iWeb/Site/The%20Five%20Killers/The%20Five%20Killers.html)

The Five Killers is an original creation from writer/producer Eric Calderon currently in development as an animated TV series (12 episodes with a 1 hour finale) with Studio Gonzo. The designs were created by up-and-coming manga artist Shigeki Maeshima and this pilot was animated under the direction of ‘Trinity Blood’ director Tomohiro Hirata.

The original script is being written by George Krstic (creator Megas XLR, series TV script writer for Star Wars Clone Wars) and famed US comic book writer Mark Waid (Kingdom Come, 52, JLA, and the Flash). For information, please email Eric Calderon using the link to the bottom right.

Story :
When the best five killers are hunted
by the ultimate assassin:
3 Die.
2 Survive.
1 Lives... Forever.
Set in the high tech, high stakes world of espionage and global conspiracy, The Five Killers reunites the world’s greatest assassins years after their bitter retirement. One of them has been found murdered, and the message is clear: they’re next.
They’re names are SWORD, BOMB, GUN, KNIFE, and VAMPIRE.

Looks GREAT :cool:

[Super Ska Master]

The plot is lame and uncreative. But what can I honestly expect from an american? The trailer looked cool, but that plot has been definately done before (With way more creativity I might add). Gee..I wonder which lives forever. ummm vampire? duh.

[Slice of Life]

The plot is lame and uncreative. But what can I honestly expect from an american?

Apocalypse Now, Dead Man, Dark City, Natural Born Killers, Matrix, Blade Runner, ...

This shouts "Afro Samurai" at me though. Loudly. ANN will love it.

[v1cious]

Apocalypse Now, Dead Man, Dark City, Natural Born Killers, Matrix, Blade Runner, ...

This shouts "Afro Samurai" at me though. Loudly. ANN will love it.

i swear i hate when otakus say this. it's very sad that something can't be good just because it has American influences.

[Slice of Life]

it's very sad that something can't be good just because it has American influences.

Have you actually read what I wrote? I mean, it's only two lines ... two! :rolleyes: Well, whatever.

[Nightengale]

i swear i hate when otakus say this. it's very sad that something can't be good just because it has American influences.

He was being mildly sarcastic. He was answering Ska's 'what to expect from Americans' with his list. All of which... for most parts, are stuff that don't qualify for "stank".

He did not imply that the list he pointed out was shitty stuff of Americans.

[dreamless]

The plot is lame and uncreative. But what can I honestly expect from an american?
heh, at least you can expect the american to be less lame and uncreative than the japanese and their buckloads of senseless loli harem moe shows I guess.

[TigerII]

What are you talking about? Nearly every plot from Japanese shows are done and cliche.

Anyways, this seemed more like a game to me.

[v1cious]

He was being mildly sarcastic. He was answering Ska's 'what to expect from Americans' with his list. All of which... for most parts, are stuff that don't qualify for "stank".

He did not imply that the list he pointed out was shitty stuff of Americans.

i was referring to the comment about it looking very "Afro Samurai". i'll admit outright it wasn't the best OAV, but Gonzo did a great job on the animation. i don't see why it's any worse, because it was made for an american audience.

[orion]

True, but the character descriptions suck nevertheless. The plot is lame. The character designs are obviously Western influenced to go with their cliched code names. And they chose QuickTime for the promo instead of Windows which always sucks imo.

Could they not afford a Windows-based trailer?

[Dagger]

We don't know anything about the plot yet, lol. Doubtless it will turn out to be about as substantial as Afro Samurai, but complaining about it at this point is like saying "Kanon sucks because it's about a bunch of girls and one guy" without even having seen Kanon. Anyway, I'm not seeing how those character designs are any more Western-influenced than other anime with blond characters... they were designed by a Japanese manga-ka, after all...

Quicktime works way better than WMP for me, so I'm glad they went with it.

[Slice of Life]

i was referring to the comment about it looking very "Afro Samurai". i'll admit outright it wasn't the best OAV, but Gonzo did a great job on the animation. i don't see why it's any worse, because it was made for an american audience.

:mad: You alleged (and allege again) something I didn't say, and even explicitly refuted in my first post. Why? Afro Samurai by any other audience would smell as bad. IMHO and YMMV. Last word. May other people judge over your and my line of reasoning.

[orion]

We don't know anything about the plot yet, lol. Doubtless it will turn out to be about as substantial as Afro Samurai, but complaining about it at this point is like saying "Kanon sucks because it's about a bunch of girls and one guy" without even having seen Kanon. Anyway, I'm not seeing how those character designs are any more Western-influenced than other anime with blond characters... they were designed by a Japanese manga-ka, after all...

Quicktime works way better than WMP for me, so I'm glad they went with it.

The plot is as you see it in this thread and under "The Story" link on the website.

Well, the blond one is wearing revealing stuff that looks like a DC Comics type. The South African dude's hair style and overall design is Western.

They may be designed by a Japanese manga-ka and animated by a Japanese studio but it is based on a Western original concept with Western writers. :)

[physics223]

I just hope for a good amount of action. I don't expect much, though. :)

[ragnesis]

The trailer reminds me of the movie Collateral. Looks good. :)

[Monkey D. Luffy]

Wow how terrible it's american concept with writers who are also american:mad: lol

I thought that the animation looks great from the little that we saw from the trailer and the characters look good they have western influences but I like the design by the manga-ka. Looks like it will be all action so I won't expect more from it, I'll watch it.

[orion]

Well, it's a distinction nevertheless like OELs and manga imo. :)

[dreamless]

Afro Samurai by any other audience would smell as bad. IMHO and YMMV. Last word. May other people judge over your and my line of reasoning.
huh? I don't know where you get the idea that Afro Samurai "by any other audience would smell as bad". It's definitely not the case from what I know.

True, but the character descriptions suck nevertheless. The plot is lame. The character designs are obviously Western influenced to go with their cliched code names.
lol, by your reasoning Kanon's character descriptions suck more, and its plot of "a boy solving problems for a bunch of girls" is much more lame. And code names are just... code names. Their code names are simple and serve their purpose, I don't see them being any more cliched than... say, stuff like "The Boss", "Big Boss", "Snake", "Ninja", etc.

And they chose QuickTime for the promo instead of Windows which always sucks imo.

Could they not afford a Windows-based trailer?
Because there are people who are not using Windows/IE? Platform-independent format >>>>> MS-bound format.

[Ama no Kagaseo]

On a side note, I thought Afro Samurai sucked.. Because it sucked. 'American' made or not, I appreciate something with a little more depth than just mindless action. The plot felt poorly written to me, as if it was written by some high school kid.

BUT THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT.

I will agree with the user who said this stinks of Afro Samurai. It's just mindless action from what I've gathered and nothing more than that. Even if the animation is godly, it's just not enough to draw me in.

[orion]

lol, by your reasoning Kanon's character descriptions suck more, and its plot of "a boy solving problems for a bunch of girls" is much more lame. And code names are just... code names. Their code names are simple and serve their purpose, I don't see them being any more cliched than... say, stuff like "The Boss", "Big Boss", "Snake", "Ninja", etc.



But you're comparing this to a game franchise (Metal Gear Solid) now which is an apples and oranges deal. A half description of Kanon can not be used as a comparison as they are different genres, again an apples to oranges comparison.

Perhaps, you should use Black Lagoon as an example instead. (That's what R1 will do anyways I bet.) But here, there isn't any cliched code names, DC Comics designs or paper thin plot on the website (http://www.blacklagooncompany.com/). :)

[kaito-kid]

Once again, outstanding animation:)
But the concept sounds unoriginal and uncreative. but they could still turn it in to a great anime of course..In the end it's all going to depend on how they execute it.

[ZeusIrae]

Honestly, it sounds pretty bad.There's some wonderful sci-fi novels that deserves to be animated a lot more than this.

I dream of an anime adaptation of Hyperion.Now,that would be totally awesome.Or the Culture cycle,Consider Phlebaswould make an excellent animation film.

I can always dream.

[physics223]

Heh, I'm thinking more on the lines of The Sound and the Fury ... D:

[WanderingKnight]

OT:

Could they not afford a Windows-based trailer?

Hold on while I finish laughing...

...
...
...

There!

For your information, Windows does not represent the whole PC spectrum. There's these little guys who use an operative system called MacOS, and there's these other guys, like me, who use an operative system called/based on Linux. Now, I'd be glad if you could have all the MS stuff you'd like, but please, let's make use of the standards the rest of the community has always been fighting so hard for, and which MS has always tried to destroy.

Back on topic:

Amazing animation... but will there be any depth to this? As it has been said, it looks a lot like a shiny diamond with a charcoal interior.

[dreamless]

But you're comparing this to a game franchise (Metal Gear Solid) now which is an apples and oranges deal. A half description of Kanon can not be used as a comparison as they are different genres, again an apples to oranges comparison.

Perhaps, you should use Black Lagoon as an example instead. (That's what R1 will do anyways I bet.) But here, there isn't any cliched code names, DC Comics designs or paper thin plot on the website (http://www.blacklagooncompany.com/). :)

once again, by your own reasoning, you are comparing apples to oranges too. First the characters in Black Lagoon don't have code names, they have nicknames, not to mention Revy's nickname is actually "Two Guns" in japanese kanji, not any more original than simply "Gun" if you ask me. And "Dutch the Boss", "Benny the Mechanic", "Revy the Two Hands" don't sound any more original than DC Comics characters, or those G.I. Joe characters, etc. Secondly by your "apples and oranges" argument, you can't compare this to Black Lagoon, it's like you can't compare Bruce Lee movies to John Woo movies.

And I don't see where your logic comes from about the code names, so some code names that are cliched in animes suddenly becomes not cliched in games? huh? Maybe you should read better, I never compared this to MGS, I'm comparing the code names, so it's not anything near an apples and oranges deal. Unless you want to say that "Snake" is not a cliched code name in a game but suddenly becomes a cliched code name if used in an anime :eyespin:

Honestly, it sounds pretty bad.There's some wonderful sci-fi novels that deserves to be animated a lot more than this.

I dream of an anime adaptation of Hyperion.Now,that would be totally awesome.Or the Culture cycle,Consider Phlebaswould make an excellent animation film.

I can always dream.
There are tons of wonderful sci-fi novels that's better than every single animes out there. But then I doubt many of them can be adapted into anime at all. Hyperion into an anime? Why do I have the feeling of the Sphere movie. Many times when a dream comes true, it becomes nightmare :eyespin:

[physics223]

http://www.mysmiley.net/imgs/smile/confused/confused0066.gif

Well ... at least there *are* hot chicks ... ¬.¬

[KiNA]

Many times when a dream comes true, it becomes nightmare :eyespin:

Thus it is better to stay dreamless, no ;)

Sorry, couldn't help noticing the pun there :D...

I dont usually drop in this section ... but its either your name as thread starter.. or the thread title interested me.. I dunno, but here I am, waiting for it.. Ok.. I concede.. its the vampire and the bomb <.<

Cliche? every single anime can be strip down to the same basic few things.. Its how they represent it that counts for me ^^

[dreamless]

Cliche? every single anime can be strip down to the same basic few things.. Its how they represent it that counts for me ^^
Indeed, I still remember when I first started the Claymore and Black Lagoon (!) threads in AS a couple years ago, many people here said that they looked cliched and uninteresting, while at the same time saying that those upcoming harem shows looked great :heh:

[WanderingKnight]

Indeed, I still remember when I first started the Claymore and Black Lagoon (!) threads in AS a couple years ago, many people here said that they looked cliched and uninteresting, while at the same time saying that those upcoming harem shows looked great.

Yes, however, I think the point here should be, "what does this show have besides a shiny appearance?". Certainly the trailers haven't shown much other than a lot of mindless action. It's not saying it's cliched--it doesn't seem to have much content, cliched or not. Of course, it deserves an opportunity, even more with such a display of high-quality animation.

[ZeusIrae]

As Wandering knight said,the problem is the apparent lack of substance.It will be certainly very entertaining but the amount of ressource invested makes me a little sad.

[Zu Ra]

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/2601/all5goninuk6.jpg

When the best five killers are hunted by the ultimate assassin:3 Die.2 Survive. 1 Lives... Forever.

Set in the high tech, high stakes world of espionage and global conspiracy, The Five Killers reunites the world’s greatest assassins years after their bitter retirement. One of them has been found murdered, and the message is clear: they’re next.

They’re names are

SWORD, BOMB, GUN, KNIFE, and VAMPIRE.


The story begins on a rainy afternoon in Boston, when four of the estranged killers gather for an unexpected funeral. Knife is dead, and no one knows who murdered him. Since they've all been out of the game for a long while, Knife's death comes as a shocking surprise but one they all know to be possible given their line of work.

The funeral doesn't go smoothly. Immediately, uncomfortable glances, sudden arguments, and old accusations begin to fly as the remaining four confront one another with the bitterness and jealousies that originally drove them apart until a fifth mourner arrives. Dressed in white and announcing himself as "The Droid," he cheerfully takes credit for Knife's assassination--and declares the other four to be his next targets. On the run, forced together in self-defense, the four race around the world trying to find who--or what--is behind this mysterious "Droid" and why they're marked for death.

With an explosive ending, life death, immortality, and love all converge in an emotional and shocking final conclusion.

[dreamless]

As Wandering knight said,the problem is the apparent lack of substance.It will be certainly very entertaining but the amount of ressource invested makes me a little sad.

well, with the very few exceptions like Kino no Tabi, Hundred Stories, Mushishi and stuff, most anime's pre-release info has an apparent lack of substance. And I'd feel sadder for the amount of resources invested in those tons of random harem shows :p

[orion]

But this is a title that is being shopped around. If that's the best that they can do, then heaven help them. :heh:

[KiNA]

The story begins on a rainy afternoon in Boston, when four of the estranged killers gather for an unexpected funeral. Knife is dead, and no one knows who murdered him. Since they've all been out of the game for a long while, Knife's death comes as a shocking surprise but one they all know to be possible given their line of work.

The funeral doesn't go smoothly. Immediately, uncomfortable glances, sudden arguments, and old accusations begin to fly as the remaining four confront one another with the bitterness and jealousies that originally drove them apart until a fifth mourner arrives. Dressed in white and announcing himself as "The Droid," he cheerfully takes credit for Knife's assassination--and declares the other four to be his next targets. On the run, forced together in self-defense, the four race around the world trying to find who--or what--is behind this mysterious "Droid" and why they're marked for death.

With an explosive ending, life death, immortality, and love all converge in an emotional and shocking final conclusion.

Wait.. if it started with Knife's death, does that means we'll be seeing flashback stories? o_o

[orion]

It starts at the funeral. Knife is already dead and the killer introduces himself to them which I think is the dumbest thing for a contract killer to do.

So if Knife is alive and kicking in the title then that scene is a flashback imo.

[darkchibi07]

Probably the killer is cocky and full of himself, right? :rolleyes:

[orion]

Maybe he's an android ala Terminator. He's named 'Droid after all. I'm really hoping that it doesn't descend down this route.

Or maybe he's actually more than 1 person (a team). So the one introducing himself is not the actual killer.

[KiNA]

It starts at the funeral. Knife is already dead and the killer introduces himself to them which I think is the dumbest thing for a contract killer to do.

So if Knife is alive and kicking in the title then that scene is a flashback imo.
But the character page contained Knife as well..

That means we gonna start with his death.. then flashback to what they did together as a team.. then figure out why the killer is out to kill them.

If there is no flashback.. why the character page contain knife and his profiles as well if he wont be there for us to know him?

[orion]

Awwww....you miss Knife already? ;)

[KiNA]

Kinda like his hair :p

[BANANABANANA]

ooh, i'm looking forward to this. will be on my "to watch" list. :)


but it looks like the kind of show where my favorite characters always get killed off though :heh: :(

[KiNA]

That is why you should root for the immortal vampire :p

Altho going out with a bang might be not so bad experience :naughty:

[D a m i e n]

who care about substance.
this show is all about hot chick, boobs and bigkaboom action.

it s prolly the kind of anime you just watch 1 time then keep on your hard drive to just rewatch the action scenes.

i ll prolly watch it or try to get a few episode just for the technical qualiti of the animation.

[ghstwrld]

Well that was horrible. I'm always up for a balls to the wall, action romp, but this is a cliched mess. They even had the stereotypical "action packed" music playing.

[TigerII]

Everything these days is cliche. Looks fun. Another bang bang shoot them up show. Love it.

[Morph]

I just saw the trailer and trying to find more information about it. So far, I found a site dedicated (http://web.mac.com/eric.calderon/iWeb/Site/The%20Story.html)to the anime in production and ANN's new source (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-07-17/gonzo-trinity-blood-director-make-five-killers-pilot).

Anyone got more info on this? It looks pretty badass - GONZO with lots of budget.

[monir]

I've seen the trailer few weeks back and my initial impression was that it will be another project by Gonzo similar to Afro Samurai -- an english dubbed series that is likely to appear in one of the cable network channel in the N. America. While the animation looked gorgeous for Afro Samurai, the presentation of the voice acting put a dampner to the overall enjoyment of this type of series for me.

[D a m i e n]

sorry to bump this old thread but any info came up about this show?
has it been aired, planned on being aired of just droped?

[KiNA]

Well.. considering the last update for the webpage is August 10th .. :uhoh: Saaaaaaaa...

[Mgz]

haha the trailer has "Ready Steady Go" by Oakenfold , nicely done.

seems cheesy and Revesoir dogs-ish tho :/

[Sinestra]

Thread is kind of old but the first post pissed me off so i stayed away. I will say it looks like its going to suck pretty bad and not because its american or japanese i dont give a rats ass about it. It looks like it going to suck for multiple reasons which others have already pointed out. I most likely will check it out to appease my curosity but thats about it.

[Edgewalker]

heh, at least you can expect the american to be less lame and uncreative than the japanese and their buckloads of senseless loli harem moe shows I guess.

Quoted for truth.

Made in Japan =/= automatically win.

Made in America =/= fail.

The only reason why American shows fail all the time is because anything that doesn't cater to the least common denominator gets taken off air. Anything that asked the viewer to even think about contemplating about contemplating something deep has always died. America is full of great writers, the problem is that its also full of dumb people who hear in one ear and out the other. In japan people seem more willing to publish controversial ideals...but that doesnt mean that japan doesnt have its fair share of people drooling over recycled ecchi story lines with the same characters in different bodies.

[tigerwoods]

Err, does anyone know what happened to this project? O_o