With 2007, being 'the year of the mecha',
REIDEEN is Production I.G's entry into the foray with a 're-birth' of Tomino's classic 1975 series
Yuusha Reideen.
Cast:
Masataka Azuma as Junki Saiga
Saeko Chiba as Akira Midorino
Shinichiro Miki as Taro Maedasaki
Takako Honda as Hana Hoshikawa
Staff:
Director - Mitsuru Hongo (IGPX)
Character Design - Takuya Saito (IGPX)
Mechanical Design - Atsushi Takeuchi (IGPX, Innocence), Shinji Aramaki (Fullmetal Alchemist, Appleseed)
Music - Yoshihiro Ike (Ergo Proxy, Blood the Last Vampire)
Broadcast: March 3rd 2007 on WOWOW
First Trailer:
here
Official site:
http://www.reideen.jp/
Blurb (from Animenfo):
Spoiler for saving space:
The story takes place in near future in Japan.
Saiga Junki enjoys his school life as a normal high school student. One day, he hears that his father who was an archeologist and has been missing for 10 years was found dead in remains, and he goes to Mt. Kurokami of Iwate Prefecture. Junki loses his conscience in the remains, he sees strange illusion, and a gold bracelet is left beside him. On the bracelet, mythical letters are curved, “The Great Reideen…”
At the same time, with a fall of a meteor, a big mechanical beast appears from a lake. What is the gold shining thing appeared from Mt. Kurokami as if it responded to the beast?
The story shows the protagonist who comes and goes between normal life of days and abnormal fighting life of nights, people’s embarrassment, conflicts, and human drama in detail.
The large power the protagonist happens to obtain…it is glory or fear?
Thoughts based on the trailer:
The CG mecha is rather reminiscent of IGPX (understandably) but Reideen itself, funky bow intact in all it's glory, is rather impressive. I rather like the character designs too, thankfully they seem quite mature. Seems Production I.G is aiming for an older audience than IGPX too. Interesting music and the vocals in the trailer, very atmospheric. This is one of 2007's numerous mecha shows that I'm really looking forward to (along with Gurren Lagann and the VOTOMs remake) .