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Famous animator Keiichiro Kimura is widely known for the works Tiger Mask and Cyborg 009 on which he was the animation director. Even now at 76, he remains active in the field. On Oct. 21, Kimura began a new project using the American crowdfunding site Kickstarter. Funds are being collected on Kickstarter in order to produce the new anime Go! Samurai.
Go! Samurai tells the story of a lone samurai named Kei who fights relentlessly against 100 enemies. Touted as an anime with thrilling swordfights, the ambitious anime will be organized entirely around action scenes.
As well as the story, Kimura is also in charge of the animation. The anime will be roughly five minutes long and consist of around 2,000 cels. Every frame is drawn only in a monochrome style. Go! Samurai seems likely to become a new style of anime in which Kimura’s characteristic rough sketches, dynamic action, and original camera work can be appreciated.
Once the film is finished, it will be screened at film festivals all over the world beginning with Annecy. Also, when Part 2 of Go! Samurai is complete, a DVD including both parts will be released.
Kimura was born on April 5, 1938. He entered Toei Douga (currently Toei Animation) in 1961 where he took part in the creation of many works. As an animator who has been drawing for half a century, his reason for starting the project is that he wondered what would happen if he used his extensive experience and forms of expression to create an entirely new animation. Kimura’s son, illustrator Takahiro Kimura, is also connected to the project, lending his support in composition and editing. It won’t be long until this so-called compilation by a legendary animator is complete.
Source: animeanime
Source article written by Katsunori Takahashi
