I normally quite enjoy the work of Japan's Madhouse animation studio. In the past few years they have arguably become the leading edge of Japan's animation industry, producing stellar films from Japan's best directors. That said, the new teaser released at Comic Con for their anime version of Marvel's Iron Man is kind of an anti-trailer. Anti in that it makes me want to stay far, far away. Ouch.
What do you not like about it, Todd?
I don't like the design work on Tony at all and the animation seems uncharacteristically jerky for a Madhouse production, like they're working at a reduced frame rate, almost.
Ya, plus it looks incredibly generic.
I have a thing for animation, but don't think there's ANYTHING good about it. Come on Madhouse, we all know you're able to produce awesome things (Kon, Yuasa, Dennou Coil). Where did this come from?
The difference is, as far as I can see, the same difference that all TV series have to anime films. The necessarily much, much smaller budget for TV series means cuts in anime quality compared to film - in all areas, but primarily in the 'smoothness' area - which have massive budgets in film, but not on TV. Along with practical realities like having to fit the series to a tight budget, the plain fact is that unlike a film, the vast majority of the audience won't notice. I guess because Madhouse have really made their name in recent years via film, seeing them produce a TV series might burst the bubble a bit - though it's the same for anyone who makes a TV series: costs like in-betweening and all the rest simply have to be less than on a film.
I have no doubt we'll continue to see awesome, beautiful and technically brilliant animated films from Madhouse in the future.
TV series will never be technically amazing - they need to make their mark via stories, and style of animation.
What bothers me most about this artwork is that it doesn't add anything to what is already published out there.
Tony Stark guest-visited several of the Marvel animated series (including "Fantastic Four", yeaaaars ago) and this looks about the same.
Look a lot better than the Justice league type animation that is coming out lately
Two words: Warren Ellis.
He's the guy behind this.
http://www.warrenellis.com/?p=10113
First trailer was way better.
This will have no problem being better than the two shitty overrated live movies.
Warren Ellis is involved?
Oooh... that's a gamechanger for sure! This means there is a chance of seeing some genuine evil in the story.
My interest in this project has suddenly gone up a few notches...
MADHOUSE makes some good projects but some pretty shitty ones too. Last' year's HELLS was one of the worst movies screened @ FanTasia that summer.
I'm really happy that anime studios have the opportunity to do short episodes for these pseudo American productions. In Japan obviously there are a lot of great animations that can be between 20 and 45 minutes long. In America we demand a 90 minute movie, or at least a TV series. This means a lot of great animators have no opportunity to release animations, unless they conform their short films to a series or feature length. Stuff like Animatrix and the Batman animes will hopefully slowly change American's attitudes towards animation.
For example, I'm a big fan of the "Amazing Screw-on Head" animation, and I never even realized it was a failed TV pilot. I think it's a success just the way it is, and hope that someday we can see animated shorts as more than just a failed feature length or series.
Also, why not let the anime studios come up with the stories? The Wachachowskis let the directors come up with some of the stories in animatrix.
"This will have no problem being better than the two shitty overrated live movies."
Tedious troll is tedious.