Lensman / SF Shinseiki · A Japanese productionJapan Release Year: 1984U.S. Rel

Lensman / SF Shinseiki · A Japanese production

Japan Release Year: 1984
U.S. Release Year: 1990

Based on the classic science fiction novel Galactic Patrol by E. E. “Doc” Smith

Running Time: 107 Minutes· Directed By: Yoshiaki Kawajiri & Kazuyuki Hirokawa

This was the first anime film to use CGI animation along with traditional hand-drawn animation.

The bulk of the film was created in the traditional cel-oriented fashion (which some CG animators would call 2D) but the directors wanted some 3D/CG elements to give the film a new look. Allegedly the only feature film that had used this technology before was Tron.

Co-director Yoshiaki Kawajiri later became one of the most respected names in anime, directing notable films including Wicked City (1987),Demon City Shinjuku(1988),Ninja Scroll(1993),Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust(2000),Highlander: The Search for Vengeance (2007) and a director of episodes in the anthology films Neo-Tokyo (1987) and The Animatrix(2003).

Reviews:

“…There are some sharp visual effects here, a combination of imaginative and innovative computer animation and the traditional hand-drawn animation, and when the special effects take over the film seems to come alive.” —Chris Hicks, Deseret News

“Adapted from the best-selling science fiction novels of E.E. ‘Doc’ Smith, this superbly animated film combines detailed hand-drawn animation with state-of-the-art computer graphics.” —Ken Innes, Absolute Anime

“The sense of cosmic scale that Smith specialized in is something that Japanese animation does like nobody else… (This was interestingly the first anime film to feature computer animation…) The action is exciting, particularly the speeder-bike chases near the end or the escape from the Overlords stronghold. The filmmakers design a fabulous array of ships — the Boskonian fleet are black clouds lit up from inside with lights, or their planetary patrol ships that are like hollowed-out animal skulls drooping with pink innards.” —Richard Scheib, The Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Film Review

“An excellent example of its genre, Lensman will delight the growing ranks of Japanese cartoon fans in the United States. The storytelling and character development are minimal by Western standards, but superior to the recent Akira; and the film offers the requisite array of jazzy effects, including explosions, ray gun battles, weird-looking aliens, rapid-fire editing and computer-generated imagery.” —Charles Solomon, Los Angeles Times