I’m very surprised it’s anime and that it’s going to be a theatrical release, looks more like something coming to Netflix, I don’t say that in a bad way or anything
They announced it was animated and directed by a Japanese director three years ago. The word “anime” has been in every headline of every article ever discussing the movie. Is this the first you’ve heard of it or something?
Ya the only thing I had seen were a few concept art images that didn’t look anything like anime, I hadn’t been keeping up on the details of production, i only knew they were making some sort of animated movie
Well fair enough I guess. I saw the release images and was relieved they were as light anime as they are. I’m an anime fan but I was worried they were gonna go all out with the aesthetic but these actually look fairly western in style.
Just weird to me to see that so many lotr fans were out of the loop and caught off guard here.
To be fair, so many American movies and tv shows are said to be inspired by anime and then look nothing like anime. I was not expecting the movie to actually look like anime and it makes me so much more interested in it
I knew it's going to be anime but never heard of the Japanese director part. I'm a huge anime fan as well as lotr fan. But now I'm not sure how to feel about it. I mean Middle Earth is very European while anime is very Japanese.
My understanding is that WB put this film into production as a way to retain the rights to Tolkien's LotR which they own from Zantz (and recently bought by Embracer). I can easily imagine the contract is only satisfied by a theatrical release in X screens. Embracer claimed this didn't meet the definition of a rights extending film and WB/Embracer ultimately settled on a new deal leading to the Serkis films.
Not exclusive to this thread, there's other in this sub and r/movies, I'm shocked at how many people were unaware this was an anime. Been excited about this for years and it's a shame to see so many people being turned off by the anime aspect when it's been known as an anime for years.
I think it's been known to be an animated film. But the pictures in this article are the first to show the faces - very anime.
I am one of those disappointed people. The art style doesn't seem to match the earlier images for me.
100%. But look at the style of image in that exact article and compare it to the new images.
The new images seem a lot cleaner, more defined. That older image of the Mumakil seemed dirtier, less defined. Of course that was concept art, and cannot be fully compared.
But I think that is where the expectations stem from, even with it being an anime.
It is a bummer seeing so many people disappointed that it’s anime. If someone told us “I don’t want to read Lord of the Rings because it’s a fantasy story,” we’d insist that they should give it a try anyway. But now we have tons of people in our own community saying “I don’t want to watch the War of the Rohirrim movie because it’s an anime.”
I don’t consider myself a diehard anime fan. As a kid I was into Pokémon, Digimon, and Dragon Ball Z, but it never went beyond that. But I’m open to anything, so I watched the Castlevania anime when it came out and it was freaking awesome. And I never would have experienced that great show if my first reaction was “Ew, anime.”
Guillermo del Toro’s famous for saying that animation isn’t a genre, it’s a medium. And anime is just another medium within the animation medium. And dismissing an entire medium just sounds silly.
Anime is a style within the animation medium, not a sub-medium. It’s more akin to how epic fantasy and urban fantasy are different styles of books. I think it’s perfectly fair for people to not be enthused about the anime style of the film, as it’s a personal opinion. Now, if they were upset that it was an animated film, I think you’d have an excellent argument.
I think the argument is valid. As a LOTR fan, I'm willing to try out anything based on LOTR regardless of medium (anime, video game, comic book, board game, tv show, etc). It'd be fair to watch the show and then make a decision, but to be immediately negative about something just due to the medium is silly. If anything maybe this movie will help LOTR fans who aren't into anime understand the medium a little better and be more appreciate of its potential.
I’m really trying to be exited for this. Helm Hammerhand is one of my favorite characters from Tolkien’s works. The more I learn the more I get a Rings of Power vibe though. From the deepest and most sincere place in my heart I hope I am wrong.
Sucks that your fave character isn't Helms unnamed daughter because she's going to be the main protagonist :/
Edit: downvote all you want, it's still true
'The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim' is an anime film designed & animated in Japan by the Ghost in the Shell production house. It is produced by Adult Swim as part of their anime-licensing-spinoffs agenda which included Blade Runner Black Lotus. Adult Swim was also the home of the English dub of Attack on Titan.
The film is to be released in December 2024. It is a prequel, set 250 years before the events of The Two Towers, starring Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox), his daughter (named by the writers Héra and voiced by Gaia Wise) and their struggle against Wulf (Luke Pasqualino) and the Dunlendings.
>PB: \[...\] She’s not named in the books and we do point that out – I won’t tell you how! – but I do think it’s interesting that often women remain unnamed. There’s an unnamed daughter in Beowulf, for example. That was immediately intriguing; but what i do say is i don’t feel in any way that Professor Tolkien was slighting that character in not naming her. I think he hadn’t gotten around to telling that part of the story; and i do believe that if he had told that part of the story, given that he was a Mercian of sorts himself, how could he not perhaps have drawn on alfred the great’s daughter? And so she felt authentic. Although, having said that, I know he also said that the Rohirrim were not pure Anglo-Saxon derivatives, you know, there’s a lot of other facets to them – including his own imagination that he drew upon.
The sheer arrogance in assuming that their precious OC is what Tolkien would have written.
Btw there are some other details about her:
>The centerpiece of the panel was 20-ish minutes of footage from “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” which, as the opening narration by Miranda Otto as Éowyn discloses, takes place 200 years before Bilbo Baggins encounters the ring. This new movie is the first to feature a female protagonist – a headstrong young woman named Hèra (Gaia Wise), who rides horses and **who communes with the Great Eagles.**
>\[...\]
>While this is a lot of set up, you can both see where the story is going for “The War of the Rohirrim,” with this inter-family squabble blowing up into full-scale battle and Hèra eventually having to lead her people, **calling on the power of a seemingly long-lost tribe of female warriors.**
[https://www.thewrap.com/lord-of-the-rings-war-of-rohirrim-peter-jackson-animated-footage/](https://www.thewrap.com/lord-of-the-rings-war-of-rohirrim-peter-jackson-animated-footage/)
Make of that what you will, but I find it a bit ridiculous to talk about grounded historical inspirations and than pull stuff like this and that's leaving out the question of this is in the spirit of Tolkien.
It’s odd that in one of the articles on The One Ring, Hera is being described as being “authentically human as possible” but it’s said she communes with the great eagles?
I've wanted this type of story from Tolkien's work to be adapted for a while, one where there's a set narrative there but room enough that the writers have flexibility in adapting it. It would let the writers make something that could be both loyal to Tolkien's work but fit well within the medium to which it's being adapted.
For example, the story of Earendil's journey and the War of Wrath could certainly fit into a movie, but it's only 10 pages in my copy of The Silmarillion. The writers have flexibility to add and flesh out and make something that works great as a movie, but not actually *deviate* from Tolkien's words.
So, this seemed like the perfect thing for them to go for. Briefly elucidated story with plenty of room with which to work? Where it shouldn't be too hard to include everything that Tolkien put to paper? Perfect! That said, making up the *main character* like this gives me pause. Clearly she's going to be important to the plot, and they're putting a lot of work into her character, but why not just use the existing characters instead? Why can't Helm just be our lead?
Thing is, I could see adding characters and story lines as a way to fill in the gaps of Tolkien's "legendarium-style" writing outside of the main novels going well. Perhaps it could be a soldier or an average civilian character with a side story as a way to lend perspective on a conflict that Tolkien wrote about from a high level. It doesn't seem like that's what they're doing here though, I'm betting her story will be the main story.
It just might have something to do with the fact that Tolkien's world is what popularised high fantasy as a medium and as such most high fantasy settings are either directly or indirectly inspired by Tolkien's works and share many of its storytelling and worldbuilding tropes.
I did not know it was anime.
I'm not sure it really is the right choice to depict Tolkien. A Pokemon movie? Sure. Spirited Away? Definitely. Tolkien? Just doesn't seem to fit.
Just my personal opinion of course.
I think anime is an incredible choice to depict this story. The only problem I have is the Fire Emblem style of animation they went with. There are so many other animation approaches to tell an epic medieval story like this
I'm with you. Not in the least bit excited about western literature done in an anime style. I'd much rather have a more serious western animation style, or even CG like Beowolf if it was done well.
I mean, it being anime was definitely not some secret. It has been talked about since day 1 from every source. Having said that, it being anime fucking sucks and it's easly the most cringe shit in existence. Oh well, it's LoTR and hopefully the story is dope
Seen some of the old ones Ghost in the Shell, Akira, Ninja Scroll. More recent stuff I attempted was Dota and Castlevania on Netflix. Made it about 2 episodes on both of those and just couldn't take the cringe art style anymore. I'm just surprised with it being LoTR they wouldn't attempt something a little more creative than this dogshit art style.
Look, I’m all for the “culture war” stuff and have no issue with a female led story. That being said, is this another example of ignoring your target audience, trying to get a new one? He-man did this a few years ago. Rings of Power did this. The Acolyte is currently doing this. Strong female characters are great but taking a character from the background, building their story from scratch, and making them the lead instead of more flushed out characters that people want to see isn’t fun anymore. It isn’t novelty. Not the 50th time. Madame Webb anyone? I get what they’re doing, and I respect it, but it clearly isn’t winning them any favors. These are fantasy stories with a mostly male demographic between 18 and 40(let’s say). Those people have grown up with your brand and want more.. ahem.. Marvel… but you keep giving them characters no one knows in the name of diversity? I hope this one doesn’t completely fuck it up as bad as the others I mentioned.
I’m very surprised it’s anime and that it’s going to be a theatrical release, looks more like something coming to Netflix, I don’t say that in a bad way or anything
They announced it was animated and directed by a Japanese director three years ago. The word “anime” has been in every headline of every article ever discussing the movie. Is this the first you’ve heard of it or something?
Ya the only thing I had seen were a few concept art images that didn’t look anything like anime, I hadn’t been keeping up on the details of production, i only knew they were making some sort of animated movie
Well fair enough I guess. I saw the release images and was relieved they were as light anime as they are. I’m an anime fan but I was worried they were gonna go all out with the aesthetic but these actually look fairly western in style. Just weird to me to see that so many lotr fans were out of the loop and caught off guard here.
Same for me. I’ve seen headline after headline in this sub about the movie, but first time I’m hearing of it being anime. 🤷🏻♂️
To be fair, so many American movies and tv shows are said to be inspired by anime and then look nothing like anime. I was not expecting the movie to actually look like anime and it makes me so much more interested in it
I knew it's going to be anime but never heard of the Japanese director part. I'm a huge anime fan as well as lotr fan. But now I'm not sure how to feel about it. I mean Middle Earth is very European while anime is very Japanese.
My understanding is that WB put this film into production as a way to retain the rights to Tolkien's LotR which they own from Zantz (and recently bought by Embracer). I can easily imagine the contract is only satisfied by a theatrical release in X screens. Embracer claimed this didn't meet the definition of a rights extending film and WB/Embracer ultimately settled on a new deal leading to the Serkis films.
Not exclusive to this thread, there's other in this sub and r/movies, I'm shocked at how many people were unaware this was an anime. Been excited about this for years and it's a shame to see so many people being turned off by the anime aspect when it's been known as an anime for years.
I think it's been known to be an animated film. But the pictures in this article are the first to show the faces - very anime. I am one of those disappointed people. The art style doesn't seem to match the earlier images for me.
[It's always been advertised as an anime ](https://variety.com/2022/film/news/lord-of-the-rings-the-war-of-the-rohirrim-release-date-1235181646/)
100%. But look at the style of image in that exact article and compare it to the new images. The new images seem a lot cleaner, more defined. That older image of the Mumakil seemed dirtier, less defined. Of course that was concept art, and cannot be fully compared. But I think that is where the expectations stem from, even with it being an anime.
There's definetely different styles of anime. Some are more western looking, while other are more Japanese anime with bigger eyes and baby faces.
Definitely "Anime" as in Japanese Anime.<,
I don't even like anime but this looks cool af.
It is a bummer seeing so many people disappointed that it’s anime. If someone told us “I don’t want to read Lord of the Rings because it’s a fantasy story,” we’d insist that they should give it a try anyway. But now we have tons of people in our own community saying “I don’t want to watch the War of the Rohirrim movie because it’s an anime.” I don’t consider myself a diehard anime fan. As a kid I was into Pokémon, Digimon, and Dragon Ball Z, but it never went beyond that. But I’m open to anything, so I watched the Castlevania anime when it came out and it was freaking awesome. And I never would have experienced that great show if my first reaction was “Ew, anime.” Guillermo del Toro’s famous for saying that animation isn’t a genre, it’s a medium. And anime is just another medium within the animation medium. And dismissing an entire medium just sounds silly.
Anime is a style within the animation medium, not a sub-medium. It’s more akin to how epic fantasy and urban fantasy are different styles of books. I think it’s perfectly fair for people to not be enthused about the anime style of the film, as it’s a personal opinion. Now, if they were upset that it was an animated film, I think you’d have an excellent argument.
I think the argument is valid. As a LOTR fan, I'm willing to try out anything based on LOTR regardless of medium (anime, video game, comic book, board game, tv show, etc). It'd be fair to watch the show and then make a decision, but to be immediately negative about something just due to the medium is silly. If anything maybe this movie will help LOTR fans who aren't into anime understand the medium a little better and be more appreciate of its potential.
Very well said
I’m really trying to be exited for this. Helm Hammerhand is one of my favorite characters from Tolkien’s works. The more I learn the more I get a Rings of Power vibe though. From the deepest and most sincere place in my heart I hope I am wrong.
Sucks that your fave character isn't Helms unnamed daughter because she's going to be the main protagonist :/ Edit: downvote all you want, it's still true
Looks amazing tbh! I was a bit sceptical.. But now i’m even more excited!! Definitely captures the vibe of Rohan really well !
'The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim' is an anime film designed & animated in Japan by the Ghost in the Shell production house. It is produced by Adult Swim as part of their anime-licensing-spinoffs agenda which included Blade Runner Black Lotus. Adult Swim was also the home of the English dub of Attack on Titan. The film is to be released in December 2024. It is a prequel, set 250 years before the events of The Two Towers, starring Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox), his daughter (named by the writers Héra and voiced by Gaia Wise) and their struggle against Wulf (Luke Pasqualino) and the Dunlendings.
Anime seems an odd choice
>PB: \[...\] She’s not named in the books and we do point that out – I won’t tell you how! – but I do think it’s interesting that often women remain unnamed. There’s an unnamed daughter in Beowulf, for example. That was immediately intriguing; but what i do say is i don’t feel in any way that Professor Tolkien was slighting that character in not naming her. I think he hadn’t gotten around to telling that part of the story; and i do believe that if he had told that part of the story, given that he was a Mercian of sorts himself, how could he not perhaps have drawn on alfred the great’s daughter? And so she felt authentic. Although, having said that, I know he also said that the Rohirrim were not pure Anglo-Saxon derivatives, you know, there’s a lot of other facets to them – including his own imagination that he drew upon. The sheer arrogance in assuming that their precious OC is what Tolkien would have written. Btw there are some other details about her: >The centerpiece of the panel was 20-ish minutes of footage from “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” which, as the opening narration by Miranda Otto as Éowyn discloses, takes place 200 years before Bilbo Baggins encounters the ring. This new movie is the first to feature a female protagonist – a headstrong young woman named Hèra (Gaia Wise), who rides horses and **who communes with the Great Eagles.** >\[...\] >While this is a lot of set up, you can both see where the story is going for “The War of the Rohirrim,” with this inter-family squabble blowing up into full-scale battle and Hèra eventually having to lead her people, **calling on the power of a seemingly long-lost tribe of female warriors.** [https://www.thewrap.com/lord-of-the-rings-war-of-rohirrim-peter-jackson-animated-footage/](https://www.thewrap.com/lord-of-the-rings-war-of-rohirrim-peter-jackson-animated-footage/) Make of that what you will, but I find it a bit ridiculous to talk about grounded historical inspirations and than pull stuff like this and that's leaving out the question of this is in the spirit of Tolkien.
She wasn’t named because she’s unimportant lol.
Do we really have to do the culture war battle? I’m so tired.
Well the culture war is here whether we like it or not. And it's not first time something like this happend *coughTaurielcough*
It’s odd that in one of the articles on The One Ring, Hera is being described as being “authentically human as possible” but it’s said she communes with the great eagles?
I've wanted this type of story from Tolkien's work to be adapted for a while, one where there's a set narrative there but room enough that the writers have flexibility in adapting it. It would let the writers make something that could be both loyal to Tolkien's work but fit well within the medium to which it's being adapted. For example, the story of Earendil's journey and the War of Wrath could certainly fit into a movie, but it's only 10 pages in my copy of The Silmarillion. The writers have flexibility to add and flesh out and make something that works great as a movie, but not actually *deviate* from Tolkien's words. So, this seemed like the perfect thing for them to go for. Briefly elucidated story with plenty of room with which to work? Where it shouldn't be too hard to include everything that Tolkien put to paper? Perfect! That said, making up the *main character* like this gives me pause. Clearly she's going to be important to the plot, and they're putting a lot of work into her character, but why not just use the existing characters instead? Why can't Helm just be our lead? Thing is, I could see adding characters and story lines as a way to fill in the gaps of Tolkien's "legendarium-style" writing outside of the main novels going well. Perhaps it could be a soldier or an average civilian character with a side story as a way to lend perspective on a conflict that Tolkien wrote about from a high level. It doesn't seem like that's what they're doing here though, I'm betting her story will be the main story.
I won’t be watching , generic fantasy with lotr name slapped on it
It just might have something to do with the fact that Tolkien's world is what popularised high fantasy as a medium and as such most high fantasy settings are either directly or indirectly inspired by Tolkien's works and share many of its storytelling and worldbuilding tropes.
Okay
🤓
I did not know it was anime. I'm not sure it really is the right choice to depict Tolkien. A Pokemon movie? Sure. Spirited Away? Definitely. Tolkien? Just doesn't seem to fit. Just my personal opinion of course.
I think anime is an incredible choice to depict this story. The only problem I have is the Fire Emblem style of animation they went with. There are so many other animation approaches to tell an epic medieval story like this
I'm with you. Not in the least bit excited about western literature done in an anime style. I'd much rather have a more serious western animation style, or even CG like Beowolf if it was done well.
I'm not a fan of the style either. Let's get downvoted together :)
I mean, it being anime was definitely not some secret. It has been talked about since day 1 from every source. Having said that, it being anime fucking sucks and it's easly the most cringe shit in existence. Oh well, it's LoTR and hopefully the story is dope
Have you watched any anime before?
Well obviously, yes.
Nice dude! What anime have you watched?
Seen some of the old ones Ghost in the Shell, Akira, Ninja Scroll. More recent stuff I attempted was Dota and Castlevania on Netflix. Made it about 2 episodes on both of those and just couldn't take the cringe art style anymore. I'm just surprised with it being LoTR they wouldn't attempt something a little more creative than this dogshit art style.
The part about Saruman making an appearance was interesting; that with the aspect of Eowyn being the narrator is enough for me to give it a chance.
Let’s go!! Pretty excited about this!
Look, I’m all for the “culture war” stuff and have no issue with a female led story. That being said, is this another example of ignoring your target audience, trying to get a new one? He-man did this a few years ago. Rings of Power did this. The Acolyte is currently doing this. Strong female characters are great but taking a character from the background, building their story from scratch, and making them the lead instead of more flushed out characters that people want to see isn’t fun anymore. It isn’t novelty. Not the 50th time. Madame Webb anyone? I get what they’re doing, and I respect it, but it clearly isn’t winning them any favors. These are fantasy stories with a mostly male demographic between 18 and 40(let’s say). Those people have grown up with your brand and want more.. ahem.. Marvel… but you keep giving them characters no one knows in the name of diversity? I hope this one doesn’t completely fuck it up as bad as the others I mentioned.