Sketch Thursday: A Pretty Girl and Optimus Prime

I think Pretty Girl has a whiff of an Osamu Tezuka lady about her. It's the eyes and nose. Optimus Prime is, of course, his Generation One self.

One Million Horse-Power?

Latest dreary hawk for Imagi's upcoming Astro Boy. Look out for blink-brief cameos by a rather young looking Osamu Tezuka; and Grant Morrison's Tyrant Sun Solaris, from DC One Million and All-Star Superman, who looks to be pitching in on jobbing heavy duty. If Atom really must be awkwardly transplanted into a Western centric animation adventure, why couldn't Pixar have come sniffing for the rights? I know they're not usually hip to adaptation, but this is Osamu Tezuka for God's sake. At the very least John Lasseter could have conspired with a cackling Hayao Miyazaki to bring some maximum density to the fondest creation of the limited animation mindset originator. That'd be a victory for their way of life. In my head cinema I'm imagining Brad Bird directing a take on The Greatest Robot on Earth episode: a young person-bot struggling to understand the true implications of his power, whilst battling a serial-killer robot. David Fincher could shoot some live action Pluto inserts on gloomy weekends, and there you have it: something perfect.

Sketch Saturday: Mighty Atom / Astro Boy

Osamu Tezuka's most beloved creation this week: Mighty Atom, or Astro Boy if you prefer. I struggle not adding superfluous linework at the best of times; but trust me when I tell you that Atom's dishevelled / worn look is entirely intentional. I wanted to do a future projection take on the character, maybe stranded many years hence with no-one to maintain him. No grim fortitude though, he's still a pure hearted underclass champion. A wonderful character, blessed with an incredibly distinctive, but economic design. Tezuka understood the importance of silhouette.



This is my favourite Sketch Saturday so far!

Mighty Teaser?

Teaser trailer for Astro Boy.

This CG animation adaptation of Osamu Tezuka's most beloved creation is being handled by TMNT studio Imagi Animation. David Bowers, who previously sunk Aardman Animations' Dreamworks deal with toilet centric flop Flushed Away, is directing. Let's be positive. Even though Tezuka's original character models were apparently not worth replicating. Why continue making things grotesquely idiosyncratic, when you can iron out the creases to the point were they look like everything else? That's how you make middlebrow money! Make it look like fucking Igor. Don't scare people with originality! Don't respect the work you're adapting! You're cleverer than the fools that dreamt these characters up anyway! You've certainly got much more money at your disposal, and that's all that matters eh? If you're familiar with the material and really want to piss yourself off, read the plot description on wiki. It rabbits on about 'reconciliation with the father who rejected him'. You what?

Excellent poster though.