A.LI.CE

Starring:Kaori Shimizu, Chihiro Suzuki, Mariko Kouda, RyÃ´ Horikawa, YÃ»ko Miyamura, Fumihiko Tachiki, Urara Takano, Shoko Kikuchi, Rei Igarashi
Director: Kenichi Maejima
Studio: Arts Magic
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
When Alice Hayashi, the youngest person ever to go into space crashes her shuttle at the North Pole, she is thrown thirty years into the future. But her trip through time is far from accidental. The world is now ruled with an iron fist by Nero and his supercomputer, the SS10X. And because of a common link between her, Nero and the SS10X, Alice may be the future's only chance for freedom...

ALICE is the first ever japanese CGI feature film and the first ever japanese production screen using DLP (digital light processing) projection, therefore a unique collectors opportunity. Cross generation appeala terminator-style story adapted for people of all ages. Crossover attraction a movie suitable for young children as well as fans of anime. Detailed 30 minute interview with director, discussing both anime and the birth of CGI technology.

EXTRAS INCLUDE:
Chapter selection
Trailers
Biographies / filmographies
`Final Fantasies' - a history of CGI animation by jonathan clements

Description

When Alice Hayashi, the youngest person ever to go into space crashes her shuttle at the North Pole, she is thrown thirty years into the future. But her trip through time is far from accidental. The world is now ruled with an iron fist by Nero and his supercomputer, the SS10X. And because of a common link between her, Nero and the SS10X, Alice may be the future's only chance for freedom...

ALICE is the first ever japanese CGI feature film and the first ever japanese production screen using DLP (digital light processing) projection, therefore a unique collectors opportunity. Cross generation appeal…a terminator-style story adapted for people of all ages. Crossover attraction… a movie suitable for young children as well as fans of anime. Detailed 30 minute interview with director, discussing both anime and the birth of CGI technology.

EXTRAS INCLUDE:
Chapter selection
Trailers
Biographies / filmographies
`Final Fantasies' - a history of CGI animation by jonathan clements

Image gallery
Artwork
Interview with kenichi maejima
Original japanese audio
New english dubbed version

Customer Reviews:

Good Story, old technique........2006-08-21

Well, this is one of the better stories I had in anime films last year. The technique seems to be a little out of day, but its one of the first real cgi films, so I have forgiven them.

Beside the story there is an interesting special feature about the history of cgi anime films. You will love it.

"Times and Reasons".......2005-03-16

*
Believe it or not, there's really not much more that can be said about this story and its production history that hasn't already been said about it in the "description."

Aside from the story itself, which is surprisingly engrossing enough considering the "gimmick" used to sell it, the 'philosophical themes' it explores are likewise intriguing -- exactly WHAT would you do if you were mysteriously jettisoned into the future and discovered that you may have actually been responsible (either directly or indirectly) for the creation of a monstrousity of a 'supercomputer' that arbitrarily decides who lives, who dies or where they are permitted to exist?

This is the dilemma facing young Alice, who first made history as the youngest person ever to travel through space -- or, rather, she WOULD have been, if it had not been for the TwilightZone-esque "detour" her shuttle was forced to make.

As a result of being violently pulled out of the world she knows into a new world totally unfamiliar to her, Alice is faced with a number of unsettling choices that only she can make -- and ANY choice she makes will have direct effect on and consequences for the future world where she now finds herself a visitor:

- Should she cooperate with those who want enlist her aid in destroying the computer and the human tyrant who controls it? Or should she not to get involved?

- Should she remain in the future with her new friends and help them through their struggles? Or should she try to find a way to return to "her own" time and leave them to fend for themselves?

- And even if she could find a way back home, what should she do with the knowledge now granted her? -- Should she then draw upon her vision of her future in an attempt to change history's outcome? Or should she not try to tamper with the delicate balance and resign herself to her own fate & the world's fate?

Tough questions; No easy answers! But, in the end, Alice DOES reach a personal decision and is determined to stick with it -- and, in the end, we, too, are satisfied with the choice she's decided on, though it means there will be difficult challenges ahead for all involved.

A story and theme capable of making you forget that you are watching what is essentially an extended independently running "PlayStation" computer game, as this movie is, makes A.LI.CE not only worthy of note but also something very special. And the accompanying music soundtrack is simply beautiful!

(Unfortunately, the "English Dubbed" voice-acting is just horrid! -- so take a suggestion I do not often make, and enjoy this one ONLY in the original Japanese audio, even if you hate reading subtitles.)

~
[[As a side note: This film's title is DELIBERATELY written "A.LI.CE" for TWO very specific reasons -- which both became wonderfully apparent to me, but which still drowns the greater number of people in a deep sea of confusion. I honestly & truly would love to share these "secrets" behind this film's title, but everytime I try to present some special "inside" or "clarifying" information about Asian movie titles or background history I always seem to attract people who enjoy "voting against" me for my efforts in these review forums. I've now decided that it's no longer worth it for me to continue doing this, so this time, with great sadness, I'm keeping THIS particular secret to myself!]]

Could be better... But could be worse too.........2004-10-23

Okay so lets face it, the CGI of this movie looks almost identical to Playstation 1's cinematic scenes.. infact at times it almost feels as if you're playing a PS game and you feel the need to pick up the controller! Aside from that, this is a decent anime. The story is nothing special but its carried out well. The CGI is dated seeing how this is 5 years old now but it's still worth checking out if you're a fan of the methods. A.Li.Ce shouldnt dissapoint.

Average customer rating:

Computer Generated Anime
Director: Kenichi Maejima , Toshifumi Takizawa , and Hisaya Takabayashi
Manufacturer: ArtsmagicDVD
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B000DWN09I
Release Date: 2006-02-28

Description

Two key works of computer generated anime that paved the way for modern CGI classics. Re-released together in a double DVD value pack, these pieces of work are of great historical importance for fans of animation. A.LI.CE - A young girl, Alice, finds herself sent 30 years in the future in a world ruled by the tyrannical Nero.and finds only she can defeat him and bring peace to this future world. BLUE REMAINS - In a world laid waste by nuclear war, a race between the robot army of Glyptofane, and the remains of humanity begins with the Earth's future being the ultimate prize...

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