ABOUT THE MOVIE | DIRECTOR INTERVIEW | TRAILERS

distribution in japan: SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT (C) SUNRISE,BONES,BANDAI VISUAL

Mars is under siege! Just before Halloween 2071, a terrorist bomb destroys a tanker truck on Highway One, close to a densely-populated crater city. There are casualties up to half a mile from the blast – 500 killed or injured by what appears to be a biochemical weapon. The reward for the bomber’s capture is a massive 300,000,000 woolongs… and there are four humans and a dog who really need the money. Down on their luck as usual, the crew of the Bebop get on the case.

	The mis-matched crew of the Bebop are back, and this time they’re on the silver screen. The movie edition Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door takes place between episodes 22 and 23 of the original TV series, just before the characters went their separate ways. This could be your last chance to see Spike, Jet, Faye, Ed and Ein together – so don’t miss it!

Original Concept: Hajime Yadate Director: Shinichiro Watanabe Screenplay: Keiko Nobumoto Character Design/Key Animation: Toshihiro Kawamoto Mechanical Design: Kimitoshi Yamane Set Design: Hiroshi Takeuchi Mechanical Animation: Masami Goto Art Direction: Atsushi Morikawa Color Coordinator: Shihoko Nakayama Music: Yoko Kanno Produced by: Sunrise, Bones, Bandai Visual	The movie staff remains essentially unchanged from that of the TV series, with the exception of art director Junichi Higashi, replaced by Atsushi Morikawa, and set designer Isamu Imakake, who hands over to Hiroshi Takeuchi. The movie also features a fresh visual approach, inspired by an extensive location-hunting mission to Morocco.

Spike: Koichi Yamadera Jet: Unsho Ishizuka Faye: Megumi Hayashibara Ed: Aoi Tada	Naturally, there’s no change in the central cast. It simply wouldn’t be Cowboy Bebop without the same stellar performances from top voice-actors – who make their roles so believeable, it’s almost as if they’re breathing Martian air. But the movie also features some all-new characters, and the return of some old favorites…

Antonio Carlos Jobim Judy Punch Ein	The movie plot revolves around two guest characters: Electra and Vincent… beauty and the beast. Watch out to see how these two criminals get along with Spike, along with supporting cast members Rasheed and Lee. There are also cameo roles for TV regulars. Antonio, Carlos, Jobim, Judy and Punch. And Ein the Welsh corgi has a larger part to play.

Vincent is responsible for the exploding tanker that injured everyone in a half-mile radius – now he has a 300 million woolong price on his head. Unluckily for him, one Faye Valentine saw him at the scene of his crime… Vincent is a mystery. He doesn’t look like a psychopath or a mass murderer, and fully understanding his motives might take more than one viewing. He has a lean and hungry look… a tattoo on his arm, and displays little remorse about any of his crimes… what is it about him… about his past…? Electra is the mystery woman searching for Vincent, who Spike encounters several times while on his trail. The first time she appears onscreen on Mars, she is swathed in a voluminous jellaba gown on Moroccan Street. With grace and simple style, she doesn’t look like the kind of woman who compromises for anyone. What is her secret? And how does it involve Vincent and Spike? Spike also meets the enigmatic Rashid during his adventures. Looking like a desert-dweller from the Middle East or North Africa, Rashid is based on a real person: the Moroccan guide who accompanied the movie staff while they were scouting locations. Judging by his look and accent, a man of oriental extraction, clad in street fashion and with an aptitude for computers. Perhaps Ed the super-hacker has finally met her match…

			Tsutomu Isobe (Vincent)	After reading Drama at Toho Gakuin Junior College, Isobe joined the Haiyuza theater, where he studied under Yoshiya Senda. Five years later, he performed lead roles in Haiyuza’s productions of Hamlet and As You Like It, and appeared in the film Saraba Tomoyo (Good-bye Flickmania). Since then, he has continued to appear in Haiyuza productions, and also on TV. He played Yasubei Horibe in the NHK drama Toge no Gunzo (Statues on the Ridge). He has also provided the voices of actors such as Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson and Richard Gere in the Japanese dubs of Hollywood movies.

			Ai Kobayashi (Electra)	Don’t let the pale complexion fool you. Kobayashi is a leading actress in the theater troupe Team Happo Bizin, looks great in battle-dress, and specialises in gun-play. She has also appeared in commercials and on TV, and done extensive voice-over work. In the anime world, her roles have included Chako in the latest Crayon Shin-chan movie The Adult Empire Strikes Back, and the character of Lili in Turn-A Gundam.

			Mickey Curtis (Rasheed)	Mickey first rose to fame singing in Tokyo jazz cafes while he was still at high school. Since his debut in the first Western Carnival in 1958, he has won acclaim as an music producer, racer and comedian. His better-known appearances include the movies Gunhed, Kamikaze Taxi, Swallowtail Butterfly and Bounce Ko-gals. He is also adept at languages, having mastered English, French, German, Italian and Thai. This is his first ever role as a voice actor in anime.

			Renji Ishibashi (Renzi)	After performing in several theater groups, including Gekidan Wakakusa, Renji Ishibashi now runs his own troupe: Gekidan Dainana Byoto. Known for many gangster and criminal roles in the past, he has diversified into older leads, comedy and even a veteran detective, all on the other side of the law. His movie roles include Tsugumachi no Saibei in Doraheita, Detective Yoshida in Darkness in the Light, and appearances in Dead or Alive, Tetsuo, Audition and Bird People in China. This is his first voice-acting role in an anime.

ABOUT THE MOVIE | DIRECTOR INTERVIEW | TRAILERS

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