I’ve been a Lord of the Rings fan even longer than I’ve
been an Otaku. I’ve read the books, seen
the Movies (animated and Live Action), I’m even enjoying The Rings of Power TV
Series and anxiously await Season 2.
Much like what Blade Runner did for the Cyberpunk side of Anime, JRR
Tolkein’s legenday masterpiece has no doubt served as a major inspiration for
the Fantasy Realm of Anime such as with Record of Lodoss War. And like many other titles that have inspired
Anime, a LotR Anime is long overdue. The
Christmas, we return to Middle Earth for a new untold chapter in the History leading
up to the War of the Ring and last weekend we finally got the first trailer for
this new animated adventure. Naturally,
as a fan of both Anime and The Lord of the Rings, I have to do a deep dive
don’t I?
Well before Peter Jackson brought us the definitive Lord
of the Rings experience on the big screen, many first introductions to Tolkein’s
fantasy were done through the world of Animation.
Rankin Bass produced two made for TV Films
covering The Hobbit and The Return of the King while Ralph Bakshi did a pretty
fun adaptation of the first half of the trilogy in what was meant to be a two
part film that never saw a conclusion.
Like I said above, an Anime tale in Middle Earth is way overdue.
Given the sweeping, grandiose nature of the
story and the world it’s set in, Anime could be the way to experience Middle
Earth like never before with incredible vistas, larger scope and action that
could even top the gory fight scenes in the Bakshi film.
#4-The Origin of Helm’s Deep
The War of the Rohirrim is set over 200 years before the
events of the Lord of the Rings and will be set in the kingdom of Rohan.
During this time, Helm Hammerhand was King of
Rohan and clearly from several critical moments in the trailer, the dude does
not mess around, pretty much starting a war after One Punch Man-ing a guy to
death with a follow up look that says “So?”
Hammerhand is such an important figure in Rohan’s history that a fan
favorite fortress was named after him.
Yes, this is the guy that Helm’s Deep, where the epicly awesome
climactic battle from The Two Towers took place, is named after.
It looks like we’ll see the famous fortress
at some point in the film, maybe holding back a massive horde just as it did
during the War of the Ring?
#3-Set within the Timeline of the Peter Jackson
Trilogy
Peter Jackson did the impossible between 2001 and 2003 by
bringing us a trilogy that many deemed unfilmable.
Middle Earth became a pop culture beacon and
the trilogy of films is still hailed as some of the greatest Fantasy films ever
made.
There have been periodic returns
to this version of Middle Earth via The Hobbit prequel films and subsequent tie
in video games.
While The Rings of Power
is its own separate entity, The War of the Rohirrim is confirmed to be taking
place within this iteration of The Lord of the Rings.
And while Jackson himself isnt involved in
the project, his fellow LotR screenwriter, Phillipa Boyens, is co writing the
screenplay.
She isnt the only familiar
force involved in The War of the Rohirrim but I’ll talk more about that in a
bit.
#2-A Celebrated Anime Director at the Helm (no pun
intended)
Kenji Kamiyama is a name many should be familiar with
when it comes to Anime.
He’s a pioneer
in CG Anime Feature Films and TV with credits including the Appleseed Trilogy,
Blade Runner: Black Lotus and Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045.
When I first heard he was directing War of
the Rohirrim, I was curious how his style of Anime would be used to convey the
world of Middle Earth.
To my surprise,
this isnt a CG Anime Feature Film.
No it’s
animation style looks similar to that of Anime tie in films like the Batman:
Gotham Knight Anthology or The Animatrix.
It’s an interesting change of pace for Kamiyama and I’m looking forward
to the mark he leaves on this incredible universe.
#1-A Sheild Maidan of Rohan
Moreso than Helm Hammerhand himself, the biggest stand
out character of the trailer is his daughter, Hera.
Sporting Red Hair, gorgeous looks and
fighting skills to match, Hera feels like a precursor to another famous Rohirrim
Maiden, Princess Eowyn.
Not only that
but some of her actions and facial animations remind me a lot of Naussica from
Studio Ghibli’s Naussica of the Valley of the Wind.
While her wardrobe is a bit more Anime
inspired than Middle Earth, Hera still looks to steal the show and be the true
heroine of The War of the Rohirrim.
Plus, Princess Eowyn’s actress from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy,
Miranda Otto, will return to narrarate the film, fitting for one Sheild Maiden
of Rohan to share to tale of another who arguably inspired her to face the
forces of Mordor centuries later.
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