The Sky Crawlers

Infobox animanga/Header
name = The Sky Crawlers


caption =
ja_kanji = スカイ・クロラ
ja_romaji = Sukai Kurora
genre = Drama, PhilosophyInfobox animanga/Novel
author = Hiroshi Mori
illustrator = Kenji Tsuruta
publisher = Chuōkōron-shinsha
published = June 2001Infobox animanga/Movie
director = Mamoru Oshii
producer = Tomohiko Ishii
writer = Chihiro Itō
music = Kenji Kawai
studio = Production I.G
licensor = flagicon|Japan Warner Bros. Japan
flagicon|World Sony Pictures
released = flagicon|Japan August 2, 2008
runtime = 121 minutesInfobox animanga/Game
title = Sky Crawler: Innocent Aces
developer = Namco Bandai Games
publisher = flagicon|Japan Namco Bandai Games
genre = Flight simulator
platforms = Wii
released = flagicon|Japan October 16 2008nihongo|"The Sky Crawlers"|スカイ・クロラ|Sukai Kurora is a Japanese novel series by Hiroshi Mori. First published by Chuōkōron-shinsha in June 2001 and spanning five books, it follows the journeys and tribulations of a group of young fighter pilots involved in dogfight warfare, and is set during an alternate historical period. The series is unlike other works by Mori, noted for his series of mystery novels. The art for the series is illustrated by noted mangaka Kenji Tsuruta.

Books

The first book written and published, but meant to be the last in the series, was "The Sky Crawlers", first released in June 2001.cite web|url=http://www001.upp.so-net.ne.jp/mori/myst/indexjpeg/SC1.html|title=浮遊工作室 (ミステリィ制作部)|accessdate=2007-06-20ja icon ] A shinshobon (refurbished) edition of the book followed on October 2002, while the bunkobon (paper back) edition followed on October 2004.

The first book in the series, nihongo|"None But Air"|ナ・バ・テア|Na Ba Tea, was released in June 2004, while the shinshobon edition for this volume followed on October 2004 and the bunkobon edition followed on November 2005. The second book in the series, nihongo|"Down to Heaven"|ダウン・ツ・ヘヴン|Daun Tsu Hevun, followed in June 2005, while its shinshobon edition followed on December 2005 and its bunkobon edition followed on November 2006.

The third book in the series, nihongo|"Flutter into Life"|フラッタ・リンツ・ライフ|Furatta Rintsu Raifu, followed in June 2006. The forth book in the series, nihongo|"Cradle the Sky"|クレィドゥ・ザ・スカイ|Kureidu Za Sukai, was released on June 25, 2007.

The misplaced publishing order was intended to show there is no need to read the story in the chronological order. [cite web|url=http://blog.mf-davinci.com/mori_log/archives/2007/06/post_1229.php|title="噂の真相"| accessdate=2008-06-16|work=MORI LOG ACCADEMY|date=2008-7-17ja icon]

Anime

The novel was adapted into an anime film, directed by Mamoru Oshii, which was released in theaters in Japan on August 2, 2008.cite web|url=http://www.productionig.com/contents/news/2007/06/the_sky_crawler.html|title=The Sky Crawlers: Mamoru Oshii's New Film Unveiled!|publisher=Production I.G|date=2007-06-20|accessdate=2007-06-20en icon ] cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2007-06-20/oshii's-latest-film-the-sky-crawlers-set-for-2008|title=Oshii's Latest Film, The Sky Crawlers, Set for 2008|publisher =Anime News Network|date=2007-06-20|accessdate=2007-06-20] cite web|url=http://www.bcdb.com/cartoon/105821-Sukai_Kurora.html|title=Sukai Kurora|publisher=Big Cartoon DataBase|date=2007-09-08|accessdate=2007-09-08en icon ] It was also an official selection of the 65th Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Future Film Festival Digital Award, and the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival.

Animated by Production I.G, the film was written by Chihiro Itō, feature character designs by Tetsuya Nishio, music by Kenji Kawai and was distributed across Japan by Warner Bros. Japan. It will be distributed internationally by cite web">url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-09-08/sony-pictures-licenses-oshii-sky-crawlers-film|title=Sony Pictures Licenses Oshii's Sky Crawlers Film|publisher=Anime News Network|date=2008-09-08|accessdate=2008-10-03] cite web|url=http://www.varietyasiaonline.com/content/view/6880/|title=Japan's "Sky Crawlers" sold to Sony|date=2008-09-08] [cite web|url=http://www.mania.com/sony-acquires-sky-crawlers_article_87178.html|title=Sony Acquires SKY CRAWLERS|date=2008-09-08]

Mori had stated that he felt "The Sky Crawlers" was the "most difficult" of his works to adapt, and had given his consent to the making of the film after learning of Oshii's involvement as director.

The Sky Crawlers features characters called nihongo|"Kildren"|キルドレ|Kirudore that are humanoids genetically designed to live eternally in adolescence until shot down in an air battle or an “Air Show” to be presented commercially as a peacetime entertainment, for which they are reproduced.

taff

*Original Creator: Hiroshi Mori
*Director: Mamoru Oshii
*Screenplay: Chihiro Itō
*Sequence Director: Toshihiko Nishikubo
*Music: Kenji Kawai
*Character Design and Chief Animation Director: Tetsuya Nishio
*Mechanical Design: Atsushi Takeuchi
*Art Director: Kazuo Nagai
*Art Settings: Takashi Watabe
*Color Designs: Kumiko Yusa
*Visual Effects: Hisashi Ezura
*CGI Supervisor: Hiroyuki Hayashi
*Line Producer: Tōru Kawaguchi
*Executive Producers: Seiji Okuda, Mitsuhisa Ishikawa
*Producer: Tomohiko Ishii
*Animation Production: Production I.G

Sources:

Video game

"Famitsu" revealed that the Namco Bandai team that developed "Ace Combat" will be developing a game for the Wii which is slated for release on October 16, 2008. [ [http://wii.ign.com/articles/860/860346p1.html IGN: Ace Combat Team Brings Sky Crawlers to Wii] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.chuko.co.jp/skycrawlers/ Official novel website] ja icon
* [http://sky.crawlers.jp/ Official anime website] ja icon
* [http://sky-crawlers.namco-ch.net/index.html Video game site] ja icon
* [http://jasongray.blogspot.com/2008/05/sky-crawlers-takes-flight.html Early review of The Sky Crawlers feature film] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sky_Crawlers
* [http://asianbeat.com/en/feature/ab_feature_03 The Sky Crawlers -Mamoru Oshii gears up for next challenge.]
* [http://www.labiennale.org/en/index.html The 65th Venice International Film Festival] 08-08-27 to 08-09-06
* [http://tiff08.ca/default.aspx 2008 Toronto International Film Festival] 08-09-04 to 08-09-13
Production I.G