The movie “Knights of Sidonia the Movie; The Star Where Love is Spun” has released on June 4. This series is finally completing after 7 years since the first release of the TV anime series in 2014. Let’s review the story up to this point before watching the final movie. What is “Knights of Sidonia”? “Knights of Sidonia” is a science fiction manga by Nihei Tsutomu, which was serialized in “Monthly Afternoon” from 2009 to 2015. The story is set in the universe 1,000 years later, where the solar system was destroyed by the mysterious existence called “Gauna”. The humans survived the attack travel throughout the galaxy with the spaceship Sidonia. People evolved that they can photosynthesis to save food, and they can even change their sexuality. The unique perspective on humans became a hot topic. Season 1 of the TV anime was produced by Polygon Pictures in 2014 and the season 2 titled “Knights of Sidonia: The Battle for Planet Nine” was released in 2015. The original word view of both seasons was beautifully visualized with 3DCG dynamic action and HD sound. The battles for human survival and love triangle It is set in the future where the solar system was destroyed by the mysterious giants called “Gauna” 1000 years ago. People who survived the invasion made the housing inside the spaceship Sidonia and they bred quietly inside to make descendants. A boy Tanikaze Nagate, who lived in the underground of Sidonia since he was born, is arrested for stealing rice after losing all his food. Since that day, Tanikaze is under the supervision of Sidonia’s captain Kobayashi and eventually becomes the pilot for the gigantic weapon called Morito as the talented driver. He begins to protect Sidonia in from Gauna. People in Sidonia can produce energy through photosynthesis and can choose their sexuality depending on their partner, but only Tanikaze only needs to eat food every day to survive. The love triangle between by Shinatose Izana and Hoshijiro Suzuka, who are both non-male and non-female who care a lot about Tanikaze, and the relationship with the rival Kunato Norio and others are well depicted in the series. The abnormal love of Tsumugi and Tanikaze is depicted in “The Battle for Planet Nine” While there are many casualties under the battle with Gaunas, Tanikaze’s friend Hoshijiro Suzuka dies in action. Tanikaze becomes the ace of the Morito pilots under the severe training motivated by great sadness of her death. The battles with Gauna gets even more fierce and captain Kobayashi decides to go to Planet Nine to eliminate the main base of Gauna. In front of Tanikaze, who struggles to defeat the new Gauna, Shiraui Tsumugi, who combined Hoshijiro and the part of Gauna, appears and saves Tanikaze. Tsumugi is a giant with 15-meter in height and owns human-like emotions. She lives together with Tanikaze inside Sidonia by changing the few of her small tentacles, and love begins to born between Tanikaze and Tsumiugi. As the spaceship becomes closer to Planet Nine, the battles become fierce and fierce. Tanikaze, Tsumugi, and others are now fighting with the last enemy Benisuzume for the possibility of human survival. What will happen to human survival and the distant love of 15-meters? The movie “Knights of Sidonia the Movie; The Star Where Love is Spun” is set in the world 10 years after the battle of Planet Nine. Tanikaze and Tsumugi are enjoying temporary peace. However, the eternal peace would never arrive until all Gauna are destroyed. Captain Kobayashi decides to go on the final warfare with Gauna. The final battle for human survival and the ending for Tanikaze and Tsumugi’s love, which has 15-meters of difference in their height, will be shown. What kind of finale will arrive to this large-scale story? And would Tanikaze and Tsumugi’s love will be complete? This movie has a lot of things to see.

On December 18, a live talk show was held in honor of Syd Mead, a world-renowned industrial designer and visual futurist who passed away on December 30, 2019. The talk show, which featured guests from anime, manga, and special effectssatsu who were influenced by Mead's designs for Blade Runner (1982), Tron (1982), and Alien 2 (1985), will be available for archival viewing until December 30, 2020. Here are some of the highlights of the program. ■The Mead Design that Influenced the "AKIRA" Motorcycles The memorial event for Syd Mead, "A gift to the future young creators: 'The world and charm of Syd Mead as told by the masters'," was divided into two parts: the first part featured manga artist and film director Ootomo Katsuhiro, science fiction painter and illustrator Kato Naoyuki, film director Higuchi Shinji, and former Bandai Visual president and producer Watanabe Shigeru. Producer Watanabe Shigeru, former president of Bandai Visual, took the stage. Shimizu Setsu, a film critic, moderated the event. Each guest talked about their encounters with Syd Mead and the works that influenced them, and exchanged creative and work theories with images of Mr. Mead before his death and his works. When Ootomo-san admitted that the Tron light cycle designed by Mr. Mead was the motif for the bike design in AKIRA, Director Higuchi commented, "Only Ootomo-san could have put a Narita-san sticker on the Tron bike. "Tribe Gundam" (1999), one of Mr. Mead's most famous works among Japanese anime fans, is called the "mustache Gundam" because of its distinctive head design, but according to Watanabe-san, Mr. Mead countered, "That's not a mustache, it's a cheek guard. Industrial designer Murakami Katsuji Murakami also shared an episode where he showed Mr. Mead a mecha design from the popular anime "Space Emperor God Sigma" (1980), whose toys are still being commercialized to this day, saying, "Don't worry, I make these too" to support the design of the Turn A Gundam. In addition, Kato-san asked Ootomo-san about his prediction in "AKIRA" that the Tokyo Olympics would be held in 2020 and that the Olympics would be cancelled, and Higuchi-san showed photos from the production of "Ultraman Powered" (1993), which were produced by Watanabe-san and created by Higuchi-san. A hundred mecha design theories that fans of Itsubuchi-san, Kawamori-san, and Miyatake-san must hear! In the second part of the session, three mecha designers, Itsubuchi Yutaka, Kawamori Shoji, and Miyatake Kazutaka, took the stage. The moderator was producer Ueda Masuo, who has worked on many robot animations. Itsubuchi-san and Kawamori-san both made their debut with "Toushou Daimos" (1978) and are close in age, calling each other "Sho-chan" and "Bu-chan". Miyatake-san is the senior of the two, and the talk was as casual as that between students. In the scene where he talked about the relationship between Syd Mead and cars, Kawamori-san drew several classic cars (Bugatti Type 57SC) that are said to be the motif of the futuristic flying car the Spinner that appeared in Blade Runner, just for this event, and explained how he extracted the characteristics of the reference source to create the design of the Spinner. In addition, while mentioning Syd Mead's achievements and many anime titles such as "YAMATO 2520", the talk was rich in knowledge that can be used in principle when discussing mecha design, such as the correct use of the terms mechanical designer in the Japanese anime industry use, the difference between design and styling or arrangement, the most painful orders that designers receive, and the responsibilities that the ordering party should assume. The first anniversary of Syd Mead's death was commemorated with a lecture entitled, "The World and Appeal of Syd Mead as Told by the Masters," which will be available until December 30, 2020 for 2 hours and 2,000 JPY each. A set price of 3,500 JPY, which includes both the first and second parts, is available at E-Plus.