After watching the 1988 Appleseed back to back with the 2004 version I can only say that the reviewers saying the old one was better are either delusional or remembering badly the original. While this film kind of skips some explanations that could enlighten people exposed to the Appleseed storyline for the first time, it is superior in both story and animation technique to the 1988 version. And that being a 3D animated film which, by my standards, have to really shine in order to surpass a hand drawn alternative.
The conflict in the first one was an afterthought, the villain an insane person, the heroes police trying to find him. That they were Deunan and Briareos was incidental at best. In the 2004 version, the sides are not so clearly delimited and the scope of the entire film is only revealed closer to the end. The actions scenes are well done, the characters well defined, the tension real.
Is it the best anime I've ever saw? No, absolutely not. However it is difficult to call it names, like a lot of other reviewers did. I can imagine someone who just watched Ghost in the Shell (the remade version, obviously, because they don't watch anything older than 2000) and comparing Appleseed to it and saying it is crap. Instead, try to compare it to the 1988 version or to all the over-sized boobs, summarily clad fighting girls that just melt when they see the high-school male hero. Come on!
Bottom line: the story is not brilliant, but the anime is well done and worth a watch. I am off to see the newest Appleseed movies and series. That should tell you something about how much I enjoyed it.
The conflict in the first one was an afterthought, the villain an insane person, the heroes police trying to find him. That they were Deunan and Briareos was incidental at best. In the 2004 version, the sides are not so clearly delimited and the scope of the entire film is only revealed closer to the end. The actions scenes are well done, the characters well defined, the tension real.
Is it the best anime I've ever saw? No, absolutely not. However it is difficult to call it names, like a lot of other reviewers did. I can imagine someone who just watched Ghost in the Shell (the remade version, obviously, because they don't watch anything older than 2000) and comparing Appleseed to it and saying it is crap. Instead, try to compare it to the 1988 version or to all the over-sized boobs, summarily clad fighting girls that just melt when they see the high-school male hero. Come on!
Bottom line: the story is not brilliant, but the anime is well done and worth a watch. I am off to see the newest Appleseed movies and series. That should tell you something about how much I enjoyed it.