Fumihiko Sori, producer of the 2004 hit Appleseed, is back this time as director and writer of his latest CG animated film. Released last summer in Japan, and inspired by Appleseed (as well as the other works of Masamune Shirow) this new film manages to combine spectacular visuals, Sori's unique script, and a good amount of action and suspense, all in one big-budget sci-fi epic, Vexille.

The year is 2077. Major advancements in robotic technology have been made and Japan is now the world leader in this field. However, when the progression of this technology includes developments in weapons and human body advancements, the U.N. proposes regulations to limit the technology. But Japan resists. And for the last decade, they've withdrawn from the U.N. and the entire country has been living in isolation. Japan even implements an electro-magnetic barrier around them, preventing all forms of communication. No one is allowed in or out. Yet, Japanese mega company Diawa Heavy Industries still manages to be the leading supplier of robotic technology, worldwide. When a meeting with a Diawa official and a group of politicians is set to take place on U.S. soil, it naturally draws attention.

Responding to a tip-off is Vexille, a young female soldier of SWORD-- an elite military unit assigned to suppress illegal robot technology. Led by Leon, the team arrives, meeting heavy opposition and finding the place has been hit by an act of terrorism. Furthermore, Saito, the Diawa official responsible, manages to get away from Vexille in quite an elaborate escape. Eventually, SWORD is assigned to infiltrate Japan and get to the bottom of Diawa's plans.

The story is very interesting. It's an original screenplay by Sori that is well thought out. The pacing is good and always keeps things moving. It begins like a straightforward sci-fi/militaristic action movie, but Sori soon introduces strong dramatic elements and even manages to invoke questions about humanity. An important aspect is that the story devotes time to develop the characters, so later on there is enough emotional grounding to be really affective at moments. I liked it a lot. There are also some political themes in the plotline and it was quite interesting to see how Sori depicts future Japan.

The CG animation is just incredible. It's similar to the look of Appleseed, but taken one step further. The visuals are gorgeous and make the film so impressive to look at. Environments are very detailed and realistic, mechs are creative and well-designed, but most of all, I like how the characters are rendered, maintaining a cool, slick anime look. There are also some really stylish action sequences which just add to the wow factor. Overall, this is a great technical accomplishment.

Another thing that's really good is the voice acting. Vexille is voiced by Kuroki Meisa, whom I've only seen in Chakushin Ari: Final. She does a great job bringing her character to life. The other standout is Yasuko Matsuyuki from the popular film Hula Girls, who does the voice for Maria, the rebel leader who Vexille meets later in the film. I did not realize it when I was watching, but the voice actor for Leon is apparently Shosuke Tanihara who was the detective in Ryuhei Kitamura's Sky High.

This all adds up to one great experience. The intriguing plot, well-developed characters, superb animation... Am I forgetting anything? Ah, the music, of course. All I can say is that the choices are really fitting and the score is great. In fact, any complaints I have about this movie are relatively minor. Actually, the only thing I wished is that the film was just a little longer so more time could have been spent developing some of the plot points even further. Also, the question that keeps being asked is: is this better or worse than Appleseed? Well, my answer is, neither. Both are great movies and each has their own unique qualities.

Overall, Vexille is a very enjoyable film. If you like a solid sci-fi story with great characters, the works of Masamune Shirow, or Japanese animation in general, then I recommend you check out this movie.

I hope you enjoyed my review.

I'll see what I can pull together for my next review... I have a feeling Deunan will be in it (hint, hint)