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FUNimation Adds Oh! Edo Rocket Alternate-History Anime (Updated)

posted on by Egan Loo
Comedy about firework moon rocket from Madhouse, FMA director & writer

The North American distributor FUNimation Entertainment has announced on Saturday that it licensed Madhouse's anime adaptation of Kazuki Nakashima's Oh! Edo Rocket historical comedy stage play. Nakashima originally created this alternate-history story for the Gekidan Shinkansen theater troupe. Its popularity led to novel, manga, and eventually anime remakes. The Fullmetal Alchemist team of director Seiji Mizushima (Mobile Suit Gundam 00, Shaman King) and series script supervisor Shō Aikawa (Gad Guard, Ghost Slayers Ayashi) oversaw the anime version. It aired in Japan from April to September of last year — the same time that Nakashima himself would also create the story for Gainax's Gurren Lagann anime series.

The story takes place in Edo-era Japan during the 1800s. Fireworks maker Seikichi Tamaya is suffering under the government's harsh laws against luxuries such as fireworks, but his otherwise ordinary life is disturbed by two shocking events in as many days. First, he sees monsters and humans battling in the local forest. The next day, he gets a surprise visit from a mysterious girl, who asks Seikichi to build a firework that can reach the moon.

Image © 2007 Kazuki Nakashima/a theater company☆Shinkansen / Oh! Edo Rocket Committee

Update: According to FUNimation's press release, the company will release this anime in 2009.


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