"Metallic Rouge" is a completely original animation that will begin airing in 2024, but do you know anything about its general director, Izubuchi Yutaka? As it is an original work with no original source material, the details of the series depend on Izubuchi, making him an extremely important person in the series. While it can be said that not all information about the series has been released yet, to learn more about "Metallic Rouge," it is necessary to get to know this extremely important person, Izubuchi Yutaka. So, in this article, I would like to introduce Izubuchi Yutaka, the general director of this series, and his representative work, "Space Battleship Yamato 2199." Looking at Izubuchi's representative works will give you a good idea of the type of work he creates, so be sure to check it out.
Who is Izubuchi Yutaka?
This film's general director, Yutaka Izubuchi, is primarily a mechanical designer, responsible for designing the mecha that appear in animated works. While he has recently served as general director on projects like "Space Battleship Yamato 2199" and "Metallic Rouge," many of his directorial works also feature mecha, so it's important to remember that he's an animator with a strong background in mecha.
Responsible for numerous mecha designs
Izubuchi has designed popular mobile suits in the Mobile Suit Gundam series, including the Nu Gundam, Jegan, Sazabi, and Kampfer. He also designed the Labors in the Patlabor series, and has a history of designing numerous other masterpieces that are well-known to all robot fans.
Serving as General Director of "Metallic Rouge"
This time, Izubuchi is the general director of "Metallic Rouge," so he's not participating as a mecha designer. However, since he was originally a mecha designer, the mechas that appear in this work are very much in Izubuchi's style. I think he's composing the work from the perspective that only a mecha designer could have, so this is definitely something to keep an eye on.
Masterpiece: "Space Battleship Yamato 2199"
While responsible for numerous mecha designs, Izubuchi's signature work as general director is "Space Battleship Yamato 2199." This work is a remake of the former "Space Battleship Yamato" television anime series. While Izubuchi did not create the work from scratch, his attention to detail and style are clearly evident in the work.
A masterpiece that impressed fans both new and old
Because this work's origins lie in the legendary sci-fi animation "Space Battleship Yamato," there were many concerns about the new production of "Space Battleship Yamato 2199." However, upon its release, it received overwhelming support from fans both old and new. While retaining the best aspects of the original Yamato, the mecha and character designs have been modernized, making it well-received by new fans as well.
A popular series that continues to this day
The "Space Battleship Yamato 2199" series continues to this day as a feature film, with "Yamato: Forever Rebel 3199" currently in production, making it a long-running franchise that has maintained its popularity over the years.
Space Battleship Yamato 2199: Featuring Mecha
The greatest appeal of "Space Battleship Yamato 2199" is the mecha that play a major role in the film. This animated work depicts Earthlings being invaded by the extraterrestrial Garmillans in the year 2199. It also depicts a spaceship war, with various mecha, including the Space Battleship Yamato, built as Earthlings' last hope, battling in the vastness of space.
Sophisticated Yamato Design
Space Battleship Yamato's design was fully developed from the original series' initial broadcast and remains popular to this day. While 2199 retains the Yamato design, it has been refined for a more modern look, with slightly sharper tips.
Attention to detail evident in the main gun's ballistics
The unique rotating ballistics of the main gun's ballistics, which were depicted in the first film but not in subsequent series, are also reappearing in 2199. This level of detail clearly shows Director Izubuchi's dedication and respect for Yamato.
Robots also play an important role
Furthermore, the robots and other mecha designs have been upgraded, including the addition of an optional analyzer attachment for the robots that appeared in the film, which did not appear in the original series, and an increased variety of the Garmillan fleet. In particular, the robots' performance is a testament to Director Izubuchi's unique approach, so be sure to keep an eye out for this upgrade.
Yamato: A Major Influence on Japanese Mecha Design
While there's no doubt that "Space Battleship Yamato 2199" is crucial to enjoying "Metallic Rouge," I'd like to point out here that the original work, "Space Battleship Yamato," itself, is also important to Japanese robot animation, including "Metallic Rouge."
The Original Space War Anime
"Space Battleship Yamato" is a sci-fi animation that began airing in 1974. It's also known for being directed by Leiji Matsumoto, known for "Galaxy Express 999" and "Captain Harlock."
Spreading sci-fi anime in Japan
This work had a profound impact on Japanese animation, and it's said that its huge success sparked the creation of subsequent space war animations. Until then, sci-fi works featuring mecha in space hadn't received much attention, but this work served as a catalyst for spreading sci-fi anime in Japan.
Inheriting the Yamato DNA
Subsequently, works inspired by the Space Battleship Yamato series were produced, such as "Mobile Suit Gundam" which began airing in 1979 and "Super Dimension Fortress Macross" which began airing in 1982. The sci-fi anime DNA of "Space Battleship Yamato" continues in current works, including "Metallic Rouge" which will air in 2024.
Mecha x Beautiful Girls
One of Space Battleship Yamato's specialties was its combination of cool mecha designs and adorable, beautiful female crew members. At the time, gekiga (graphic novel) was at its peak, and it was rare to see a series that focused on cute, beautiful heroines. However, this series featured many charming, beautiful girls designed by former shojo manga artist Reiji Matsumoto, and they were often spotlighted throughout the series, achieving a unique combination of beautiful mecha and beautiful girls not seen in other anime.
You can't talk about Japanese sci-fi anime without this work
Today, mecha and beautiful girls are the foundational elements of robot animation, and this trend has become particularly strong since the release of "Neon Genesis Evangelion" in the 1990s. "Metallic Rouge" also features two beautiful girls as the main characters, and this setting is also influenced by "Space Battleship Yamato."
Watch "Space Battleship Yamato 2199" to understand everything about Yamato!
"Space Battleship Yamato" has influenced numerous robot animations, including "Metallic Rouge." Watching the remake, "Space Battleship Yamato 2199," will help you understand everything about "Space Battleship Yamato."
Faithful to the Original
This film is so faithful to the original that you won't have to worry about the "too new to understand" problem that is common with remakes. Enjoy "Space Battleship Yamato 2199" with peace of mind.
The beautiful girls are even more charming!
One of the attractions of "Space Battleship Yamato" is the heroines designed by Leiji Matsumoto, but it's true that their designs may be a bit eccentric for modern anime fans. Fans of modern anime will likely find the heroines in "Space Battleship Yamato 2199" more appealing, so be sure to check it out.
"Metallic Rouge" is even more interesting!
As mentioned earlier, "Space Battleship Yamato" has had a major influence on Japanese sci-fi animation, and watching it before watching "Metallic Rouge" will make it even more enjoyable. There's still some time until "Metallic Rouge" airs, so why not check it out before then?
Summary
What did you think? This time, we've introduced "Space Battleship Yamato 2199," directed by Yutaka Izubuchi, the general director of "Metallic Rouge." This is a must-watch if you want to enjoy "Metallic Rouge," so be sure to check it out.
