Redline [Blu-ray]

I can't believe it took this long to get to America but thank god it actually got here, and in Blu-Ray. This movie is such an amazing, breathtaking accomplishment of modern Japanese animation that it makes it a must-see for anyone looking to see something new and exciting. The animation style is a seriously stylish mix of Samurai Champloo (the director was an animator for it), Heavy Metal, Speed Racer, J-pop neon color, F-Zero. This is the first anime I think I've seen that has a clear homage to American animation influences like Heavy Metal and Speed Racer, also to American Rock music (JP's hair is clearly Elvis-style). But what it does is mix all of this together with the Japanese style in such a cool and, ultimately, unique and visually captivating way. Since the movie has the advantage of being released in the digital, blu-ray age, we are given a COMPLETE SOURCE transfer. That means absolutely no specs, grains, washed-out colors, etc... This is the cleanest a hand-drawn animation can look without being done on a computer. That's why this movie is such a success. The sheer imagination and heart that went into the artwork makes a greatly convincing argument for the beauty and potential of hand-drawn artwork that has completely been absent from American animation. The music is the next best part. It starts out with the main anthem, "Yellow Line" and gets into the action right away with about an 8-minute race opening that right away captures the awesome feel that the rest of the movie will throw at you. It captivates the tone and emotions at the right points and even gets a little touching at some points as there is a small amount of melodrama to keep this movie from being without any depth, not that it's totally needed but it's a nice touch. The music captures that Redline has this soulful heart to it that you just latch on to. The story itself is not complex, but that's good because is if it got TOO convoluted in talking then we couldn't really enjoy the limits of animation that this movie pushes so well. The melodrama with JP and with himself and Sonoshee it makes the movie come together in the end that brings out the heart of the creators and staffers on the project that just makes this film special. I'm so happy this movie came out because I was really starting to mourn the end of Japanese animation, especially with the loss of Satoshi Kon. This movie has a soul and that makes it so much more necessary to witness. That brings me to my only complaint. The dubbing in English was done by Manga Entertainment. That means the dub was given a "typical anime" dub in English. While JP, Sonoshee, and Frisbee's voices are all fine there are other voices that are awkward and too anime that distracts from the universality of the animation. In Japanese, the voices are less cartoonish and more realistic, which makes the movie much better and more in line with the creator's vision. Thankfully, the English and Japanese tracks are both True HD so you can choose which one you like. Bottom Line: Get Redline. It's beautiful. It's inspirational. It's great. These animators deserve the money for making such an amazing work of art. It doesn't matter whether or not you like anime, this isn't an "anime" it's a Japanese animation and appeals to a wider swatch of people. It's exciting and the movie just goes by so quick because of how awesome it is. BUY THIS MOVIE!!!!!!!!!

First off, the animation and art style is just beautiful to look at. The colors are so vibrant and the animation style itself just looks great. This is definitely a must watch for any fan of animation. The visuals alone will have you captivated for the entire movie. The story is not the most detailed nor the most serious, but it’s still good in my opinion. It has a lot of unique and colorful characters as well as some really interesting and over the top designs. It’s basically about a race tournament happening on this alien planet with all sorts of oddball characters joining in. The action is fast paced and is extremely over the top, paying homage to all sorts of anime cliches. Some might say that the story is simplistic and cliche, but honestly the way the movie executes it, it comes off really nice. The love story between the two main characters, while it is cliche, is still done really nice and heartfelt. It also helps that the characters are really likable. The whole movie just has this nice upbeat feel to it and it’ll definitely leave you feeling nice afterwards. Overall, this movie is cliche and over the top but EXTREMELY well executed and very enjoyable to watch. It’s not a deep thought provoking film. It’s just nice film you can have fun with. I highly recommend it.

Already had Redline dvd, but thought to try the Bluray. Glad I did, gave me an excuse to watch Redline again. What a great movie, one of a kind. The musical cues are insane, of course so is the story and artwork, and voice acting... Redline is a must if you like racing, or you like Aliens in an alarming array of sizes, shapes and colors. And then there's Funky Boy, and the Army and the mob boss, so its got everything you usually look for in a racing movie about Roboworld and as a bonus it actually starts with the Yellowline to get you in the groove. Just a joy to watch, they just don't make movies like this anymore. The only way to top this is if Dorohedoro makes a racing movie with brooms.

"We decided to make the perfect anime film, one that defied all logic or reason." And they did a pretty damn good job. Would you like to know more? I'm not a normal anime viewer, the genre irritates, embarrasses and disappoints me most of the time. There are clear exceptions and that is why I considered the idea that REDLINE might be good after seeing a great trailer about a year ago. And my god, I've rarely come across a film so devoid of depth that I have enjoyed SO thoroughly. For you, reader, are one of two groups: (1) You are NOT a general anime fan. Welcome! I'm not really either, I saw an insane trailer for REDLINE a year or so ago and thought I should check it out. I studied film for a few years after high school and generally give even good movies are pretty hard time. With anime I worry about tired cliche's, weird sexuality, shallow characters and convoluted, un-engaging plots. These are the exact reasons I don't watch most stuff that comes out. Although REDLINE includes most of these elements, it does so in full self awareness and instead of being bland it ends up as one of the most entertainingly buck-nutty things I've ever seen. The sheer enthusiasm and exuberance on display in the wildly imaginative and adventurous visual presentation is infectious. It was to the point that I didn't care that I was seeing elements clearly lifted from standard anime cannon. The film clearly wasn't looking to be taken seriously, it was only looking to have fun and show it's viewers something crazy, shrugging standard genre stagnation with every line of it's hands drawn lunacy. It shirks pretension and to an extent feel remarkably 'punk' in it's rejection of tact and modesty in it's narrative. It's all crazy, all the time. That's not to say it's poorly paced, but at no point does it relax into putting something unremarkable on screen. What it does avoid, thankfully, some of the worst anime genre potholes that normally turn off everyone looking to maintain some dignity as a viewer. If you feel you are someone that can appreciate a unique, insane, joyful and often silly anime spectacle then you MUST check out this film. It's dumb, but not for a second does it actually care. I couldn't even tell you why, but by the end I kinda cared about our silly protagonist 'Sweet J.P', his buddies or the beautiful girl of his dreams. I guess I was just having too good of a time not too. (2) You ARE a typical anime fan. Well frankly, I don't much trust your taste and you probably aren't reading amazon.com reviews, especially after what I said in the first two paragraphs. :)

Seriously one of my favorite movies ever. It's slick, stylish, weird, funny, and exciting. A big obvious draw to the movie is the impeccable art style. High contrast shadows with strong color choices, all made beautiful in motion with incredible hand-drawn animation. It's an absolutely gorgeous movie with a flavor of its own in every way. Every shot is well-done and could serve as a standalone piece. It's seriously something to behold. The story is fun and simple. There's a big intergalactic race held every 5 years to find out who's the best. The characters and their designs are are really fun and distinct, with the main lead JP having a special place in my heart mostly taken up by his reality-defying pompadour. The soundtrack makes me think of things like Jet Set Radio or something, it's a quirky and unique sound that really compliments the rest of the movie's oddball style. All in all, this movie is incredible. The races are a lot of fun to watch and the characters are really enjoyable to see. It easily hits one of my favorites of all time and I would recommend this movie to anyone who is into animation, art, or unique styles.

Many other reviews have done a great job of explaining just why Redline is something of a must-see, so I'll just throw in a few words on the matter myself. Every once in a few years an animated movie comes along that's sheer originality, energy, and sense of immersion serves as a reminder of how great the medium can be, including to people who usually aren't especially into animated films. Redline is one of these. Redline is one of the most thoroughly enjoyable and exciting movies I've seen in long time. It's the sort of movie the appeal of which is hard to explain; "Racing cars on an alien world with explosions and colors" isn't likely to get to many people willing to watch it with you. Really, it's one of those films that you have to say to your friends "just trust me," and stick the disc in. This is what I've done every time I've shown Redline, and whatever skepticism people have tends to disappear in seconds as the adrenaline-cranking wildly creative first race bursts on to the screen with it's pulsating techno beat, full of insane and inventive alien characters. And the attention never wanes. One of the best things about the entire movie, and the reason why the ridiculous action is so effecting, is that each and every character in the huge cast is unique and strangely lovable. They each get their moments to shine in their own peculiarities, and while Redline is far from deep in a very self-aware way, the characters shine through like a beacon. The result of the crazy inventive animation, literally edge of your seat racing, and strangely lovable characters really is one incredible film that I frankly don't see myself getting tired of watching anytime soon. Do yourself a favor, and watch Redline.

Redline is most easily defined as a Sci-fi racing movie, but there are many more elements to it than just that. The Redline is a race where the best drivers go to show their skills and win fame and fortune. The story follows one of these racers, J.P., through his quest to become the champion. The plot is simplistic, yet engaging. J.P. is a likeable main character but is nowhere near the only character a viewer may want to root for. From the lead up to the race, through until the end, the movie gives insight into each team in the race and their motivations for winning. The characters in the movie are varied and unique: Aliens, criminals, robots, and beautiful women are examples of the people gunning to win the Redline. Each team's vehicle has its own strengths and weaknesses and the race has somewhat of a Hanna-Barbera's Wacky Races feel to it, although without the accompanying comedy. This movie is not for children. The movie's greatest strength is its animation. The cels are all hand drawn (over 100,000 of them) and are stunning. This movie is as much a vehicle to showcase the slick animation as it is to forward the plot. If you are a fan of hand drawn animation, you will be excited to see this movie. Some of the character designs are far from normal, but they are compelling and rather unique. This movie took seven years to make and you can see why in the detail of the animations. The soundtrack is, for the most part, a collection of upbeat dance music tracks that complement the fast, adrenaline fueled racing that pervades this movie. I've watched this movie both with the original Japanese voice acting track with subtitles and the English language dub. While I think that the voice acting in the Japanese language track is better (specifically the main character's voice which was much less subdued than the English counterpart), fans who enjoy watching movies with the English dub won't be disappointed in the voice acting. If you are a fan of beautiful animation, high octane race movies, or science fiction in general, I don't think you will be disappointed by Redline. It gives the viewer all of these things and more. If you're the kind of movie watcher that needs a complex plot to enjoy, this might not be to your liking.

Redline is in the top 3 of anime movies in the past decade. The visually gorgeous cyberpunk/sci-fi/psychedelic aesthetic is a rare treat. Interesting and often funny characters are revealed like a Christmas present throughout the film. It's races are as close as you're going to get to mainlining adrenaline without a prescription. The plot is not too deep, but the non-stop pacing and complex animation, even during character development scenes, means you never want to take your eyes off the screen. There is some gratuitous nudity and non stop smoking, but nothing overtly offensive. Just keep it away from young kids. Put it on a big screen TV, and turn up the volume! This is a gem that stands up to repeated viewings. Anime purists will want the option to switch between dubbed English and subtitled Japanese soundtracks. Avoid the English dubbed Amazon Digital version if it is important to you. The English dub is funny and very well done, but a good portion of the original dialogue is lost in translation. The Blu-ray offers Dolby 2.1 and 5.1 sound in both languages and is cheaper than the digital. Get the "Multi-format" Blu-ray sold by Amazon, not the overpriced "Blu-ray" from 3rd party sellers.

Nonostante sia stato un flop commerciale da tutti gli appassionati di anime viene considerato un must ( e di conseguenza oggetto cult ) Un anime atenpore interamente disegnato a mano ed una volta visto si rimane a bocca aperta da quello che è stato creato Edizione semplice ma con qualità audio e video degni di tale capolavoro Consegna perfetta

私の嫁さんは映画に誘っても作品に相当興味が湧かないと一緒に来てくれない。 今作が映画館で公開された後、前情報が少ない状況で今作を一緒に見に行こうと誘ってみた所珍しく嫁さんが賛同。 正直な所自分自身も今作がどの程度楽しめるのか期待半分不安半分であったが・・・・ ただただ最高な作品でした！！！！ とにかく素晴らしいクオリティの作画で動く動く！ 映像も素晴らしいが音響も負けない位素晴らしい！！ 全方位から大音響で重低音がズンズン響き、体の芯まで揺さぶられる大迫力の音響！！！ 映画館では一回しか楽しめなかったのが心の底から悔やまれる・・・・。 当時は嫁さんも本作の音響の良さにテンション上がってました。 しかし客入りが悪く上映期間も短かった為、ブルーレイ版のリリースも危ういのではないか・・・と、 勝手に不安な気持ちになったりもしました。 冗談抜きで本当にこの傑作がブルーレイ化されて良かったです。 二度と見れないんじゃないかと悲観していましたので（汗） 事前情報では確かDTS HDマスターオーディオ音声は収録されない予定だったと思うのですが、 途中で音声表記が切り替わり大喜びしました。 今作のBDが自宅に届いた際には可能な限り大音量で自宅のホームシアターにて鑑賞。（勿論隣近所に迷惑をかけない程度にですが） さすがに映画館の迫力には及びませんでしたが、重低音を強めに聞かせると自室がビリビリ震える位にはなり、良い塩梅で楽しめました。 音ばかりについて感想を書いてしまったので音響以外についても書かせて頂きます。 今作は見た目で分かる通り画風が濃い目です。 アニマトリックスでランナーのエピソードを作った方が作ったそうでタッチは近い感じです。 アメコミチックなメリハリのある影付けですが自分としてはこういうタッチも好きです。 個々のキャラクターは非常に個性豊かで見ていて楽しく、声を当てている皆さんもキャラとマッチしており不満無し。 ソノシー役の蒼井優さんは特に演技が素晴らしかった。 サブキャラも味があり見ていて楽しいです。 レッドラインの開催地でタバコを売っていたおばあちゃんとか良い味出してますw レッドライン戦ではレースというより戦争の様になっておりますが、スタッフ陣が描きたい物を盛りに盛ってくれており良い意味でお腹イッパイになります。 理屈とかは抜きにして、この作品の映像と音響の激流に身を任せて楽しむのが本作の正しい楽しみ方だと思います。 正直この作品にケチを付けたく無いのですが、数少ない不満点としては レース が二回しか描かれていない点。これが残念。 もっともっと本作の迫力あるレースを見たかった。 本作は非常に手間をかけた作りの為、続編や関連作は恐らく作られないのでしょうがこんな作品を送り届けてくれたスタッフの方々に大感謝です！！ 日本のアニメは世界一だと実感出来る一作です。

Red Line - die höchste Klasse interstellarer Weltraumrennen und der Traum eines jeden Geschwindigkeitsfreaks. JP befindet sich gerade im Rennen der Yellow Line, der zweithöchsten Motorenklasse und liefert sich ein hitziges Kopf-an-Kopf-Rennen mit seinen Kontrahenten. Es fliegen die Raketen und explodieren die Reifen, bis schließlich der Gewinner der Yellow Line feststeht. Doch brisante Meldungen machen ihre Runde in den Nachrichten. Das legendäre Red Line Rennen soll auf Roboplanet, einem überaus feindlichen und gefährlichen Ort, stattfinden. Die dortige Obrigkeit hat den Red Line Veranstaltern den Krieg erklärt und zögert auch nicht, gewaltsam ihren Planeten vor den Racern zu schützen. Ob und wie die Red Line nun stattfindet und wie sich JP darin schlagen wird bleibt abzuwarten Als Animi-Fan bin ich einfach nur noch begeister. Es ist ein Film, den man sich auch ein zweitesmal anschaut. Der Sound und Stimmung sind mitreißend.

Redline is probably one of the best anime films I've seen to date. Being stuck in development hell for a long time, it came bursting onto the scene with gorgeous visuals, a banging soundtrack, and a pretty fun story to boot. This is a great film to watch if you want to see some freaking fantastic animation.

Gorgeously animated film. It's a shame that it can be a bit difficult to track down. More people should see this masterpiece of animation.