Thunderbolt Fantasy is an anime made out of glove puppets. A regular Kotaku reader told me that, and I was like, excuse me?
Thunderbolt Fantasy
Thunderbolt Fantasy
Released early July, Thunderbolt Fantasy is testing the public’s definition of “anime”. Puppeteers inhabiting anime-styled, classic Taiwanese hoteigeki dolls play out sword fights, love scenes and light banter on camera (with a little help from CGI). It’s a classic, Eastern-style fantasy, complete with sword and sorcery. But it’s also completely unique. I am now convinced that puppet shows can be anime, too.
In the show, two siblings guard a legendary sword that evil forces are attempting to steal. The plot — and for that matter, writing — isn’t particularly special, but reminds me of Bunraku, a Japanese puppet style. Movement and emotion are primary; it’s all about visceral reactions. For an anime, it comes off trite. For puppet theatre, it is absolutely spectacular.
Thunderbolt Fantasy
In its natural setting, Thunderbolt Fantasy‘s artistic style benefits from not being a cartoon. Rain drops on leaves, smoky fires and realistically-glittering swords contrast well with the fantasy feel: An excellent juxtoposition of reality and imagination. On the other hand, the anime’s more fantastical elements — like a dragon flying off into the night — are harder to pull off with puppets.
Crunchyroll is airing a new Thunderbolt Fantasy episode every Saturday at 2:00AM AEST. Gen Urobuchi, who also worked on Fate/Zero and Psycho-pass, is its original creator. Check it out and tell me if you think it’s an anime.
Comments
12 responses to “A Puppet Show That Is Also An Anime”
If its not animated, its not anime…
Instead… Its Neo Supermarionation!
not sure if to read it as “Supermarionation” or “Super Mario Nation” given its source :p
either way methinks Gerry Anderson would be jealous of the extra effects afforded by current CG without needing all the elaborately engineered miniature wave pools and pocket pyrotechnic rigging
Thunderbi….uhh…bolts are go!
it’s puppetry animation… from japan.. so it’s still technically animation?
actually from Taiwan. It’s based on a TV show which seems pretty big over there.
This seems oddly relevant now. A combining robot too.
https://youtu.be/Z7GFU5ncKhU
I LOVED Star Fleet as a kid! Saturday mornings were just not complete unless you stayed glued to the tv until 11am to watch it! Called Bomber X in Japan I think. It’s because he has an awesome X gun on his chest haha.
Where’s the hentai edit?
Urobuchi Gen. Sold.
Neat.
Anime is a cartoon. This is a PUPPET SHOW. A cool looking one, yes, but to call it anime is to call it something its not, and its a discredit to the puppeteers involved.
Sorry no, anime is anything animated….
I’m going to assume you like anime, which makes this so much funnier.