Tighten your chinstrap for what’s sure to be an emotional ride. Halo is taking another dramatic twist in the form of seven original anime short films. They’ll be collectively known as Halo Legends, and will emerge from five of the most prestigious animation studios in Japan. Bet you never saw this one coming (because neither did we!).
The Halo Legends anime project is a trailblazing collaboration between Microsoft and Japan’s foremost anime storytellers: Bones, Casio Entertainment, Production I.G., STUDIO4˚C, and Toei Animation. Production is being handled by Microsoft’s 343 Industries and will also benefit from creative direction from anime pioneer Shinji Aramaki (“Appleseed”, “Appleseed EX Machina”). Also onboard is Mamoru Oshii, director of the iconic “Ghost in the Shell” motion pictures, with additional production from Joseph Chou of J-Spec Pictures. In summary, very capable hands.
Just to give you some idea of the quality you can look forward to. We’re talking about the teams responsible for “The Animatrix,” “Cowboy Bebop,” “Fullmetal Alchemist,” “Ghost in the Shell,” and “Dragon Ball” all turning their attention toward Master Chief and the Halo universe. Halo Legends will be frankly incredible.
Plot details are tantalisingly out of reach for now but we can look forward to Halo Legends exploring different times, themes and characters.
Meantime there’s more Halo news for you today; the launch of a new Xbox LIVE Halo fan service called Halo Waypoint. Available from your Xbox 360 console menu, Halo Waypoint is a new destination that’ll keep fans updated with the latest news and activities while providing access to podcasts, trailers and screenshots, to exclusive video footage. And yes this will include a preview of select Halo Legends episodes and behind-the-scenes videos when the service launches in autumn.
Distributed globally by Warner Home Video, the complete Halo Legends collection will go on sale in early 2010 in both disc format and download via Xbox LIVE.
