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Title (English) Steamboy

Title (Japanese) Steamboy

Advertising
Fantasy Novel

Notes Movie, 126 mins, director Kazuhiro OTOMO.
See also official websites.

Classification -

Synopsis A retro science-fiction epic set in Victorian England, Steamboy features a young inventor prodigy named Ray Steam who receives, in a package sent by his grandfather Lloyd, a mysterious metal ball containing a new form of energy capable of delivering unprecedented levels of steam power. It soon is revealed that Ray's father and grandfather have been working for the American O'Hara Foundation , and a dispute has arisen. Agents of the corporation arrive and make forceful attempts to recover the ball, which they assert is their property.
Ray is aided by Robert Stephenson, an engineer with close connections with the British government, but the Foundation still make off with the ball, kidnapping Ray in the process. While captive, Ray meets Miss Scarlett, the grand-daughter of O'Hara, the corporation's founder. The O'Hara Foundation's aim is to demonstrate their technological might at the London Great Exhibition and put on some displays of their technlogy in order to win lucrative arms contracts from various foreign govenrnments. Ray does his best to throw a spanner into the works. A spectacular and violent finale ensues.

Review This is a major production with high production values. However you are cautioned not to set your expectations too high. For starters, the fact that this is a 'steampunk' movie and the hero is surnamed "Steam" should warn you not to expect too much intellectual rigour anywhere else either. This isn't an epic in the tradition of "Akira" or "Ghost in the Shell", or "Wings of Honneamise", rather it's an entertaining fantastical adventure in the spirit of "Giant Robo", "Nadia" or "Kishin Corps".
Actually, though it claims to be about the purity of "science", viewers will struggle to find a sensible scientific or technological idea in it from beginning to end. The "sleamball" is no more than a magical device or "a McGuffin" as Hitchcock would call it.
On the other hand, with its fast-moving action, elaborately realised scenes, and variety of "steam" inventions, this is a highly entertaining movie. The screen is often filled with detail, whether a maze of valves and pipework, or a mass of fighting figures. Perhaps the most interesting character is young Miss Scarlett, mainly because she isn't any nicer than she should be. Scarlett (usually wearing a red dress) is decidedly a brat, first encountered beating her pet chihuahua, and later, when watching a bloody battle, her only comment to her guardians is "Don't lose!"

The last quarter of the movie is disappointing as it is very busy without really going anywhere. Various strands of action are shown and then not followed up as the focus switches to something else.
On the historical front, this is set in the mid-19th century, in England. "Robert Stephenson" is presumably the historical figure, son of George (Rocket) Stephenson. Robert (1803-1859) was a railway engineer, bridge builder, and Member of Parliament. Textile mills really were driven by giant horizontal steam engines via a maze of belts, and examples can still be found in a few museums. Warships were in transition from wood + sail to steel + steam. HMS Warrior, containing elements of both, was launched in 1860, and the all-big-gun HMS Dreadnought, which was the prototype for all WW1- WW2-era battleships, did not appear till 1906. Warships of the late 19th century, rarely depicted on film, generally were steel-built and carried an assortment of guns of all sizes in central and side turrets. Steam road vehicles were rare before the early 20th century.
There are a couple of irritating howlers: when a mill engine fails, somebody is told to "call" the suppliers, at least that's what the subtitles say. A train from Manchester arrives at London Victoria station. But it's a fantasy, isn't it...
Verdict: Entertaining movie; go see it!

Credits Dir: Katsuhiro Otomo
Story: Sadayuki Murai, Katsuhiro Otomo
Full credits on IMDB

Episodes

Release US: theatrical

TV Showing See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.

Date 2004

Production Steamboy Committee, Studio 4C, Sunrise VAP

Broadcaster

Animation

References & Help Look up the latest data on this title at:
Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or
Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) ,
or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001).
Help & further information.

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Information
Title (English)	Steamboy
Title (Japanese)	Steamboy
Advertising Fantasy Novel
Notes	Movie, 126 mins, director Kazuhiro OTOMO. See also official websites.
Classification	-
Synopsis	A retro science-fiction epic set in Victorian England, Steamboy features a young inventor prodigy named Ray Steam who receives, in a package sent by his grandfather Lloyd, a mysterious metal ball containing a new form of energy capable of delivering unprecedented levels of steam power. It soon is revealed that Ray's father and grandfather have been working for the American O'Hara Foundation , and a dispute has arisen. Agents of the corporation arrive and make forceful attempts to recover the ball, which they assert is their property. Ray is aided by Robert Stephenson, an engineer with close connections with the British government, but the Foundation still make off with the ball, kidnapping Ray in the process. While captive, Ray meets Miss Scarlett, the grand-daughter of O'Hara, the corporation's founder. The O'Hara Foundation's aim is to demonstrate their technological might at the London Great Exhibition and put on some displays of their technlogy in order to win lucrative arms contracts from various foreign govenrnments. Ray does his best to throw a spanner into the works. A spectacular and violent finale ensues.
Review	This is a major production with high production values. However you are cautioned not to set your expectations too high. For starters, the fact that this is a 'steampunk' movie and the hero is surnamed "Steam" should warn you not to expect too much intellectual rigour anywhere else either. This isn't an epic in the tradition of "Akira" or "Ghost in the Shell", or "Wings of Honneamise", rather it's an entertaining fantastical adventure in the spirit of "Giant Robo", "Nadia" or "Kishin Corps". Actually, though it claims to be about the purity of "science", viewers will struggle to find a sensible scientific or technological idea in it from beginning to end. The "sleamball" is no more than a magical device or "a McGuffin" as Hitchcock would call it. On the other hand, with its fast-moving action, elaborately realised scenes, and variety of "steam" inventions, this is a highly entertaining movie. The screen is often filled with detail, whether a maze of valves and pipework, or a mass of fighting figures. Perhaps the most interesting character is young Miss Scarlett, mainly because she isn't any nicer than she should be. Scarlett (usually wearing a red dress) is decidedly a brat, first encountered beating her pet chihuahua, and later, when watching a bloody battle, her only comment to her guardians is "Don't lose!" The last quarter of the movie is disappointing as it is very busy without really going anywhere. Various strands of action are shown and then not followed up as the focus switches to something else. On the historical front, this is set in the mid-19th century, in England. "Robert Stephenson" is presumably the historical figure, son of George (Rocket) Stephenson. Robert (1803-1859) was a railway engineer, bridge builder, and Member of Parliament. Textile mills really were driven by giant horizontal steam engines via a maze of belts, and examples can still be found in a few museums. Warships were in transition from wood + sail to steel + steam. HMS Warrior, containing elements of both, was launched in 1860, and the all-big-gun HMS Dreadnought, which was the prototype for all WW1- WW2-era battleships, did not appear till 1906. Warships of the late 19th century, rarely depicted on film, generally were steel-built and carried an assortment of guns of all sizes in central and side turrets. Steam road vehicles were rare before the early 20th century. There are a couple of irritating howlers: when a mill engine fails, somebody is told to "call" the suppliers, at least that's what the subtitles say. A train from Manchester arrives at London Victoria station. But it's a fantasy, isn't it... Verdict: Entertaining movie; go see it!
Credits	Dir: Katsuhiro Otomo Story: Sadayuki Murai, Katsuhiro Otomo Full credits on IMDB
Episodes
Release	US: theatrical
TV Showing	See the whole series for free? This series may be syndicated to regional cable, satellite or terrestial TV stations. For Europe click here.
Date	2004
Production	Steamboy Committee, Studio 4C, Sunrise VAP
Broadcaster
Animation
References & Help	Look up the latest data on this title at: Richard Llewellyn's Animated Divots, or Anime News Network (see Encyclopedia section) , or in "The Anime Encyclopedia" (Clements & McCarthy, Stone Bridge Press, 2001). Help & further information.