Steamboy

Steamboy
File:Steamboy.jpg Promotional poster for Steamboy
Directed by	Katsuhiro Otomo
Written by	Sadayuki Murai
Produced by	Shinji Komori Hideyuki Tomioka
Starring	Anne Suzuki Manami Konishi Katsuo Nakamura Masatane Tsukayama Kiyoshi Kodama (Japan) Anna Paquin Kari Wahlgren Patrick Stewart Alfred Molina Oliver Cotton (USA)
Cinematography	Mitsuhiro Sato
Edited by	Takeshi Seyama
Music by	Steve Jablonsky
Distributed by	Sunrise
Release dates	July 17, 2004 March 18, 2005
Running time	126 min
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

Steamboy (スチームボーイ, Suchīmubōi) is a Japanese animated film, produced by Sunrise, and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, his second major anime release, following Akira. The film premiered across Japan on July 17, 2004. It was the 2004 recipient of Best Animated Feature Film at the Catalonian International Film Festival. With an initial production cost of $26,000,000, Steamboy is the most expensive full length Japanese animated movie made to date.

Setting and genre

File:Steamboy044.jpg

Early production sketch for Steamboy.

In keeping with the steampunk subgenre of science fiction, the movie employs alternate history: it is set in a 19th-century context, yet it features several geopolitical and industrial circumstances that developed differently or at a different pace, sometimes as a result of advanced technological paradigms that were accomplished via the science already present in the 19th century.

As evidenced by one of the early production sketches, Steamboy was envisioned as an amalgam between a Scientific Romance (à la Frank Reade and Tom Swift); a swashbuckling Douglas Fairbanks cliffhanger (similar to The Rocketeer); and a Republic Pictures serial (similar to The Wild Wild West and Indiana Jones), in contrast to an earlier retro-futuristic dystopia anime, Osamu Tezuka's Fritz Lang-inspired Metropolis (2001).

The film is a potent and historically credible representation of Victorian Britain -- perhaps with an objective accuracy only possible from the cultural, geographic and chronologic remove of the Japanese islands -- the only mistake is that the English voices were dubbed using Yorkshire accents for the Lancashire setting.

Characters

James Ray Steam (ジェームス・レイ・スチム, Jēmusu Rei Suchimu)

• Voiced by: Anne Suzuki (Japanese); Anna Paquin (English)

The main character, a 13 year old boy living in Manchester, is an inventor following the paths of his father and grandfather. He possesses a mechanical talent that was inherited from his family, and demonstrates this in at least two instances by building a steam-powered riding wheel and a steam-propelled flying device. He has a youthful idealism and sincerely dislikes the employment of technology for harmful purposes. During the film his motivations are alternately swayed by the influences of his father and grandfather.

Scarlett O'Hara-St. Jones (スカーレット・オハラ・セントジョーンズ, Sukāretto Ohara Sentojōnzu)

• Voiced by: Manami Konishi (Japanese); Kari Wahlgren (English)

Selfish, misguided, annoyingly spoiled yet whimsical and not completely heartless; she is the 14-year-old granddaughter of the chairman of the O'Hara Foundation. She matures as a result of her encounter with Ray. Her character is based upon the fictional character of the same name, from the classic novel Gone with the Wind.

Lloyd Steam (ロイド・スチム, Roido Suchimu)

• Voiced by: Katsuo Nakamura (Japanese); Patrick Stewart (English)

Ray's idealistic grandfather. The original conceiver of the Steamball, which he succeeds in developing with his son Edward. Lloyd's pursuit of progress without much regards to safety and ignorance of Eddy's pleading directly leads to his son's disfigurement. A difference of opinions with his son Edward leads to friction between them. While Edward believes that science is an instrument of power, Lloyd simply wishes to use it to help people. They both develop distinctly different visions for their ultimate invention, the Steam Castle. It is later revealed that Lloyd intended the Steam Castle to be a sort of flying amusement park, but Eddy scoffed at such a premise, denouncing it as a "fairy tale vision." Edward instead built the Steam Castle as a flying military fortress.

Edward Steam (Eddy) (エドワード・スチム（エディ）, Edowādo Suchimu (Edi))

• Voiced by: Masane Tsukayama (Japanese); Alfred Molina (English)

Ray's father. The accident that occurred in the development of the Steamball left Edward in a state where he needed to have machinery replace some of his body, including his right arm and parts of his legs. It left him not only physically disfigured, but it severely twisted his morals as well, driving him to believe that science is an expression of mankind's ultimate power. Edward's father calls him Eddy. He uses the Foundation and the Exhibition as a springboard to launch his ultimate invention: a monstrous, flying war machine called the Steam Castle.

Robert Stephenson (ロバート・スチーブンスン, Robāto Suchībunsun)

• Voiced by: Kiyoshi Kodama (Japanese); Oliver Cotton (English)

Edward and James Lloyd Steam's friend and rival, a major player in the Industrial Revolution. He claims that he wishes to use the Steam Ball for the good of the British Empire, but exactly how he plans to do it is questionable. Possibly based upon the real-life Robert Stephenson.

David (デイビッド, Deibiddo)

• Voiced by: Ikki Sawamura (Japanese); Robin Atkin Downes (English)

Young, talented engineer and Robert Stephenson's loyal right hand. His kindness does not betray a thirsty ambition.

Archibald Simon (アーチボルド・サイモン, Āchiborudo Saimon)

• Voiced by: Satoru Sato (Japanese); Rick Zieff (English)

The O'Hara Foundation's chairman's representative, he is overweight and wears glasses. Grossly obsessed with money, he continues to market his wares even when his life is in danger, with comical results.

Alfred Smith (アルフレッド・スミス, Arufureddo Sumisu)

• Voiced by: Susumu Terajima (Japanese); Mark Bramhall (English)

The smarter of the two O'Hara thugs, Alfred works with Jason in trying to steal the Steamball. He outlives his oafish companion, and seems to hate Ray even more. He, along with Jason, performs much of Simon's dirty work. The two of them capture Ray and bring him to London, and later attempt to kill him. Alfred does so by trying to smash him with a construction crane, but Ray deftly avoids it, causing it to slam into Alfred instead.

Jason (ジェイソン, Jeison)

• Voiced by: Tetsu Inada (Japanese); David S. Lee (English)

One of the men working in the O'Hara Foundation in the United States of America. Jason and Alfred were the ones that want to get the Steamball. However, Ray Steam is kidnapped. He represents the more brutish half of the two O'Hara thugs, and engages in a vicious aerial battle with Ray toward the end of the movie.

Ray's Mother (レイの母親, Rei no Hahaoya)

• Voiced by: Keiko Aizawa (Japanese); Kim Thomson (English)

Ray's mother.

Emma (エマ, Ema)

• Voiced by: Sanae Kobayashi (Japanese); Paula J. Newman (English)

Ray's female childhood friend.

Thomas (トーマス, Tōmasu)

• Voiced by: Aiko Hibi (Japanese); Moira Quirk (English)

Emma's brother.

The Admiral

• Voiced by: Osamu Saka (Japanese); Oliver Muirhead (English)

Highly decorated and a Knight of the Order of the Garter, the Admiral is Robert Stephenson's main point of contact with the British Government. The Admiral is rather set in his ways, believing that men, not machines, fight wars. He displays a stereotypically British style of composure, calmly taking afternoon tea on the deck of his flagship while a battle rages nearby.

Plot summary

The movie opens with doctors Lloyd and Edward Steam (the grandfather and father of the main character, James Ray Steam, respectively) working to obtain water of "exceptional purity" from a cave in Iceland, which they transport by means of a trans-Arctic submarine to a large hydraulics facility in Russian Alaska. The massive apparatus strains dangerously to perform its (as of yet) unveiled function, and Edward demands that his father end the experiment. Recklessly, his father won't abort the experiment for fear of wasting the rare water they were using. The valves yield, and Edward is hit by a turbulent cloud of high-pressure steam; the Steam Ball remains in the wreckage.

The setting shifts to a textile mill in Manchester (1866), Ray's workplace, in time to see Ray save the mill's steam engine and the lives of its operators by heroically crawling into a service compartment. Upon emerging, he and the engineer are blamed for the damage to the device by the mill's uncaring manager. Ray decides to take a loose brass valve as a compensation, and it serves him soon: on the way home, he is approached by two kids who threaten him and tease him about the eccentricities of his father and grandfather, but Ray, unabashed, uses the valve as a weapon that deters his aggressors. The valve ends up as a part of a steam-powered monowheel (which rather resembles a hamster cage) that Ray has built by himself: as his mother puts it, there are pistons and gears in his mind.

This is not the highlight of Ray's day, however. A strange package arrives in the Steam's dining room shortly after, containing the Steam Ball, schematic drawings and a note from Lloyd, immediately followed by two men in black who introduce themselves as representatives from the O'Hara Foundation. They have come to take the Ball, but following the instructions in his grandfather's note, Ray escapes in his monowheel with the ball and schematics tucked in his shirt, aided by Lloyd, who shows just in time to hold his pursuers.

The Foundation is determined: Ray is followed by a large "steam automotive" that happened to be stationed near Ray's home. The machine pursues Ray across town, obliviously wrecking anything that comes between it and its prey. Ray attempts to lose it by crossing the railroad and put the incoming train between him and the automotive, but he soon realizes that his vehicle is unable to escape from between the tracks. The automotive follows suit and traps Ray between the train and itself; Ray barely manages to escape before the monowheel is turned to splinters. By coincidence, Robert Stephenson, who was the intended recipient of the Steam Ball, was on his way to Manchester to meet with the elder Dr. Steam, and happens to be in the train. Stevenson's assistant commandeers the locomotive and forces the steam car off the chase. However, as the train approaches the station, a zeppelin descends over the train and tears the roof apart by means of a large mechanical clamp. Ray is kidnapped, and the ball is taken with him. During the struggle, Ray releases the valve of the Steam Ball accidentally; this results in a powerful stream of steam hitting (and damaging) some of the nearby buildings.

In London, Ray finds himself in an ornate dining room where his pleas for help go unheard by the service. In the pier, a large steamer catamaran arrives, and a temperamental Scarlett O'Hara descends from the ship to join him as she chases (and severely punishes) her wayward chihuahua, Columbus. Archibald Simon, chairman of the O'Hara Foundation, joins them shortly after. Ray's demands for answers cease temporarily when his father steps out of a large metallic door. His footsteps are heavy and resound with metallic echoes, and half of his face is covered by a metal mask. Upon seeing Ray, Edward greets him gravely, and simply sits to have dinner.

He takes Ray on a tour of the "Steam Castle" (or "Steam Tower"). Scarlett tags along. During this sequence there are some stunning visuals as Edward proclaims his vision for the Steam Tower. He claims that it will relieve man of his toils and bring about a new age of enlightenment.

Stephenson discusses issues with an Admiral of the Royal Navy. It is resolved that there will be a raid on the O'Hara pavilion and that they should be prepared for anything.

He recruits Ray to help him finish the project and announces that Ray would be its heir, to Scarlet's chagrin. While he is working, Scarlett comes to him and demands he fix Columbus's treadmill (or indoor walker) that his grandfather had built. This leads to them sneaking into the main pavilion at the exhibition to steal some parts. The scene primarily is a character development scene where the relationship between Ray and the still uncaring Scarlett begins to develop.

Lloyd, who had been captured and placed in a cell, escaped by improvising an explosive and set about to sabotage the Tower/castle. Several scenes later, Ray encounters Lloyd and there is another brilliant scene where they pass through the Castle's arsenal and Lloyd explains the folly of war. Ray also struggles with the question of what exactly has become of his father and which side (Lloyd's or Edward's) is correct. This is the major conflict of the movie.

Being enlightened to the importance of the social aspects of technology, Ray challenges Stephenson, when he meets him on the deck of the battleship, "What is the purpose of Science, Technology, all of it?" Stephenson answers "Science exists to make people happy." Ray was satisfied with this answer and hands over the ball. To his horror, the Admiral immediately orders the first wave of attack against the Steam Tower.

The first line of defense is a class of "steam troopers" who are assisted by powered exoskeletons. Simon begins his sales spiel to his potential customers, which include representatives from France, the German Empire and the Middle East (presumably the Ottoman Empire).

Meanwhile, the battleship travels to Stephenson's workshop to deliver the Steam Ball. Stephenson installs the ball into his own device which, presumably, will be used to charge the pressure cylinders of his own tanks. Regardless of the actual function of that machine, its dramatic role is to highlight the similarity between Stephenson and the O'Hara foundation, that they're exactly the same, just not as prosperous.

With this in place, the second attack is launched against the O'Hara "Pavilion." The foundation releases its own tanks and battle is joined, the two sides reaching something of a stalemate. Scarlett, who is trying to figure out why Ray was being attacked, notices that there's fighting going on around the pavilion. Simon explains "It's just a little war with Great Britain, coupled with a product demonstration", to which Scarlet replies "Don't lose."

Scarlett, not understanding the gravity of the situation, goes to meet the Queen and steps right into the middle of the conflict. She is shaken to her senses as a shell rips past her, nearly knocking her down. In a flash, as a shell hits the main pavilion, shattering the glass, she comes to her senses and reaches a moment of epiphany. In an instant, she is transformed from antagonist to heroine, and returns to the castle to find Simon and take control of the situation.

The battle intensifies and Simon unleashes his "Aero Corps." They use powered gliders. They are fairly effective but lack control and several pilots died, one crashing into the exposition, one of his bombs exploding, another crashing into Stephenson's workshop a little later. When David goes to watch this new spectacle, Ray seizes the opportunity to retrieve his Steam Ball.

The laboratory comes under attack from the Aero corps and is mostly destroyed. The attacking glider crashes nearby, injuring David who cares more about the ball than himself. Ray recovers the wreckage of the glider and builds a rocket from it, while David makes a last-ditch effort to procure the ball, hitting it with his cane. Steam spouts out from it, hitting David in the face and further injuring him. Despite the damage, Ray decides to fly it anyway.

The battle at the pavilion continues as Simon unleashes the "Aqua Corps". These are even less effective than the aero corps, due to their inability to even climb stairs.

As the admiral has had enough, he orders a bombardment of the pavilion. The outer shell of the building crumbles revealing the castle's true form.

Edward retorts his father's line to him and orders the building to launch. Scarlet finds him in the control room and is confused because Edward has placed his mechanical arm within a control panel.

The castle itself is revealed as a colossal steam-powered rocket. It takes to the sky and begins its pre-programmed journey down the Thames. The jets of the rocket are freezing cold and freeze the Thames solid, neutralizing the battleships and the Aqua Corps.

The navy continues to bombard it. Ray becomes worried that the structure could explode. Ray takes to the air with his rocket and engages in a battle with an O'Hara airplane. Stephenson musters a few dozen railroad engines and attempts to use chains to pull the Steam Tower Down. This is somewhat successful, as the remaining steam balls are weakened and the tower crashes into Central London.

Simon, his customers, and the crew of the tower escape in one of the tower's zeppelins, after fighting off numerous workers desperate to escape as well.

Lloyd confronts Edward and tells him that his dream is over. Edward retorts that he succeeded the moment the tower took off. Ray manages to reach the control room only in time to see Lloyd try to shoot Edward. Edward escapes into the tower's depths. Lloyd is ready to die with his son when the tower explodes, as he believes, over the Thames. When he learned that wasn't the case, they set about a desperate plan to repair the tower with the third Steam Ball.

Strangely, one of the O'Hara goons attempts to kill Ray with one of the old construction cranes. When the ball is installed, Eddy appears in the auxiliary control room to help Lloyd work the machinery.

With all this catastrophe unfolding around them, Lloyd's vision for the tower is revealed. The tower's amusement park ferris wheel and carousel horses appear from the mechanism. The tower transforms into a walker and extends feet so huge that they crush several buildings.

It staggers back to the Thames and collapses into the river. As it begins to break apart, Ray makes it back to the main control room so that he can rescue Scarlett and escape. He takes Edward's rocket suit. The final scene in the movie is of the tower's destruction, as well as the hero and heroine's escape, and Ray mentions the 'Age of Science' has begun.

The ending montage (shown during the closing credits) reveals the aftermath of the London events and the passage of time, also indicating that both Eddy and Lloyd had survived the tower's crash. During the ensuing years, it is revealed that Lloyd invents the light bulb before his death, and that Eddy may have become an arms manufacturer of sorts, and a melancholy Scarlet returns to America. What is implied to be the Great War happens shortly thereafter, with evidently British rocketmen/paratroopers against enemy zeppelins. In the end, Scarlet becomes the first female aviator (mirroring the real-world Amelia Earhart). There is no indication of Ray's fate.

Staff

• Original creator, script and director: Katsuhiro Otomo
• Screenplay: Sadayuki Murai
• Chief animation supervisor: Tatsuya Tomaru
• Effect animation supervisor: Takashi Hashimoto
• Art director: Shinji Kimura
• CGI director: Hiroaki Ando
• Animation director: Shinji Takagi
• Technical director: Shinichi Matsumi
• Digital composite: Mitsuhiro Satō
• Editing: Takeshi Seyama
• Music: Steve Jablonsky
• Sound director: Keichi Momose
• Production: Sunrise

Media

The Japanese release of Steamboy featured the voices of Anne Suzuki, Manami Konishi and Masane Tsukayama. The United States release, held in a limited number of U.S. theaters on March 18 2005, and expanded to additional theaters on March 25, was released in two formats: a subtitled release featured in fewer cinemas, and an English dubbed version cut down by 15 minutes that featured the voices of Anna Paquin, Alfred Molina, and Patrick Stewart.

Steamboy was distributed across Japan by Toho and English regions by Sony's Triumph Films subsidiary. The DVD was released in Japan on April 15 2005, in Australia on June 22 2005, the USA on July 26 2005, and the UK on March 27 2006. Both the edited English version and the original Japanese version were made available on DVD, with the longer version being sold as the Director's Cut.

Video game

• Steamboy was later adapted into a video game for the Playstation 2 format in Japan.

Reception

Source	Reviewer	Grade / Score	Notes
Anime News Network	Gabriel Reldman	Overall: A Story: A Animation: A+ Art: A+ Music: A	DVD/Movie Review
AnimeOnDVD	Chris Beveridge	Content: B- Audio: A- Video: C+ Packaging: B Menus: B Extras: A-	DVD/Movie Review
THEM Anime Reviews	Carlos Ross	3 out of 5	Movie Review

External links

• Steamboy official site
• Steamboy official MySpace
• Steamboy ({{{type}}}) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
• Steamboy at IMDb
• Steamboy at Rotten Tomatoes
• Steamboy at Box Office Mojo
• "スチームボーイ (Suchīmubōi)" (in Japanese). Japanese Movie Database. Retrieved 2007-07-21.