Live Action Sci-Fi Adventure from GHOST IN THE SHELL Director Streets October 19th Source: Well Go USA, Inc. Official Site: assaultgirlsmovie.com (US), assault-girls.nifty.com (Japan) Special Thanks to Chrissy Walker
Mamoru Oshii, the internationally acclaimed director who brought the world the explosive anime hit GHOST IN THE SHELL (Kokaku Kidotai, 1995) delivers his first live action movie since AVALON in 2001. ASSAULT GIRLS (Asaruto Garuzu, 2009) is a true visual experience that will amaze fans both old and new. Oshii shot the film in 35mm and utilized all new techniques from CGI to VFX effects. The movie`s theme song “Screw” is written and sung by the popular international artist KOTOKO, who has provided songs for several anime and video game titles. ASSAULT GIRLS has become the highest grossing film to date from the Japanese movie and video company Geneon Universal Entertainment. US film distributor Well Go USA, Inc. will release ASSAULT GIRLS on Region 1 DVD and Blu-ray on October 19, 2010. Well Go has backed the upcoming release with an extensive print media campaign and promotions at Comic Con International and New York Comicon.
Story
In the aftermath of global thermonuclear war, three gorgeous battle tested women— Gray (Meisa Kuroki), Lucifer (Rinko Kikuchi), and Colonel (Hinako Saeki)— are outfitted in tight, sexy body suits and armed with their own special Assault Rifles and electrifying magic. Transported to the virtual world of Avalon F, a barren desert-like wasteland, these beautiful heroines these beautiful women known as Assault Girls must prove their fighting skills in an epic battle against sand-dwelling monsters called Sand Whales. This endless “hunt” also known as game “play” will test their nerves and resolve. As the virtual game begins to unfold, the sparkle of "muzzle flash" begins to fade and assault ships gather overhead. New enemies enter this game and the mysterious Game Master decides which of the Assault Girls will live or die.The end is near when suddenly a gigantic super mutation called "Madara Sunakujira" attacks and the battle for survival begins...
Characters
GRAY Played by Meisa Kurokii (CROWS ZERO II, MIRACLE GIRLS) Female sniper in a gray combat suit with long black hair. Her main weapon is a 50-caliber rifle, which is excellent for long distance sniping. She carries a small semi-automatic pistol, a Walther PPK, but it is intended more for self-defense than for hunting. During field transportation, she uses an optical camouflaged fighter jet mounted with powerful firearms, but if she uses the firearms while flying - it is considered a penalty. In the real world, she is an unemployed socially withdrawn girl fed and clothed by her parents.
LUCIFER Played by Rinko Kikuchi (Academy Award nominee for BABEL, stars opposite John Cusack in SHANGHAI) Female magician dressed in black. She uses magic, flies freely through the sky after being transmuted into a big raven, emits blue-white beams, and fires fireballs as a powerful form of magical attack. However, these special techniques require many points. This is probably why she aims at the speckled sand whale, the Madara, that appears in Desert 22 to earn big points. She never speaks a word and continuously dances in a humorous way while twirling a derby in her hand.
COLONEL Played by Hinako Saeki (THE WOMEN OF FAST FOOD, ATTACK OF THE SCHOOLGIRL ZOMBIES) Female warrior riding on a horse racing through the desolate desert. Her weapon is a customized automatic-rifle, a FAL. She grasps situations in a calm and reassuring manner and brings down herds of monsters in rapid-fire succession. She definitely deserves to be called "Colonel". She has a giant descending remote-control hunting soldier Temjin (Sky Man) on standby on an assault landing ship (Ryujo II) in the sky for crucial moments. In the real world, she is the mother of two children and earns a living by hunting monsters instead of relying on her junkie husband. JÄGER Played by Yoshikatsu Fujiki (STRAY DOG: KERBEROS PANZER CORPS, JIN-ROH: THE WOLF BRIGADE) Big guy with a baseball cap and a flapping ragged cloak walking with a large antitank gun on his shoulder. The large gun, for which he redeemed all of the points he had earned, is powerful enough to beat the Sand Whales with just one shot. He enjoys the romanticism of adventure, such as camping in the wilderness. GAME MASTER Voice performed by Ian Moore The presence who rules and controls the world of the online game Avalon (f). It warns a player who breaks the rules or sometimes gives her/him penalties. It also gives advice about advancing from level to level and other situations.
Director
Mamoru Oshii
Born August 8, 1951 in Tokyo - is a Japanese filmmaker, television director, and writer. Famous for his philosophy-oriented storytelling, Oshii has directed a number of popular anime, including URUSEI YATSURA 2: BEAUTIFUL DREAMER (Urusei Yatsura 2 Byuutifuru Dor?maa, 1984), PATLABOR 2 (Kidoo Keisatsu Patoreibaa za Muubi 2, 1993), GHOST IN THE SHELL, GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE (2004), GHOST IN THE SHELL 2.0 (Kokaku Kidotai 2.0, 2008), and THE SKY CRAWLERS (Sukai Kurora, 2008). He also holds the distinction of having created the first ever OVA, DALLOS (Darosu, 1983). For his work, Oshii has received and been nominated for numerous awards, including the Palme d`Or and Golden Lion. He has also attracted praise from international directors such as James Cameron and the Wachowski brothers. Presently, Oshii lives in Atami, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan with his dogs – a basset hound named Gabriel and a mutt named Daniel.
DVD and Blu-ray Details
DVD Specs Audio: Dolby Stereo 5.1 and 2.0 English Subtitles: English Running Time: 110 minutes Aspect Ratio: 16:9 Widescreen UPC: 812491011645 Release Date: October 19, 2010 SRP: $24.98 Bonus Features: Japanese Trailer Well Go USA Trailers Blu-ray Specs Audio: English Subtitles: English Running Time Time: 110 minutes Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video resolution: 1080p UPC: 812491011652 Release Date: October 19, 2010 SRP: $26.98 Bonus Features: Japanese Trailer Well Go USA Trailers
About Well Go USA, Inc.
Well Go USA, Inc. specializes in the acquisition and distribution of entertainment programs in the video, television and digital market throughout North American and South East Asia. Since 1993, Well Go has acquired and released hundreds of films and programs across all genres and continues to be a leader in film distribution by offering diversified and unique programs in a variety of formats.