Source: Sony Pictures

Perched upon a telephone pole, street urchin Kuro overlooks the amazing city of Takaramachi in TEKKONKINKREET ©2006 Taiyo Matsumoto/Shogakukan, Aniplex, Asmik Ace, Beyond C, Dentsu, TOKYO MX; ©2007 Sony Pictures Digital

July 13th marks the US opening of director Michael Arias’ (THE ANIMATRIX) animated film adaptation of Taiyo Matsumoto’s acclaimed manga, TEKKONKINKREET, distributed by Sony Pictures. The film tells the story of a pair of orphans, Kuro (“Black”) and his younger brother Shiro (“White”), who terrorize the darker elements of Treasure Town. Although accustomed to simply making life miserable for thugs and the local yakuza, the boys find themselves facing internal and external struggles as a Disneyesque corporation moves into Treasure Town to change it.

TEKKONKINKREET will start its run at The Quad in New York and The Landmark in Los Angeles, with a wider run to follow. The film — a unique combination of traditional cel animation and 3D CGI — was the winner of the prestigious Ofuji Noburo Award at the 2007 Mainichi Film Concours, and has received great praise at a number of film festivals worldwide since its Japanese release in December 2006. A trailer and additional media can be found on Sony Pictures’ official website and on YouTube.