X
Year: 2000
USA: Manga Entertainment
Cast: Tomokazu Seki, Junko Iwao, Ken Narita, TOru Furusawa, Masako Ikeda, Kazuhiko Inoue, Mami Koyama, Rica Matsumoto, Yûko Minaguchi, Kotono Mitsuishi, Issei Miyazaki, JOji Nakata, Yukana Nogami, Toshihiko Seki, Emi Shinohara, Junko Takahata, Hideyuki Tanaka, KOichi Yamadera
Director: TarO Rin
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese (English subtitles)
USA Rated: R for violence/gore and some nudity
USA Release Date: 24 March 2000 (Limited Release - Los Angeles and New York)
Synopsis
A gripping drama with an evocative musical score, X features the outstanding artistry of Clamp, four women animators who head up an all female animation studio in Japan. Thirty-year veteran anime director Rintaro, is best known in the US for directing the television series KIMBA THE WHITE LION and ASTRO BOY. Art Director Suichi Hirata (acclaimed for his background design in GHOST IN THE SHELL) conceived the strikingly detailed, futuristic city depicted in X. The popularity of the film in Japan crossed over into the music arena as well, the theme song, 'Forever Love' by the band X-Japan shot to the top of the Japanese pop charts.
The story takes place in 1999, the Year of Destiny, and the beginning of the end of the world. The future of the universe rests on one young man, Kamui Shiro, who must destroy either the Dragons of Earth or the Dragons of Heaven - two opposing armies. He alone must decide whether humanity should be destroyed to create a purified universe, or whether it should be protected to preserve civilization.
Two oracles, the sisters Hinoto and Kanoe foresee the coming of the Dragons and predict opposite outcomes. Each sister gathers strength and ammunition to insure her own vision for the future. However, neither sister realizes that there is one man who has an even greater power than the Dragons, and that ultimately he will determine the fate of the earth.
Which sister will prevail and how does Kamui fit into their struggle? The answer to this question will forever affect humanity.