The Sky Crawlers is an anime film by Mamoru Oshii (director of Ghost in the Shell) about a group of young fighter pilots called “Kildren”—a breed of humans that never age past adolescence. The story centers around Kuichi, a young man who arrives at a new air base and is immediately rapt in the mysteries of his surroundings: the secrets of a seductively enigmatic female base commander, the fate of the pilot who preceded him, and the workings of an elusive enemy known as Teacher.

Based on a book by the same name, the film is alluring in the quiet beauty of its simple dialogue and exquisite visuals. The film feels timeless, but in an introductory video before the screening in New York, Oshii says he intends for it to be a message to the current generation of young individuals who, perhaps because of the comfort of their economic stature, are never forced to grow up.

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Special Note: Credit for the translation goes to Ribo of NEW YORK – TOKYO (http://www.newyork-tokyo.com).  

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www.sky.crawlers.jp

via Lydia Fong, 12 January 2009 10:13pm | 2 |