The much ballyhooed anthology of nine MATRIX shorts premiered June 3, 2003 on DVD ($24.98 suggested retail from Warner Home Video), with its unprecedented fusion of computer animation and anime, delving deeper into the complex virtual world of the Matrix and featuring some of the top anime creators, including Yoshiaki Kawajiri (VAMPIRE HUNTER D), Shinchiro Waanable (COWBOY BEBOP) and Koji Morimoto (AKIRA'S animation supervisor).
Films include THE FLIGHT OF THE OSIRIS (directed by Andy Jones), with animation and production design by Square USA; THE SECOND RENAISSANCEPARTS 1 AND 2 (directed by Mahiro Maeda), with animation and production design by Studio4?C, Tokyo; KID'S STORY (directed by Watanabe), with animation and production design by Studio4?C; PROGRAM (written and directed by Kawajiri), with animation and production design by Madhouse Studios, Tokyo; WORLD RECORD (written by Kawajiri and directed by Takeshi Koike), with animation and production design by Madhouse; BEYOND (written and directed by Morimoto), with animation and production by Studio4?C; DETECTIVE STORY (written and directed by Watanabe), with animation and production design by Studio4?C; and MATRICULATED (written and directed by Peter Chung), with animation and production design by DNA, Seoul.
Among the extras are seven making-of docs, four audio commentaries and a sneak peek at the ENTER THE MATRIX video game.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
