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Bandai Namco Film Works today announced the release of "The Big-o 25th Anniversary Negotiation Files," an official design works collection book commemorating the 25th anniversary of The Big O anime series. The Big O is a 26-episode TV anime series produced by Sunrise (now Namco Bandai Film Works). The first season aired for 13 episodes from October 1999 to January 2000, followed by the second season with another 13 episodes from January to March 2003. The retro-style stylish design and the incorporation of elements from American comics and cartoons made the series popular not only in Japan but also overseas. Sunrise's official English website for the series describes the anime's synopsis as such: Forty years ago everyone in Paradigm City lost their memory. But humanity continues to survive. They’ve learned to operate machinery, produce electricity, and go on living from day to day. Roger Smith is a Negotiator. He controls the Megadeus called the Big O.

Features the voices of: Mayu Matsuoka, Anne Watanabe, Kumiko Asô, Nao Tôyama, Keiji Fujiwara, Akiko Yajima, Masachika Ichimura | Written by Miho Maruo | Directed by Keiichi Hara

Outside of literally three or four movies, my viewing of Japanese animated movies is completely reliant on Studio Ghibili. That said, I adore the studio and every one of its movies, with Spirited Away being one of my all time favourites. So it was about time I checked out the output from other animation filmmakers in Japan.

As the title would suggest, The Wonderland does have a few influences from Alice in Wonderland. But to be honest, there’s nothing too obvious and it definitely does not feel like a retread of that story. The day before her birthday, a young girl, Akane, meets an alchemist named Hippocrates and his student Pipo. Along with an antique shop owner, Chii, who she is kind of friends with,...