Self-described “tech noir” anime Metallic red there are so many interesting ideas and creative staff behind it that make it worth keeping an eye on. The Blade Runner-esque premise, combined with BONES’ excellent animation, promises a dark yet stylish spectacle. With Crunchyroll ready to stream the anime, it’s just a matter of waiting to see what it has to offer in terms of visuals and action.
The trailer and plot description make Metallic Rouge look like a sci-fi classic blasted from the past. BONES itself is also hyping the idea of a genre return, with the anime’s website boasting that the staff involved last collaborated 19 years ago for the cult classic mecha show RahXephon. Regardless, the story of an interplanetary hunt will stand out among the season’s offerings.
On Metallic Rouge’s official website, the synopsis reads: “A world where humans and robots coexist. Rouge, a robot girl, along with her partner Naomi, is on a mission to Mars. The mission is to kill 9 robots that are hostile to the government. .” The trailers released so far give a taste of what to expect: some show a woman in power armor fighting similarly enhanced characters, while others shows the interactions between the two main characters as they navigate the grim industrial wasteland that Mars has become. It certainly lives up to its description as “tech noir,” with its dark, dusty setting.
The idea of a woman hunting non-human creatures is delightfully reminiscent of cult classics from the ’80s. There’s the short-lived but beloved Bubblegum Crisis, in which female bounty hunters took on rogue “boomers” and Armitage III, a four-episode OVA about machines in disguise. If one were to push the limits, even Birdy the Mighty or Gunm/Battle Angel Alita are relevant, as they depict powerful ladies taking down high-tech threats. Women with that body type have disappeared in the decades since, which is why Metallic Rouge seems both a throwback and a modern-day successor.
As mentioned, marketing is placing a lot of emphasis on the staff being recruited. Chief among them is Yutaka Izubuchi, a mechanical designer and anime director. He last worked with BONES on RahXephon in 2002. Working with him were director Motonobu Hori, screenwriter Toshizo Nemoto, character designer Toshihiro Kawamoto and composer Taisei Iwasaki. It’s an experienced team who have worked on various sci-fi properties before, including Cowboy Bebop. Crunchyroll has officially announced that the show will be available on their streaming service when it begins airing in January 2024.
Source: Metallic Rouge website, Anime News Network
