Gibiate
| Company type | Anime television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation |
| Founded | July 15, 2020 |
| Founder | Yoshitaka Amano |
| Headquarters | Japan |
| Products | Anime series |
| Website | gibiate |
Gibiate is a unique Japanese anime production created by Yoshitaka Amano, with direction by Masahiko Komino, developed at studios Lunch Box and Studio Elle, and scripted by Ryō Aoki. The series was broadcast from July 15 through September 30, 2020, preceded by a special promotional program on July 8, 2020.
Plot
Set in the year 2030, humanity faces a global outbreak of a virus named "Gibia" that mutates people into monstrous forms influenced by their age, gender, and ethnicity. Three warriors—a samurai, a ninja, and a monk—from the early Edo era are transported to this post-apocalyptic Japan. Together, they collaborate with a scientist striving to create a remedy while battling both Gibia creatures and hostile survivors as they seek out other human survivors.
Characters
- An exiled samurai originating from Japan's second Korean invasion, nicknamed the Slayer of Thousands due to his mastery of dual swords. He arrives in a ruined Tokyo and joins forces with others to combat Gibia.
- A ninja who asserts lineage from the Sanada clan, brought forward in time alongside Sensui.
- A warrior monk affiliated with Honganji who fights using a spiked club. He partners with Sensui and Kenroku in confronting Gibia threats.
- A young scientist collaborating with her mother on developing a Gibia cure. Unintentionally, her desire for powerful allies summons the three ancient warriors.
- A medical researcher working on a vaccine for Gibia, later revealed to be the virus’s original creator. He and his fiancée Meteora are extraterrestrials whose unsuccessful blood experiments triggered the Earth outbreak.
- Kathleen’s mother and fellow medical professional assisting in cure research.
- A former police officer skilled with tonfa who joins Kathleen’s team while tracking her fugitive father. She has suffered personal tragedies due to Gibia infections.
- An ex-yakuza boss and Ayame’s father who escaped incarceration amid the Gibia chaos. He leads the Gallients, a group of former prisoners.
- The Gallients’ second-in-command, equipped with a two-handed pistol and longtime companion to Renjiro.
- A Gallients member and ex-Olympic pole vaulter specializing in spear fighting.
- Former inmate and member of the Gallients.
- An overweight ex-prisoner belonging to the Gallients.
Production and release
During Anime Expo 2019, the Gibiate Project unveiled plans for an original anime series. Ryō Aoki serves as writer, planner, and executive producer; Masahiko Komino directs while overseeing animation direction based on Yoshitaka Amano’s original character concepts. The animation is produced by Lunch Box and Studio Elle, featuring monster designs by Naoki Serizawa and music composed by Yuzo Koshiro. Collaborators include doll artisan Mataro Kanabayashi III, bladesmith Kunihisa Kunihisa, calligrapher Sisyu, and Hideo Komatsu, president of shamisen manufacturer Komatsuya Co., Ltd. The opening theme "Gibiate" is performed by Sugizo alongside the Yoshida Brothers; the closing theme "Endless" is sung by Maki Ohguro with a Chinese rendition by VOGUE5. Although initially planned to premiere at Anime Expo 2020, the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The series aired from July 15 to September 30, 2020 on Tokyo MX, AT-X, and BS Fuji. Crunchyroll streamed it as a Crunchyroll Original across regions including North America and Europe. In Southeast Asia, Medialink acquired licensing rights for release via Ani-One’s YouTube channel and iQIYI.
Reception
The overall response was predominantly negative, with the majority of critiques targeting the CGI quality and the plot development.[1][2]
External links
- ↑ "Gibiate's CG Animation Could Hamstring Its Success". Comic Book Resources. 25 July 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
- ↑ "5 Anime That Failed to Live Up to Their Hype in 2020". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 29 November 2020.