First Squad: The Moment of Truth (2009)

Directors:

Yoshiharu Ashino
Aljosha Klimov
(more)

Writers:

Aljosha Klimov (story) and
Misha Shprits (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

2009 (Japan)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Drama | History | War

Plot:

Set during the opening days of World War II on the Eastern Front. Its main cast are a group of Soviet...

Plot Keywords:

Nazi | Super Soldier | World War Two | Supernatural Power | Russian Army

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Elena Chebaturkina	...	Nadya (voice: Russian version)
Michael Tikhonov	...	Leo (voice: Russian version)
Damir Eldarov	...	Marat / Butcher (voice: Russian version)
Ludmila Shuvalova	...	Zena (voice: Russian version)
Irina Savina	...	Valya (voice: Russian version)
Sergei Aisman	...	Baron Von Wolff (voice: Russian version)
Aleksandr Gruzdev	...	General Below (voice: Russian version)
Rudolf Pankov	...	Monk (voice: Russian version)
Nikita Prozorovsky	...	Obergruppenführer SS Linz / MC (voice: Russian version)
Olga Golovanova	...	Twins / Nadya's Mother (voice: Russian version)
Michael Beskorovainy	...	Hunchback (voice: Russian version)
Artem Kipnis	...	Doctor (voice: Russian version)
Vladimir Yakanin	...	Gennadi Titov
Igor Tomilov	...	Igor Domanov
Georgiy Martirosyan	...	Arkadi Yugan
Aleksandr Kirillov	...	Vladimir Ptushko
Theodor Schuler	...	Karl-Heinz Benz
Svetlana Borovik	...	Galina Bartchenko
Vadim Sinitsyn	...	Sergey Zharkov
Boris Ryabtsev	...	Stepan Bunitch
Aleksandr Pashutin	...	Aleksandr Pogodin
Sigitas Plaucinaytis	...	Jakob Kert
Gennadi Sajfulin	...	Aleksandr Nemov
Gennadi Sergeev	...	Gennadi Sergeev (as Ivan Prohorov)
Liubomiras Lauciavicius	...	Pilot
Cassandra Morris	...	Nadya (voice: English version) (as Cassandra Lee)
Michael McConnohie	...	Belov (voice: English version)
Joey Morris	...	Leo (voice: English version)
Evelyn Lantto	...	Zena (voice: English version) (as Evelyn Lanto)
David Lodge	...	Monk (voice: English version)
Tony Oliver	...	Marat (voice: English version)
Rich Smallberries	...	Valya (voice: English version) (as Dick Smallberries Jr.)
Karen Strassman	...	First Blonde (voice: English version)
Steve Kramer	...	Chairman (voice: English version)
Phineas	...	Von Wolff (voice: English version)
Christopher Corey Smith	...	Hunchback (voice: English version) (as Chris Smith)
Victor Sgroi	...	Recrut (voice: English version)
Luis Lau	...	Recruit (voice: English version)

Directed by
Yoshiharu Ashino
Aljosha Klimov
Misha Shprits

Writing credits
Aljosha Klimov		(story)
Misha Shprits		(story)
Aljosha Klimov		(screenplay)
Misha Shprits		(screenplay)
Alex Von David

Produced by
Aljosha Klimov	....	producer
Kaeko Sakamoto	....	executive producer: Bang Zoom! Entertainment
Eric P. Sherman	....	executive producer: Bang Zoom! Entertainment
Misha Shprits	....	producer
Kazuhiro Takei	....	line producer
Eiko Tanaka	....	producer: Japan

Original Music by
DJ Krush

Cinematography by
Sergey Akimov
Aleksandr Aleshnikov
Kumiko Sakamoto

Film Editing by
Sergey Akimov
João Da Costa Pinto
Kumiko Sakamoto

Production Design by
Tomoyasu Fujise

Production Management
Mayimi Sakurai	....	production manager
Vladimir Zhelezniakov	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vladimir Zhelezniakov	....	first assistant director
Veta Zhelezniakova	....	trainee assistant director

Art Department
Yoshiharu Ashino	....	storyboard artist
Hirofumi Nakata	....	character designer

Sound Department
André Bendocchi-Alves	....	sound re-recording mixer
André Bendocchi-Alves	....	supervising sound editor
João Da Costa Pinto	....	sound designer
Daniel J. Goodman	....	adr recordist
Daniel J. Goodman	....	dialogue editor
Koji Kasamatsu	....	sound designer
Christoph Merkele	....	sound re-recording mixer
Yasushi Nagura	....	sound re-recording mixer
Irina Stekolnikova	....	looping director

Visual Effects by
Igor Buri	....	graphic designer
Yusuke Tannawa	....	CGI director

Camera and Electrical Department
Vladislav Aravenkov	....	cameraman

Animation Department
Manabu Akita	....	animation supervisor
Manabu Akita	....	key animator
Keiko Anno	....	in-between animator
Yumi Chiba	....	animation supervisor
Yumi Chiba	....	key animator
Shoichi Funaki	....	key animator
Ryota Furukawa	....	key animator
Noriko Hara	....	in-between animator
Chiharu Haraguchi	....	in-between animator
Kumiko Hirama	....	in-between animator
Noriyo Horiguchi	....	in-between animator
Shoichi Ibata	....	secondary key animator
Tatsumori Imoto	....	key animator
Miyuki Ioki	....	in-between animator
Mariko Iwasaki	....	secondary key animator
Emiko Iwayanagi	....	in-between animator
Mutsuko Kajigaya	....	inbetween animation supervisor
Yukari Kaku	....	assistant inbetween supervisor
Toshiyuki Kanno	....	key animator
Emiko Kataoka	....	secondary key animator
Sono Kato	....	secondary key animator
Yoshitaka Kato	....	key animator
Kouichiro Kawano	....	secondary key animator (as Koichiro Kawano)
Yuko Kimura	....	key animator
Saori Koike	....	secondary key animator
Shimon Kondô	....	key animator
Takafumi Koshi	....	key animator
Tsuyoshi Kuawahara	....	in-between animator
Yoshimi Kudo	....	key animator
Miki Kurihara	....	in-between animator
Tsuyoshi Kuwahara	....	secondary key animator
Kiyoko Makita	....	in-between animator
Riwako Matsui	....	animation supervisor
Riwako Matsui	....	key animator
Maiko Matsumura	....	in-between animator
Riki Matsuura	....	secondary key animator
Seichi Mitsuoka	....	key animator
Atsushi Mori	....	secondary key animator
Mami Moriya	....	key animator
Eriko Murakami	....	in-between animator
Mitsunori Murata	....	key animator
Daisuke Niinuma	....	secondary key animator
Rie Nishino	....	key animator
Taeko Oda	....	key animator
Kyohei Ohyabu	....	secondary key animator (as Kyohei Oyabu)
Yuki Ota	....	secondary key animator
Saho Saito	....	key animator
Yuka Saito	....	assistant inbetween supervisor
Yuka Saito	....	in-between animator
Itaru Saitô	....	key animator
Satoshi Sakai	....	secondary key animator
Yuji Shibata	....	key animator
Ayano Shimizu	....	in-between animator
Ayano Shimizu	....	secondary key animator
Takeo Shuto	....	key animator
Kazune Sugano	....	in-between animator
Yumiko Taguchi	....	in-between animator
Yuichi Takahashi	....	key animator
Kazuo Takematsu	....	key animator
Moe Tanaka	....	in-between animator
Emi Tomita	....	secondary key animator
Daisuke Tsumagari	....	secondary key animator
Takayuki Uragami	....	key animator
Yuichiro Yamada	....	secondary key animator
Naoko Yoshimori	....	key animator

Editorial Department
Martin Eisenkeil	....	colorist

Music Department
Noriko Asano	....	executive music producer

Other crew
Iitetsu Asai	....	artist management: music
Tatiana Levina	....	legal affairs
Naoko Matsukawa	....	international coordinator
Atsushi Naito	....	legal affairs
Sophie Palilova	....	production coordinator
Ayumi Sawa	....	international coordinator
Markus R. Vogelbacher	....	soundstage manager

Production Companies

• Molot Entertainment Film
• Studio 4°C

Distributors

• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2010) (USA) (all media)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Golden Network Asia (2009) (worldwide) (all media)
• Molot Entertainment Film (2009) (worldwide) (all media)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2011) (Argentina) (all media)

Other Companies

• 40° Filmproduktion  post-production sound services
• 40° Filmproduktion  sound re-recording
• A-Line  digital paint
• A-Line  in-between animation
• A.C.G.T.  in-between animation
• A.Z.E.T.A. Pictures  in-between animation
• Anime R  in-between animation
• Anime Spot  in-between animation
• Asahi Production  digital paint
• Asahi Production  in-between animation
• Asayoda  in-between animation
• Bang Zoom! Entertainment  English voice recording
• Bones  in-between animation
• Buyu  digital paint
• Chaos Project  digital paint
• CinePostproduction  post-production facilities
• CinePostproduction  post-production
• Code  in-between animation
• D-Colors  digital paint (as D-COLORS)
• Daume  in-between animation
• Delta Peak Production  in-between animation
• Dimoeda  in-between animation
• F.A.I International  digital paint
• F.A.I International  in-between animation
• Feel  in-between animation (as feel)
• Frontline  in-between animation
• Frontline  second key animation
• G&G Entertainment  in-between animation
• GK Entertainment  in-between animation
• GaRan  digital paint
• Gingaya  in-between animation
• Gonzo  in-between animation
• IngresA  in-between animation
• J.C. Staff  in-between animation
• Last House  in-between animation
• M.S.C.  digital paint
• MSJ  digital paint
• MSJ  in-between animation
• Minamati Bugyousyo  in-between animation
• Mook Animation  in-between animation
• Nakamura Production  in-between animation
• Nara Animation Studio  digital paint (as NARA Animation Studio)
• Nara Animation Studio  in-between animation
• No Side  in-between animation
• No Side  key animation
• Oh Production  in-between animation
• Production I.G.  in-between animation
• Production Reed  in-between animation
• Production Reed  second key animation
• Rising Force  digital paint
• Rocket Vision  digital paint
• Sakura Create  in-between animation
• Shin Ei Animation  in-between animation
• Silver Link  in-between animation
• Snow Light Staff  in-between animation
• Studio Bambino  in-between animation
• Studio Cockpit  in-between animation (as Cockpit)
• Studio Comet  in-between animation
• Studio DEEN  in-between animation
• Studio Elle  digital paint
• Studio Fantasia  digital paint
• Studio Gallop  in-between animation
• Studio Gimlet  in-between animation
• Studio Guts  second key animation
• Studio Line  in-between animation
• Studio Live  in-between animation
• Studio MAT  in-between animation
• Studio Mark  second key animation
• Studio Mu  in-between animation (as Studio Moo)
• Studio Road  digital paint
• Studio Rong  in-between animation
• Studio Step  digital paint
• Studio Targe  digital paint
• Sunshine Digital  digital paint
• Tamazawa Dougasya  digital paint
• Tamazawa Dougasya  in-between animation
• Telecom Animation Film Company  in-between animation
• Trans Arts Company  in-between animation
• Triple A  digital paint
• Triple A  in-between animation
• Ufotable  in-between animation
• Xebec  in-between animation
• Yumeta Company  in-between animation
• Yumeta Company  second key animation
• Yûhodô  in-between animation
• iCasting  casting

Also Known As:

"First Squad" - International (English title) (short title)

Runtime:

73 min

Country:

Russia | Japan | Canada

Language:

Russian | Japanese | German

Color:

Color | Black and White

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Singapore:NC-16 (edited version) | Argentina:Atp

Company:

Molot Entertainment Film

Trivia:

The film intercuts with interviews from real life Soviet World War II veterans.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Film credits show Ivan Prohorov playing Gennadi Sergeev, but it is the other way around: Actor Gennadi Sergeev is playing character Ivan.

Movie Connections:

References Alexander Nevsky (1938)

Unusual way to tell a WWII story

Well, I saw it just a few hours ago and must admit it was good - not great, not a masterpiece, but still well made story. Although I'm not a die-hard anime fan, this one looks interesting. Storyline revolves around a battle between secret Nazi and Soviet organizations which uses supernatural powers to win the war on Eastern front. Germans summon the spirit of an evil Teutonic knight and his minons, so the Soviets try to stop them with help of The First Squad - a group of teenagers with paranormal abilities. As for me, it sounds promising. Besides, story got a nice style anyway. If you're want to see some unusual story about the WWII, you gotta see that one.