"Wolverine" (2011) TV series 2011-

Directors:

Masashi Abe
Hajime Ohtani
(more)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

17 January 2011 (Japan)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Sci-Fi

Plot Keywords:

Cartoon Violence | Anime | Action Hero | Claw | Hand To Hand Combat

Cast

Rikiya Koyama	...	Logan / ... (12 episodes, 2011)
Vic Mignogna	...	Hideki Kurohagi / ... (12 episodes, 2011)
Milo Ventimiglia	...	Logan / ... (12 episodes, 2011)
Kazuki Yao	...	Hideki Kurohagi (12 episodes, 2011)
Kate Higgins	...	Yukio (11 episodes, 2011)
Romi Pak	...	Yukio (11 episodes, 2011)
JB Blanc	...	Koh / ... (8 episodes, 2011)
Steve Blum	...	Kikyo Mikage (7 episodes, 2011)
Masato Hagiwara	...	Kikyo Mikage (7 episodes, 2011)
Hidekatsu Shibata	...	Shingen Yashida (7 episodes, 2011)
Fred Tatasciore	...	Shingen Yashida (7 episodes, 2011)
Fumiko Orikasa	...	Mariko Yashida (6 episodes, 2011)
Gwendoline Yeo	...	Mariko Yashida (6 episodes, 2011)
Misato Fukuen	...	Min (5 episodes, 2011)
Danielle Judovits	...	Min (5 episodes, 2011)
Iemasa Kayumi	...	Koh (5 episodes, 2011)

Series Directed by
Rintaro		(1 episode, 2011)
Masashi Abe		(unknown episodes)
Hajime Ohtani		(unknown episodes)
Masayuki Sakoi		(unknown episodes)
Yusaku Saotome		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Rob Blatt		(5 episodes, 2011)

Series Produced by
Jamie Simone	....	reversion producer (12 episodes, 2011)

Series Original Music by
Tetsuya Takahashi		(1 episode, 2011)

Series Film Editing by
Kashiko Kimura		(1 episode, 2011)

Series Casting by
Jamie Simone		(12 episodes, 2011)

Series Art Direction by
Katsushi Aoki		(1 episode, 2011)

Series Sound Department
Geneva Ip	....	post-production coordinator (12 episodes, 2011)
James Lafferty	....	post-production coordinator (12 episodes, 2011)

Series Animation Department
Hisashi Abe	....	character designer (1 episode, 2011)

Series Other crew
Jamie Simone	....	voice director (12 episodes, 2011)

Production Companies

• Mad House
• Marvel Comics
• Marvel Studios

Distributors

• Animax (2011) (Japan) (TV)
• G4 (2011) (USA) (TV)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (worldwide) (video)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Television International (2011) (worldwide) (TV)
• Teleview International (2011) (Lebanon) (all media) (Middle East)

Also Known As:

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

Japanese | English

Color:

Color

Company:

Mad House

Trivia:

As he did with "Iron Man" (2010) Warren Ellis wrote outlines for each episode of each of each of the Madhouse Marvel anime. These outlines were then turned into scripts by Madhouse's writers, and then made into animation by Madhouse's directors and animators. The outlines were really just plot, pacing and color and Ellis expected that they have been seriously rewritten in places by the actual writers.

'Wolverine' Anime Series an action-packed alternate take on the Marvel character

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Of all the X-Men, Wolverine is the one who's proved successful at carrying his own weight outside of the team books. I think this is also confirmed by the anti-hero's stand-alone movie and another on the way. Japanese animator's Madhouse and Marvel Entertainment bring us the superhero's very own 12-part anime TV series to DVD. It's based on Frank Miller and Chris Claremont's successful 1982 storyline as its framework.

Wolverine's girlfriend, Mariko, is snatched by her father Shingen. He is the leader of a Japanese crime ring. She is promised to a man named Hideki Kurohagi for an arranged marriage. Wolverine embarks on a mission to rescue Mariko from the clutches of her father and battles several different adversaries along the way.

The character of Logan and his alter ego in the "Wolverine" Anime Series is distinct from other depictions. He appears younger and not as rough around the edges as he's portrayed in the comic books and movies. It feels like we are taken back to see how he was in his youth. Maybe that was the intention of the animators and writers of the show.

There's plenty of action and violence to keep fans of Wolverine and the X-Men satisfied. The anime style also moves things along at a breakneck speed. If you already love the character, then this series will give you something to tide you over until his next big-screen adventure in "The Wolverine." It may actually give you a hint at what's to come since the movie is supposed to be based on the same story arc this animated series is.

Bonus material include three featurettes entitled "The Marvel Anime Universe: Wolverine Reborn," "The Ferocious Anti-Hero: Wolverine Defined," and "Wolverine Meets X-Men." The first two are around nine minutes long and delve behind-the-scenes of the series and the character. The last featurette is around 30 minutes long and spotlights the production crew of the show.

The "Wolverine" Anime Series provides a great vision of the character in the popular Asian artistic style so many people are fans of worldwide. It gives viewers an alternate take on the character and his world than we get in the "X-Men" and "Origins" movies. 12 episodes clocking in at 284 minutes and a few featurettes will make this a worthy buy for enthusiasts and consumers.