Steamboy has a lot to live up to. Created, co-written and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, Steamboy can't escape comparison with Akira, one of the best-loved animes of all time. Not only that, Steamboy was the most expensive anime movie ever made, so people were expecting a lot. Fortunately, it doesn't disappoint -- too much.
Sights and Sounds
Visually,
Steamboy is utterly stunning. The steampunk machinery and Victorian feel are captured perfectly in the art and, for the most part, the traditional and CG animation work well together. No expense was spared in making this movie look as good as possible, and it will likely hold its own as an example of great animation for many years to come. The sound effects and music are also of the best kind. Each sound effect is clear and perfect, with nothing standing out as jarring or wrong, while the music is either unobtrusive or stirring, as each occasion warrants.
The English dub of Steamboy is a good one. It features some pretty big-name movie talent like Anne Paquin, Alfred Molina and Patrick Stewart, rather than TV anime voice actors, no doubt in order to draw in non-anime-fan English-speaking viewers by using familiar names. The dub is often wordier than the subtitles, but is still a good match; often the dialogue was altered into more colloquial phrases, or had character-building idiosyncrasies added.
Story
The story is typical of the "Young Adult" genre of fiction. It features a young hero saving the day with his parents conveniently out of the way. With his father away and his mother left behind in Manchester (presumably wondering if her son is even alive, since he was kidnapped while fleeing the bad guys), protagonist Ray gets to be the genius boy hero, befriend the (also young, but female) owner of the O'Hara Foundation, and save London from science using science.
Much of the story's appeal lies in its young protagonists, of course; that's why the Young Adult genre has often found readers among adults as well as its intended audience. The appeal of the steam-tech is obvious, too. Is there anyone who won't admit that steam-powered flying machines, dirigibles, and giant steam castles are really, really cool?
Historical Accuracy . . . Or Not?
Some more scholarly-minded viewers might have issues with the way history is used in
Steamboy. Much of the Victorian era is compressed into 1866; for example, the first Great Exhibition in London happened in 1951 and the Tower Bridge, destroyed during the movie's climactic scene, wasn't even built until 1894. But it's easy to ignore these points, as the steampunk enthusiasm creates a suitable atmosphere for the willing suspension of disbelief.
Like Akira, Steamboy contains both a deep love of science and a warning about the dangers of technology. It seems to say, "Look how cool this stuff is," but also, "Be careful, it might mess things up big time." That might result in a mixed message for some, but for others it presents a more complex picture about how things really work.
What's Included
Like most UMDs, this release has no extras to speak of. It does at least include the "director’s cut" (that is, the longer original version), but that's all. The case is the usual clear plastic, and the cover insert is double-sided to take advantage of that fact and let some art show through. The ony other paper insert is the standard "Quick Start" instruction sheet.
If you're not concerned about the lack of extras, Steamboy is an excellent choice for PSP viewing.
