Viper's Creed
Viper's Creed (ヴァイパーズ・クリード, Vaipāzu Kurīdo) is a mecha action anime series created by Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan[1] with animation by AIC Spirits and Digital Frontier.[2] Though Hiroyuki Kanbe is the main director of the show,[3] Shinji Aramaki is solely responsible for the creation and conception of the show.[2][3] G4 aired the show in the United States, but later pulled it from the schedule after only four episodes.[4]
Viper's Creed | |
Viper's Creed title card | |
ヴァイパーズ・クリード (Vaipāzu Kurīdo) | |
---|---|
Created by | Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan AIC Spirits Digital Frontier |
Anime television series | |
Directed by | Shinji Aramaki (Chief) Hiroyuki Kanbe |
Produced by | Tooru Miura Hidenori Ueki |
Written by | Masanao Akahoshi |
Music by | Tetsuya Takahashi Naoyuki Horiuchi Rinka Shōgo Ōnishi |
Studio | AIC Spirits Digital Frontier |
Licensed by | |
Original network | Animax, BS11 |
English network | |
Original run | January 6, 2009 – March 24, 2009 |
Episodes | 12 |
Plot
With most of the Earth's cities underwater due to the onset of global warming followed by a third world war which brought calamity and turmoil to the people, various PMCs are one of the few remaining organizations able to provide law enforcement and self-defense protection for cities that are trying to rebuild again from the war and the floods.[5] One of the PMCs providing law enforcement is the Arqon Global Security corporation, responsible for protecting Fort Daiva City from terrorism, armed crimes, and renegade unmanned machines called Bug Mechs,[6] by deploying its elite military unit called ViperEp 02 led by its operatives called Blademen.Ep 01
Mecha
Maneuver Blades
Maneuver Blades are humanoid mecha used by Blademen that are capable of transforming into motorcycles. These mecha are primarily armed with an assault rifle, a rocket launcher in each shoulder, and a 6-tube missile pod on the left shoulder. While in motorcycle form they can easily reach speeds over 80 kilometers an hour. Most maneuver blades are equipped with a secondary weapon depending on the combat tactics of the pilot including a grenade launcher attachment to the assault rifle, heat chainsaw, a gatling gun, or a sniper rifle. The head of the mecha also serves as cameras with highly detailed targeting scanners.
Bug Mechs
Bug Mechs are unmanned mecha based after insects that were used as autonomous war machines during the great war. However, due to their AI they became unable to differentiate between friend and foe and became very difficult to be reprogrammed. The bug mechs are usually armed with gatling guns and homing mines called Spider Mines or "Ticker Bombs" in which they use their spider-like legs to attach to enemies before exploding. As demonstrated in episodes 2 and 11, bug mechs are very versatile and can easily move around in dark and underground environments. Five types of bug mechs were used during the events of the series and with the exception of the sputnik every bug mech returns in the final episode by the military.
- Mega Soma: Armed with twin gatling guns, ticker bombs, spider mines, and spear legs.
- Gelus: Armed with twin gatling guns.
- Sputnik: Armed with twin gatling guns and spear legs.
- Acromantis: Armed with scythe arms, gatling gun, and spider mines.
- Mobilius: Armed with spider mines, back missile pod, a left arm machine gun, and a right arm claw.
Production
News of Viper's Creed went on the internet when screenplay writer Ai Ōta announced on her official blog that Shinji Aramaki would be involved in the creation of the show.[7][8] An announcement was then circulated on November 11, 2008 that Hiroyuki Kanbe would direct Viper's Creed with Shinji Aramaki being named as the main chief director to work on the show.[2][9] The roles of Saiki Cryde and Kariya Sakurako were given to voice actors Takaya Kuroda and Megumi Toyoguchi.[10][11]
A special advance screening was shown on Animax on December 30, 2008 at 11:30 PM.[8][12] Viper's Creed was subsequently broadcast on Animax and BS11 channels, the former being the first to air it on January 6, 2009 at 10:00 PM before BS11 aired it on its channel on January 10, 2009 at 11:30 PM.[1] The opening song is called R.O.C.K. by iLL[13] with a CD single released on January 28, 2009[14] while the ending song Ai no Oto is sung in English by moumoon.[15] It was released as a CD single and as a CD single with a DVD on February 25, 2009.[16]
An official podcast webpage dedicated to Viper's Creed was subsequently established.[17]
Media
DVD
Region 2 DVDs of Viper's Creed have been released in Japan with 3 episodes each. As of October 2009, Volume 1 was released on August 5, 2009[18] with Volume 2 released on September 2, 2009.[19] Volume 3 was released on October 7, 2009.[20]
In 2018, Mill Creek Entertainment released the complete series in Region 1 as part of their Anime 3-Series Collection along with Kurozuka and Ultraviolet: Code 044.[21]
Cast
Japanese voices
- Shinji Kawada as Rudra Schenkel
- Megumi Toyoguchi as Sakurako Kariya
- Takaya Kuroda as Saiki Creed
- Yuki Kaida as Isp. Theresia Strauss
- Junko Minagawa as Norma
- Jun Fukuyama as Haruki Oguma
- Sachiko Kojima as Maika
- Tamio Ohki as Fuyuhiko
- Hiroshi Yanaka as Chief Supervisor Walter
English voices
- Brendan Hunter – Rudra
- Carol-Anne Day – Sakurako
- Jonathan Love – Saiki
- Onalea Gilbertson – Thelesia
- Meredith Taylor-Parry – Norma
- Richard Meen – Ulla Chiaki
- Scott Roberts – Haruki
- Tony Valdez – Chief Supervisor Walter
References
- "VIPER'S CREED-ヴァイパーズ・クリード-" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2009-02-25. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- "Viper's Creed Sci-Fi Anime's Pilot Footage Streamed (Updated)". Anime News Network. 2008-11-14. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- "Staff/Cast Section, Official BS11 Viper's Creed Page" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2009-07-08.
- The appearance of Viper's Creed on G4 follows the North American television debut of Marvel Anime.
- "Official Animax Japan Viper's Creed summary" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
- "Official Animax Japan Viper's Creed Features Page" (in Japanese). Animax. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- オンエア予定 (in Japanese). 2008-10-11. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- "Appleseed's Aramaki to Direct Viper's Creed in January". Anime News Network. 2008-10-31. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- "『VIPER'S CREED』製作発表会の模様をストリーミング配信" (in Japanese). 2008-11-14. Archived from the original on 2009-03-28. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- "ヒロインに豊口めぐみ、総監督に荒牧伸志! 『VIPER'S CREED』制作記者会見" (in Japanese). 2008-12-05. Archived from the original on 2009-03-28. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- "「VIPER'S CREED」製作発表記者会見開催!" (in Japanese). Sony Pictures Japan. 2008-11-10. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- "Animax Japan TV Schedule for December 30, 2008" (in Japanese). Animax. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- "R.O.C.K. - iLL" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2009-08-17. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- "Official iLL Discography" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- "アニマックス開局10周年記念作品 VIPER'S CREED 2009年1月6日(火)放送開始" (in Japanese). Sony Pictures Japan. 2008-11-10. Archived from the original on 2010-12-30. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- "moumoon's official new release index" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2009-03-03. Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- "Official Viper's Creed podcast page" (in Japanese). Retrieved 2009-02-27.
- "Amazon Japan's Viper's Creed DVD: Volume 1 Page" (in Japanese). Amazon.com. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- "Amazon Japan's Viper's Creed DVD: Volume 2 Page" (in Japanese). Amazon Japan. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- "Amazon Japan's Viper Creed: Volume 3 Page" (in Japanese). Amazon Japan. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- "ANIME 3 SERIES COLLECTION". Millcreekent.com. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
Episodes
- ^ "dokugan -cyclops-". Viper's Creed. Series 1. Episode 1. January 6, 2009. Animax and BS11.
- ^ "shin hei -unknown-". Viper's Creed. Series 1. Episode 2. January 13, 2009. Animax and BS11.
External links
- Official BS11 Site (in Japanese)
- Official Blog (in Japanese)
- Viper's Creed (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia