YT fights off Tokyo’s neon demons

Developed by SHIFT Active Media, this promo is dripping in an urban Japanese aesthetic, an energetic moment full of colorful characters and folkloric details.

As an older man provides a voice-over that echoes through the ghostly streets, while a young streetwear samurai, holding a katana bearing the inscription ‘IZZO,’ fights modern monsters. He progresses up the stairs and faces down a yokai-thug, a huge man in a mask with smoke billowing out of his tusked mouth. He defeats the large demon and sheathes the katana, the voiceover speaking in English now - Fast • Agile • Sharp. 

Directed by Wesley Louis and Alvise Zennaro, the team at The Line has recreated an innovative and impressive cityscape, populating the background with aesthetic details that harken to a cyberpunk futurism. With slick character design, smooth animation, and a focused vision, Fast • Agile • Sharp is an incredible piece, showing the kind of artistry that anime requires.