Some of the most memorable, emotionally charged scenes in anime have come from Studio Trigger. Kamina’s boisterous and ridiculous speeches are enough to give anyone a kick in the pants to do something great and strive for a better tomorrow. Ryuko’s fierce struggle to overcome Satsuki created one of the best rivalries, contrasted by some of the funniest and most over-the-top situations imaginable for a world driven by mysterious fibers in clothing. That same level of craziness is present in Studio Trigger’s new feature film, Promare, a project that also achieves some truly wild visuals with a perfect blend of both 2D and 3D animation. I was offered an early screening of the subbed film and I cannot stress enough how incredible it is.
In the world of Promare, humanity is stricken by sudden, violent combustion that results in neon flames spewing out of the faces of those affected. The flames do not kill the people they originate from, instead changing them into what is known as the Burnish. Almost immediately people started to separate the Burnish from society, causing riots and the rise of a terrorist group called the Mad Burnish. All of this was called the Great World Blaze.
The film’s story begins 30 years after the Great World Blaze has died down in the pristine city of Promepolis that uses freezing technology to get fires under control and apprehend any violent Burnish. Two groups in confrontation with the Mad Burnish are tasked with protecting the city, the Freezing Police and Burning Rescue, the latter of which is the group that the film’s hero is a proud member of.
We first meet Galo Thymos at the scene of Burnish Flares ripping apart a building. This opening scene establishes the full Burning Rescue team: Lucia, a young hacker and inventor, Varys, a brute of a man with a constant sly grin, Remi, a calm and collected supporter, Chief Ignis, a fearless leader who often sees the bigger picture and directs the team, Aina, a talented pilot who’s quick to speak her mind, and Galo, the brash hero who’s spirit can barely be contained by his human body.
Galo is comparable to Kamina of Gurren Lagann and he even has a similar look to that blue-haired hero. Galo has all the trappings of this sort of character, making rash decisions and taking on challenges that are far above his equipment and abilities. He plows through problems head-on, seeking victory through sheer force of will and a lifetime of dedication to saving people from flames. He’s a captivating character that’s extremely fun to watch and later moments are endearing with a lot of somber reflection of his perspectives. By the end of the film, Galo grows to be more of a man than where he started, shedding his wild flame and energy for a focused, intense heat.
In this first scene, we are also introduced to some of the tech being utilized, primarily mechanized exo-suits that have various attachments like support beams, jaws of life, and chain guns that fire freezing rounds. These maintain the traditional look of an American fire and rescue team, blending in elements of mechanical spectacle with lots of shifting parts and a super cool method of launch where the ladder of the fire truck becomes a cannon to blast personnel onto rooftops or directly into a specific floor of the building.
Of course, Galo uses a custom mech, one that is inspired by Edo-period Japanese firefighters who would wield a Matoi flag to signal other firefighters. The transformation of this machine into a quicker form is also where I noticed something astounding about Promare’s animation.
Promare is the only anime work I’ve seen that successfully blends 2D and 3D animation.
This must have taken a tremendous amount of effort from Studio Trigger. Promare is a film that is almost constantly in motion with exaggerated movements, grand mechanical equipment, and neon colors. The fires that Burning Rescue take on are depicted in this mass of triangles and sporadic shapes that burn a neon pink and purple hue. This is contrasted perfectly by the blues of Galo, the yellows and oranges of Burning Rescue, and the stark white and steel shades of the city around them. Promare is a film of brilliant color and it’s an absolute treat visually.
Upon saving several citizens at the film’s first fire, Galo comes face to face with the leader of Mad Burnish, Lio Fotia. It is in this clash that the audience is made aware of the capabilities of these characters. Lio is able to perfectly manipulate Burnish flames, even making them solid to form vehicles, a sword, or a bow. The young leader is a blaze of talent in this regard but he is ultimately overwhelmed by the cunning teamwork of Burning Rescue. During the arrest, a seed of doubt is planted that will steadily reveal that not all is as it seems in Promepolis.
As far as the plot is concerned, that’s all I really care to delve into. There’s a satisfying growth of these characters and some of the action scenes are jaw-dropping in their flare, speed, and precision. Promare feels like it takes place in a believable alternate future even though much of the visuals use abstract and geometric shapes to show elements and movement. There’s also some allegory for real-world problems that can feel a little heavy-handed but overall blend nicely with the film’s overall story.
The sound design in Promare is as equally incredible as the animation. Studio Trigger always knows the perfect music to pair with particular character dynamics for truly epic moments. There are some scenes in this film that rivals the most iconic scenes from their previous work. I really look forward to having the soundtrack available to boost my mood or put myself in a mindset to make something happen. The music is absolutely perfect in Promare.
I watched the film with subtitles and the original Japanese audio as well as the English Dub; I adore the English Dubs of Gurren Lagann and Kill La Kill. The cast in Trigger productions seems to have a way to take the script and put it in a slightly different conveyance for English speakers, like how Ryoko uses various slang through gritted teeth in Kill La Kill. Performances like that add an extra layer for me. Promare’s English dub didn’t blow me away like Gurren Lagann or Kill la Kill but it is serviceable and doesn’t detract from the awesome visuals and music.
There are many memorable anime favorites that I can recount but I think I’m instantly obsessed with Promare. There is rarely a dull moment and the animation is simply breathtaking, mastering the techniques we’ve come to love from Studio Trigger, while also breaking ground with 3D animation. This is all wrapped up in a soundtrack that will likely cause epic tingles in the scalp of most viewers and could be a mainstay on playlists for years to come.
Promare is an incredible anime film and I cannot wait for others to see it.
The fires of a blazing soul cannot be extinguished if they’re stoked with determination and trust.
For more information on Promare, check out the official website. In America, Promare will be screening in limited theaters starting September 17th and will be handled by GKids. Production included Studio Trigger, XFLAG, and Sanzigen with distribution by Toho.
I was given access to an online screening of the subbed and dubbed versions of the film for the purpose of this review.
