The Lord of the Rings franchise has had a long, rich history and has indisputably influenced the very foundation that modern fantasy is built on. Having branched to almost every medium in the entertainment industry, Lord of the Rings is finally making its way to anime with the brand-new feature film The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, a prequel set during the reign of Helm Hammerhand. The movie is set to finally release in theaters on December 13th, and reviews are starting to come out.
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Among them is none other than the legendary voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda, perhaps best known for his role as Nanami Kento in Jujutsu Kaisen. During a special event for the film hosted by LiLiCo in Japan, the production team talked about the upcoming release. Kenjiro Tsuda was in attendance and shared his thoughts regarding the film, saying: “It’s full of the goodness of the classics, but we who live in the modern age can also empathize with it.”
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He continued, stating that the film incorporates modern commentaries about the expectations put on women in society and the roles they’re so often forced into against their will because of it, as well as poignant political commentary that The Lord of the Rings franchise has never been shy about exploring.
The War of the Rohirrim Promises a Stunning Prequel & a Gut-Wrenching Fantasy
While The War of the Rohirrim is exciting purely for the fact that the film promises to expunge more details about the reign of Helm Hammerhand and his children, it also seems to want to deliver a deeply impactful political fantasy telling the grim tale of the effects of war on a nation. The film follows Héra, Helm’s previously unnamed daughter as she steps into a domineering role to defend her people against the Dunlendings. Gaia Wise, who voices Héra, has said previously that the character’s vibe is similar to that of one of Hayao Miyazaki’s female leads. If Kenji Tsuda’s review is accurate, then it seems as though The War of the Rohirrim won’t only deliver intense fantasy action but also explore a deep array of human emotions and relationships.
The animation studio in charge of producing the film, Sola Entertainment, has worked on a handful of other series in the past, including Tower of God, Rick and Morty: The Anime, and the upcoming anime adaptation of Rooster Fighter. Still, The War of the Rohirrim is their lengthiest and most complicated project. The team handling the project, especially the film’s director, Kenji Kamiyama, all seem ecstatic to contribute to the classic franchise. They are anxious for longtime fans of The Lord of the Rings around the globe to finally experience everything they’ve been working on following the film’s original announcement.
H/T natalie.mu
