Cool Stuff: Gaiking CG Teaser Trailer

This is an early pilot for a movie adaptation of Toei Animation's Gaiking cartoon. It was produced by Jules Urbach, a developer of Light Stage. Light Stage uses advanced "scanning technology"; it is a powerful production tool that has notably been used for the Oscar-winning special effects in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and other significant films such as James Cameron's Avatar, Peter Jackson's King Kong, Spider Man 2, and more.

Gaiking was officially announced at the 2010 Tokyo International Anime Fair along with a planned CG-animated film for Space Pirate Captain Harlock; Toei tentatively plans to release both movies globally in 2012 or perhaps 2013 assuming that its current plans go forward. Gaiking is in early preproduction and the robot on display here is essentially the completed CG model, so its finished appearance basically remains to be seen. In this simple pilot, the life-sized robot of the title emerges from the ground in the midst of a busy metropolis. So much for rush hour!





(Hat tips & sources: Heat Vision Blog, Ain't It Cool News, Anime News Network)