The year was 2015,Attack on TitanSeason 2 hadn’t even come out yet,and despite several compelling projects in the interim, WIT Studio was mostly known as “theAttack on Titanstudio.” But that fall, they released a film that has slipped under the radar for far too long; a single film in a multi-studio project dedicated to a once-great author: Ryoutarou Makihara’sThe Empire of Corpses.
Meant to be the final novel of the late Satoshi Itoh (AKA Project Itoh),The Empire of Corpseswas completed by his friend Toh Enjoe in 2012 after Itoh’s passing in 2009.Empirewould be the first of three films based on Itoh’s written work, released - interestingly enough - in the reverse order in which the novels came out as if tracing back to the beginning of Itoh’s story. WIT found themselves in a compelling position, having to breathe life into a posthumously completed story; an implicitly imperfect portrayal of Itoh’s vision, yet morbidly fitting. Itoh’s story of death and a yearning for rebirth would be the start of a full realization of his vision in animation, andWIT created what possibly could be their best film.
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A Literary Love Letter
The Empire of Corpsestells of the late 19th century, in a world where Victor Frankenstein successfully brought a man back to life, known only as “the One.” Victor’s research became the basis for the revolutionization of corpse technology, and soon humanity began to raise the mindless dead as a workforce. But rumor has it that Victor’s notes are somewhere out there, and could hold the key to recreating the one.
But the film is not merely content witha loving tribute to the story ofFrankenstein; it seeks to pay homage to famous literary icons from around the globe. Between Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Auguste Villiers de L’Isle-Adam, the film is a book lover’s dream. But it goes beyond mere cameo and extends to the protagonist himself, John Watson.
Yes,thatJohn Watson, fromSherlock Homes. Watson is caught having re-animated his recently deceased friend, Friday, using illegal equipment, and to avoid punishment, he takes on an assignment. M from MI6 sends Watson on a mission to retrieve Victor Frankenstein’s notes, which takes him on a mission around the world to try and bring his friend back to life.
The film creates a vivid and fantastical sci-fi depiction of alternate history not just through its who’s-who of literary characters, but by bridging fiction and reality thanks to real-life historical figures, and references therein. For example, Charles Babbage, named after the mathematician, is the analytical engine in London that serves as the cornerstone of global corpse technology innovation.
The supporting cast isrich with both literary and historical characters, with the latter airing on the side of theatricality to create memorable and likable characters as opposed to committed historical portrayals. Watson is joined by Frederick Burnaby, a burly, swashbuckling British intelligence officer who provides some good comic relief as well as the muscle of the group.
Watson meets Alexei Fyodorovich Karamazov in a prolonged sequence paying homage to Dostoevsky’sThe Brothers Karamazov. When the adventure turns to Japan, Watson teams up with real-life officer Seigo Yamazawa of the Russo-Japanese war and investigates Osato Chemicals,a reference to the007storyYou Only Live Twice.
The wildest reference comes in the form of Hadaly, named after the character of the same name from Auguste Villiers de l’Isle-Adam’s 1886 novelThe Future Eve. I won’t spoil her role in the film, but at times, she feels like the soul of the film and will surely win many hearts.
A Globe-Trotting Adventure
For all of its charming tributes and references,Empire’s appeal is just as rooted in how fun it is, even at its most dour moments. It can be tragic and sad, but it also distinctly feels like Indiana Jonesby way of Tim Burton with itsglobe-trotting grandiosity and thrilling, delicately-crafted setpieces. With its 2-hour runtime, it feels big, leaving plenty of room for (most of) its ideas.
Empire’s world-building is top-notch, and though introductory exposition can be hit-or-miss, the artwork paints a vivid portrait that sets up the story very well. The corpse technology is presented as something purely scientific, and the presentation of the technology is grounded enough to make sense without stretching one’s suspension of disbelief, at least for a time.
With the use of devices plugged into the back of corpses’ heads, it evokesthe idea of a 19th-centuryGhost in the Shell, a tantalizing concept if ever there was one. But all of what has been praised has thus far been the vehicle for the story. What of the story itself? While perhaps not as daring as Itoh’s other work, it can ensnare you nonetheless. Watson and Friday’s relationship is what truly carries the emotional weight.
Watson is obsessed, having lost someone he loved, and almost self-destructively seeking Friday’s resurrection while their corpse accompanies him. As they encounter pieces of Victor’s notes, this zombie shows more signs of life, but great pain as well. What Watson does can lead the audience to be critical of him, but at the same time, his pain is felt vividly and makes one want to see him succeed.
Jason Liebrecht does a phenomenal job as Watsonin the English Dub, and it’s clearthat the whole cast has fun in these roles. Any dub with British accents can be a winner for some, and the drama distinctively benefits from the theatricality of such macabre storytelling. Liebrecht’s accent doesn’t always sound perfect, but he nails it at the most crucial of times.
Jumping the Shark
Empireis perhaps the most widely accessible to audiences compared to Itoh’s story, which can be perceived as a positive and a negative. It truly is a classic take on action-adventure films, but its conclusion, as gorgeous as it can be, can feel like it breaks the suspension of disbelief. A lot of it has to do with how much it sticks to its own rules up until the ending, where it begins toventure more into fantasy than science fiction.
And yet, even with that, it offers some of the most potent and exhilarating imagery anyone could hope for from “Frankensteinbut in anime form.” Burnaby even has a fistfight in the bowls of the Tower of London against the most classically designed Frankenstein monster ever seen, and it’s simply gorgeous. Yoshihiro Ike’s symphonic score is the icing on the cake.
All of this praise feels especially weird when - somehow - this is the same director who captainedWIT Studio’s controversial AI music videorecently. It’s like night and day because even with its conclusion that may rightfully disappoint some viewers, it’s an oddly nostalgic kind of fantasy film dripping with imagination. WIT needs to make more films like this.
The Empire of Corpsesis not Itoh’s best story, likely because it wasn’t fully his, but with the creative liberties allotted, the team behind this film created something fantastic. It is a tale of grief, sorry, yet enduring love, accentuated by its well-read literary inspirations and dripping with grim yet beautiful imagery that takes one back to the simpler stories at the foundation of the best media.
