The 1995 animated film "MEMORIES," executive produced and directed by Katsuhiro Otomo, known for the manga "AKIRA," and the 2015 film "Girls und Panzer(Garupan) the Movie," are celebrating their 30th and 10th anniversaries, respectively, and are being remastered in 4K to commemorate their respective anniversaries. What has changed with the 4K remaster? We spoke to Mitsuhiro Shoji, technical coordinator at Coupe, the studio behind the remasters.
◇ Almost all the information about the film has been released
"MEMORIES" is a three-part anthology animated feature film created by Otomo and a group of cutting-edge creators in their early 30s when it was released in 1995. It is a triple feature that includes "Her Memories," directed by Koji Morimoto and written by Satoshi Kon Kon, "The Stinkiest Weapon," directed by Tensai Tensai Okamura, and "Cannon Town," directed by Otomo. This legendary anime, which also features Toshiyuki Inoue, Yoko Kanno, and Sunao Katabuchi, was a hot topic for its unprecedented high-quality visuals, even at the time. To mark its 30th anniversary, it has been converted to 4K with the aim of further expanding the possibilities of its visuals. The aim was to maximize the potential of this work, which was crafted down to the smallest detail.
First of all, what exactly will change with the 4K remaster? We asked Shoji-san to explain.
"With higher resolution, it's possible to extract information that was previously hidden. In the case of 'MEMORIES,' it was originally a 35mm negative film, which is said to contain the equivalent of 6K information. After about 30 years, we've finally been able to extract all of the information that the film contained. In the screening print, the dark areas are crushed and some colors are lost. In the original negative, the colors appear much more vivid. With brightness, you have two choices: take information from the bright areas or the dark areas. If you take the dark areas, the bright areas will be crushed, and vice versa. By going 4K, it's possible for bright and dark areas to coexist. However, depending on the work, things that you don't want to show may become visible, so we decide on a direction and make adjustments."
"MEMORIES" consists of three parts: "Her Memories," "The Stinkiest Weapon," and "City of Cannons." The direction of each remaster was determined.
"The tastes of the three films are completely different, so I consulted with Director Otomo and made adjustments. I decided to make 'In Her Memories' a glossy image and 'The Stinkiest Weapon' gaudy and bright, but 'City of Cannons' was the most difficult. When I made the adjustments, colors came out, but it ended up being something I'd never seen before. What's more, it was a one-take video. I adjusted while exploring, without changing it too much. Some directors say that grain is good, but I decided that it was better without it, so I reduced the grain as well. The transmitted light is also beautiful, and I've already brought out almost all of the information from the film."
◇The amazing depiction of tanks in "Girls und Panzer"
"Girls und Panzer the Movie," celebrating its 10th anniversary, is a relatively new work compared to "Memories." While "Memories" was hand-drawn, "Girls und Panzer the Movie" combines 2D and 3D to dynamically depict tank action, which would have been difficult to achieve with hand-drawn techniques. The 4K remaster aims to provide a new theatrical experience.
As this work was made about 10 years ago, it's interesting to see how much technology has advanced in the last 10 years. The 4K remaster makes the images sharper, and the details of tanks and other mecha become more clearly visible. You'll be able to appreciate the intricate depiction of mecha in "Girls und Panzer" once again. The beauty of the backgrounds is also striking.
FORS AI technology has further advanced video remastering, and the same technology was used in the remastering of "MEMORIES."
"FORS AI didn't exist 10 years ago, and we've only been using it for the past two or three years. We started using it for the Macross Zero remaster, and have used AI in almost all of our works since then. We use AI while also making corrections with human eyes."
Although AI is being used extensively, it is craftsmen like Shoji who make the final decisions and adjustments. AI is becoming more prevalent in a variety of areas, but it is up to humans to master how to use it. We hope you enjoy "MEMORIES" and "Girls und Panzer the Movie," which have been reborn with the latest technology.
The 4K digital remastered version of "MEMORIES" will be screened for a limited two-week period starting November 28th, with the 4K remastered set (4K ULTRA HD Blu-ray & Blu-ray Disc) going on sale on December 24th. The 4K, Dolby Atmos, 4DX, and MX4D versions of "Girls und Panzer the Movie" will be screened from November 21st, with the "10th Anniversary 4K ULTRA HD Blu-ray" going on sale on February 25th, 2026. (Anima Mitsuru/MANTANWEB)
