From May 21 – 23, BFI Southbank presents a weekend filled with anime and manga treats with previews, guests and a selection of films.
The biennial Anime Weekend will host the world premiere of Koji Masunari’s highly anticipated Welcome to the Space Show (2010) with on stage appearances from Director Koji Masunari and Chief Studio Producer Tomonori Ochikoshi, and two special Movie Magic screenings of Stormy Night (2005) and Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva (2009).

Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone Evangerion shin gekijôban: Jo
This re-imagining of the original series Neon Genesis Evangelion has been a true blockbuster in its home territory (taking 2 billion yen at the box office). Shinji Ikari is summoned to Tokyo-3 by his estranged father, Gendo. Gendo runs a top secret group who have a supply of Evangelions, massive bio-mechanical weapons that they use against creatures named Angels, and he needs Shinji to help him operate them.
Japan 2007 Dir Hideaki Anno, Masayuki & Kazuya Tsurumaki 98min
Fri 21 May 18:30 NFT1

Evangelion 2.0: You Can (Not) Advance Evangerion shin gekijôban: Ha The second film continues both the critical and finanical success that the first began. So as not to spoil its twists and turns, all you need to know is that this instalment is packed with hijackings, battles and even a resurrection as the Evangelions and Angels are pitted against each other once again.
Japan 2009 Dir Hideaki Anno, Masayuki & Kazuya Tsurumaki 113min
Fri 21 May 20:45 NFT1

Stormy Night Arashi no yoru ni An unlikely, secret friendship between Mei and Gav – a goat and a wolf – begins one stormy night as they shelter in a dark cabin, unaware that they should be mortal enemies. Their friendship flourishes but outside forces conspire to ensure that they may be kept apart forever. What’s more, Gav’s hunger pangs for some juicy goat may stand in the way of one crucial rule in any relationship: that it’s best not to eat one’s friends.
Japan 2005 Dir Gisaburo Sugii 110min PG
Sat 22 May 16:00 NFT1 Movie Magic screening: children’s tickets £1

Summer Wars Samâ wôzu Hosoda’s spectacular follow-up to The Girl Who Leapt Through Time follows the journey of Kenji, a highly intelligent student who is obsessed with a computer generated, virtual world called OZ. When he follows his heart’s desire to a family birthday party he inadvertently sets in motion a series of events that could result in the earth colliding with the parallel world.
Japan 2009 Dir Mamoru Hosoda 114min
Sat 22 May 18:30 NFT1

Welcome to the Space Show Uchu Show e Yokoso While away at a summer camp in a remote forest, five children help nurse an injured dog back to health. He is, in fact, an alien who rewards his new friends by taking them on an initial trip to the moon and then throughout space. This visually spectacular adventure received its world premiere at the Berlinale in February to great critical acclaim, and is one of the most anticipated anime titles of the coming year.
Japan 2010 Dir Koji Masunari 136min
Sat 22 May 20:45 NFT1

Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva Reiton kyôju to eien no utahime The star of your favourite Nintendo games leaps to life on the big screen to solve some mysteries and face some dangerous adversaries along the way. Layton is invited to an opera by a former student who has been visited by a seven-year-old girl who claims to be her dead friend, now blessed with eternal life. Thus starts a puzzling tale about life, death and immortality.
Japan 2009 Dir Masakazu Hashimoto99min PG
Sun 23 May 15:30 NFT1 Movie Magic screening: children’s tickets £1

Chocolate Underground Chokorêto andâguraundo When the government outlaws eating chocolate and other sweet things on health grounds, a group of youngsters start up a bootleg chocolate operation that ends up starting a revolution in the country. Based on Alex Shearer’s novel Bootleg, this later became a popular manga before being released as a 13-part original net animation and, now, in feature length form.
Japan 2009 Dir TakayukiHamana 87min
Sun 23 May 18:10 NFT1

K20: The Fiend with Twenty Faces K-20: Kaijin niju menso den This live-action, manga-based tale is set in a 1949 where the Second World War never happened, and the Japanese aristocracy is still very much in charge. Full of exciting Saturday morning- style thrills and bravado, it follows the adventures of K-20, who steals from the rich and is framed and sentenced to death. Will he escape from the clutches of evil, or are his days finally numbered?
Japan 2008 Dir Shimako Sato 137min.
Sun 23 May 20:10 NFT1

For ticketing information visit: www.bfi.org.uk/whatson/bfi_southbank/events/anime_weekend