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"March 23rd, 2007 was a big day for Ninja Turtles fans and animation enthusiasts, as TMNT was released to theaters in North America and elsewhere around the world. It was the very first feature-length film from Imagi Animation Studios, who are, of course, set to bring AstroBoy to cinemas in 2009. I am a HUGE fan of the Turtles, and have been since I first became aware of their existence, so I was definitely looking forward to this movie when it was announced. Not only did I enjoy the film immensely for what it was when I saw it on its release date, I also saw it as an important step towards the future of animated film making, which is where our boy Astro comes in.
Not only does TMNT look spectacular, with its use of colors, textures, and lighting, but if one takes into account how the budget of this film is a meager fraction of a comparable animated movie from a company like Pixar, then Imagi's achievements with this movie are even more incredible. The aspect of the film that I thought was best realized was the attention paid to the backgrounds. The scenery itself had a very lived-in feeling and truly captured what I would expect the TMNT universe to look like. Obviously there are some talented artists and animators working at Imagi, and they clearly know how to construct a world that contains unbelievable characters and situations in a believable and visually appealing setting......As a fan of animated films and classic anime characters, it makes me happy to know that the AstroBoy movie is being handled by Imagi, who did an amazing job in capturing the spirit of the Ninja Turtles. AstroBoy is a story that is not only historically important, but also has a unique spirit of its own to be captured as well. Time will tell if the AstroBoy movie will live up to the legacy of the title character, but judging from TMNT, I am more than willing to give Imagi the benefit of the doubt.
And while I'm looking forward to AstroBoy, I'll also be hoping for another Turtles movie! "
read the full article @ AstroBoy World: TMNT: One Year Later