Keanu Reeves-Voiced Stop-Motion Samurai Epic HIDARI Is John Wick Meets Feudal Japan in an Incredible Wooden Adventure

One of the biggest highlights to come out of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival was an early look at Hidari, the ambitious stop-motion samurai film that has officially enlisted Keanu Reeves as part of its cast.

The project has been generating excitement for years thanks to its jaw-dropping teaser, but Reeves' involvement has pushed anticipation to another level.

The actor appeared via a special video message at Annecy to confirm he's joining the production, and it's obvious he's just as excited about the project as fans are.

"I think that the stop-motion and what they’ve done, their hope and ambition is very cinematic. It can be both big scale and very intimate, and with the script they have developed, I think it’s extraordinary. I want to see that movie and I want to be in that movie," he said.

"I’m very excited to move forward and have the opportunity to play the role, to be a part of it. It will be something very special to bring to the world."

That enthusiasm is easy to understand because Hidari doesn't look like anything else currently in development. Director Masashi Kawamura summed it up with one unforgettable description: "Imagine ‘John Wick’ set in feudal Japan and performed by wooden puppets on steroids."

That sounds awesome! The film draws inspiration from the legend of Hidari Jingoro, the famed Japanese artist and master carpenter who is believed to have lived during the 17th century. According to Kawamura, the mystery surrounding the historical figure became the perfect starting point for the story.

"Nobody knows if he really existed or not. He’s surrounded by a lot of mystery, which I felt was a very interesting character to use as the center of my story. People even said that he could breathe life into wood."

He continued: "When I heard that, I thought: That’s exactly what we do in stop-motion. We move inanimate objects and try to create life."

Rather than simply telling a story about a legendary woodworker, the filmmakers are making wood itself an essential part of the experience.

Kawamura explained that the production uses wooden sculptures, "Exactly like the ones [Hidari Jingoro] actually crafted himself. The material and the technique become part of the story itself."

Speaking during Annecy's "Finding a Shared Vision: Co-Production with Japan" panel, which also featured A New Dawn and On the Killing Road, Kawamura spoke passionately about the painstaking process behind the movie.

Every single frame is created entirely by hand. That’s the kind of film we want to create. ‘Hidari’ is a samurai action film that blends the explosive energy of anime with the handcrafted aesthetic of stop-motion."

The story centers on a gifted young carpenter helping rebuild Edo Castle before his life is completely shattered. A brutal conspiracy leaves his mentor and fiancée dead, and he loses his right arm in the process.

"He survives and reinvents himself – and transforms all his carpentry skills and tools into weapons."

He eventually carves himself a deadly prosthetic arm before taking on mechanical soldiers and an enormous robot threatening to destroy the city of Edo.

"We’re going to do this all in stop-motion, guys. It’s going to be crazy," said Kawamura, noting they will weave together "actual history with fantasy elements to craft an entertaining story for all ages."

But while the action promises to be spectacular, the filmmakers say there's a much more personal story underneath it all. "Under all that spectacle, it’s really about this one man trying to rediscover himself after turning to destruction."

The short that the film is based on has already attracted over 5 million views on YouTube, and it shows off the film's distinctive visual identity. "Every grain, every hand-carved chisel marks on the wood. We really want to emphasize that in our film. We kind of coined ‘Wood Punk’ as the world we want to create."

That handcrafted philosophy also extends to why the filmmakers chose stop-motion in the first place. "The question we often get is:

‘Why are you doing this in stop-motion?’ Because we f*cking love it! It’s a fabulous technique, but unfortunately it’s considered to be something maybe more nostalgic for a smaller audience. We, as a team, really wanted to shatter that perception and create something very different."

He also made it clear that Hidari stands as a celebration of craftsmanship at a time when technology is rapidly changing the creative landscape.

"In a world where you could almost generate a film in three seconds using AI – if you don’t give a shit about quality – we’re doing something opposite. It’s a whole film about craftsmanship."

Producer Noriko Matsumoto revealed the project briefly received interest from Hollywood before plans changed. "We have received an offer, but then the landscape at the studio shifted dramatically and suddenly the project could no longer move forward," she explained.

Now, the film is moving ahead with Questry, and landing Reeves has become one of the production's biggest milestones.

Having Reeves on board is a "dream come true," she said. "Our character was actually designed as a hybrid between Keanu Reeves and Toshiro Mifune. He embodies the exact character we are looking for."

Between its gorgeous handcrafted animation, high-energy samurai action, fascinating historical inspiration, and Keanu Reeves lending his voice to the lead, Hidari is shaping up to be one of the most original animated films currently in development.

If the finished movie delivers on even half of what its teaser promises, animation fans are going to be in for something incredibly special.

Source: Variety