Appleseed ID

アップルシード [Appleseed]

by Masamune Shirow

A collection of sketches, studies and schematics, Appleseed ID is a must-have companion book for fans of the cyberpunk saga Appleseed and its legendary creator, Shirow Masamune, the manga mastermind behind such classics as Appleseed, Dominion and Ghost in the Shell. Sit back and relax as Shirow takes you on a guided tour of one of his most beloved worlds, exploring the people, places, organizations and, of course, technology that makes the universe of Appleseed the sci-fi hotspot that it is. Feel like taking a break from Shirow's examination and explanation of his creations and of his own creative process? Then take a browse through this book's beautiful color galleries, or follow Deunan and Briareos on a high-stakes adventure with the short story "Called Game."

Genres: Manga, Cyberpunk, Comics, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels, Comics Manga

144 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1996

About the author

Masamune Shirow is an internationally renowned manga

Masanori Ota, better known by his pen name Masamune Shirow (Japanese: 士郎正宗), is a Japanese manga artist renowned for his influential contributions to the cyberpunk genre. Born in Kobe in 1961, he studied oil painting at Osaka University of Arts, where he developed an interest in manga. His early work Black Magic led to the critically acclaimed Appleseed, which won the 1986 Seiun Award for Best Manga. Shirow achieved global recognition with Ghost in the Shell, a groundbreaking manga that inspired multiple anime films and series, a live-action Hollywood adaptation, and numerous video games. His stories are known for blending action with philosophical inquiries into AI, post-human existence, and the ethics of technology. He has collaborated with Production I.G on projects like Ghost Hound and Real Drive. Shirow’s distinctive style and thought-provoking narratives have left a lasting impact on manga, anime, and science fiction worldwide, influencing creators including the Wachowskis of The Matrix fame.

Reviews

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a nice compliment to the series. Along with having some pretty gorgeous color pics and a nice short story it also provides useful information for the series including bios, a timelines, and background on some of the weaponry used. It references volume numbers so that it's easy to go back and look at what character or incident is being referred to. Not a must have, but definitely a nice addition for those who enjoy Appleseed.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is good if you really like Appleseed. I like Masamune Shirow's work but I didn't really care for this. There's a short comic, a bunch of information that doesn't really seem interesting and some artwork.

[Zare · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides the background of the Appleseed universe. We are shown timeline leading to the WW3, destruction and recovery of the world after it. We are given information on Olympus and national states and all the political/military intrigue in this world that unfortunately does not look that much different from our own anymore.

Following this we have beautiful plates of art - concept art, used and unused in the final volumes - and additional chapter, "Called Game" where we follow Deunan and Briareos chase down assassin involved in the intrigue between orgajized crime and Poseidon corporation.

Art as always is great, standalone plates and sketches are truly wonderful.

While there are comic relief scenes, especially between our dynamic duo, story is very serious thriller that reminds me in some ways to Golgo books - there is some serious thought and research involved and it shows. But again, this was also case with the GIST by the same author so it does not come as a big surprise.

Highly recommended to all fans of cyberpunk and action SF.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Undercover a Go Go…

Duenan and Briareos went after the woman gunner who fired grenades after them. Big no-no. Once they track her, there’s no escaping them. Right now, the hijackers try demanding the woman gunner’s release. Good luck. That’s the only one gets so far. The rest are just illustrations and explanations of certain events happening throughout the Appleseed universe. Along with certain weaponry to be discussed.

[Nicolas · Rating 3 out of 5]

L'histoire racontée est assez courte, mais ce qui est intéressant, ce sont surtout toutes les explications de l'auteur. Elles ne clarifient évidement pas tout (et obscurcissent même certains points), mais montrent la richesse du décor créé pour cette histoire.

[Andre · Rating 2 out of 5]

A data book for the Appleseed mangas. For fans of the series only.

[Babs]

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