Part of Midnight Movies
Takeshi Koike’s REDLINE, a turbo-charged adrenaline rush from anime powerhouse Madhouse — 10 years and over 100,000 hand-drawn frames in the making –– is an all-gas-no-brakes spectacle that pushes 2D animation to its physical and artistic limits.
Every frame pulses with raw energy, packed with high-speed collisions, mutant mayhem and the wildest character designs this side of the galaxy. The story follows reckless racer JP as he enters the Redline, the universe’s most dangerous and highly illegal road race, held on a militarized planet that definitely doesn’t want it there. But the plot takes a backseat to pure sensation — this is cinema as rocket fuel, where explosive color palettes, whip-fast editing, and a pounding electro-funk soundtrack create an all-out audiovisual assault.
What makes REDLINE essential isn’t just its jaw-dropping style — it’s the rare kind of anime that swings so hard it feels like an act of rebellion. In an age of digital shortcuts, its fully hand-drawn animation is a defiant love letter to motion, chaos and craft. Whether you’re a first-timer or a die-hard fan, this gem hits like a supernova and doesn’t let up. (Synopsis courtesy of Facets)
“One of the best anime movies of the 21st century.” —Panos Kotzathanasis, Asian Movie Pulse
“Fun from start to finish, a collection of wicked sight-gags wrapped around a 'rah-rah' feeling of righteousness. And the intricate drawings have to be seen to be believed.” —Ard Vijn, Screen Anarchy