For the first time in the Middle East, an Arab country made an anime-style movie. After two and a half years in the making with a team of 300 specialists of Saudi Arabian and Japanese origins, “The Journey” premiered in Hamarikyu Asahi Hall in Tokyo on Sunday. The premier included a large media presence and several Japanese companies and the Japanese audiences received the movie well. Additionally, it screened in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dubai, and the film has been released in nine Arab countries.
Manga Productions company, which is of Saudi origin, produced the film in cooperation with a Japanese company. The Manga Production company produces animation and video games projects aimed at spreading the Saudi Arabian message internationally, and this time, they did so successfully. In addition, the film is available in 4DX technology, a first for the Kingdom to present a movie with this experience.
“The Kingdom and Japan have built their relationship through trade in oil and other goods, and today this relationship is further strengthened through our close partnership in the field of culture and entertainment.”
Dr. Essam Bukhari, CEO of Manga Production Company said, according to Arab News.
What’s The Journey about?
The movie revolves around Aws, a potter, and is set 1,500 years ago. The film tells the stories of old civilizations within the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East. Aws defends his home city throughout the film, and it follows the stories of the people of Makkah, where they have to fight against a general in order to free themselves and their city from slavery.
The Japanese dubbing was done by well known Japanese artists who participated in the movie. Regarding the Arabic dubbing, artists such as Rasha Rizq, Abdu Shaheen, and Nassar AlNassar partook in the task.