Polygon Pictures, known for its 3DCG work on Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence movie, has continued to build Kaina’s world. Kaina of the Great Snow Sea set the stage for a wondrous, dangerous, and multi-layered world. The first eleven-episode season will continue in a movie subtitled Star Sage that is set to release on October 13th, 2023.
Kaina of the Great Snow Sea was created by Tsutomu Nihei to celebrate Polygon Pictures’s 40th anniversary. The series first appeared in a manga, with illustrations by Itoe Takemoto. Publishing began on February 26th, 2022, and two volumes have already appeared in the pages of Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Sirius. The anime iteration’s first season aired from January 12th, 2023, to March 23rd, 2023, in eleven episodes.
Our titular protagonist, Kaina, is voiced by Yoshimasa Hosoya, and boy, it does seem like he could use a drink. Fortunately, Yoshimasa provided the voice of Hiroshi Yasumoto in Komada: A Whisky Family, Fumikage Tokoyami in My Hero Academia, and Nicholas D. Wolfwood in Trigun Stampede.
The prominent voice actress Rie Takahashi voices the blonde waifu Ririha. She has previously played Emilia in Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World, Megumin in KonoSuba: An Explosion on This Wonderful World!, and Sugar Peas in High Card.
Maaya Sakamoto, another legend of the anime industry, is giving voice to the red-haired waifu Amerote. She has previously voiced Francois in Dr. Stone: New World, Rem Saverem in Trigun Stampede, and Helena in Fena: Pirate Princess.
Polygon Pictures has maintained a home page and an official Twitter page to promote Kaina of the Great Snow Sea: Star Sage. Key visuals and behind-the-scenes information can be found there.
A Snow-Covered World and a Burning Ambition
Kaina of the Great Snow Sea is set in a world precariously close to freezing all life. An organic membrane covers the world, known as the Canopy. Humanity clings to life by living beneath the massive Orbital Spire Trees. Despite the overabundance of snow, water remains scarce. Princess Ririha of Atland seeks out a legendary sage purported to know the secret of producing water. She sets out via an organic hot-air balloon to climb to the top of an Orbital Tree.
Ririha meets Kaina there, one of the last beings who live atop the Canopy. Unfortunately, he is no sage and has no mystical gift to save her people. To make matters worse, Ririha cannot return home the way she came. With no other options, Kaina agrees to help her. She tells him of her troubles and the brewing war with the advanced nation of Valghia.
Polygon Pictures Animates in Three Dimensions
Polygon Pictures put their 3DCG talents to work on several fantastic series. It has previously worked on Knights of Sidonia, another series where humanity is on the brink of destruction. It has also teamed up with the legendary Studio Ghibli to work on Ronia, the Robber’s Daughter, which follows the daughter of a bandit chief as she goes out to explore the world. Looking forward, Polygon Pictures will release The Idolmaster Shiny Colors sometime in 2024.
Besides anime, the studio has also worked on video games. To gift us cultured otaku something extraordinary, it has worked on Lollipop Chainsaw, in which players control a cheerleader as she mows down zombies. It has also helped Nintendo and Game Freak with Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee!. It’s not a video game but tied to a video game, but Show by Rock!! Mashumairesh!! is definitely worth a musical isekai mention.
If you ever feel that it’s entirely too hot, and a trip to a frozen planet sounds nice, you might want a figure to share your pain. You’re in luck because J-List has an iconic pose in figure form. The End of Summer JK Shoujo 1/6 Figure Illustrated by Leviathan is now available for pre-order. A hot girl in front of a fan desperately trying to cool down is just what one needs to ease the remnant summer heat.
Are you looking forward to the Kaina of the Great Snow Sea: Star Sage movie? Have you seen the series or read the manga ahead of time? What do you think about anime series that primarily use 3DCG? Let us know in the comments below.
