Library Wars (Toshokan Sensō) has a concept so strange yet fresh that I’m immediately intrigued. Adapted from a series of Japanese light novels (young adult novels) by Hiro Arikawa, Library Wars also spawned a manga and anime adaptation. The plot goes a little something like this:
In 2019, public anger at media excess has led to censorship of television, newspapers, the internet, books, movies, and music under the ‘Media Betterment Act’. To fight the armed ‘Betterment Squads’ that go around destroying objectionable materials, the nation’s libraries have formed their own para-military ‘Library Corps’. Iku Kasahara is a new recruit to the corps, where her instructor and squad leader is Atsushi Dojo. At first repelled by his by-the-book approach to leadership, she is gradually won over by his commitment to their battle for ‘books’ and ‘the freedom to know’.
Yes, think Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, but this time those books aren’t going away without a damn fight! Who knows, if they did something like this in the United States, it might become the next Twilight or Hunger Games.
Library Wars is directed by Sato Shinsuke (The Princess Blade) and stars Okada Junichi, Eikura Nana, and Kuriyama Chiaki (Gogo from Kill Bill, Volume 1). The film comes out in Japan on April 27th. No international release plans have been announced. After the cut is one of the teaser trailers for the film.
[Via Twitch]Teaser Trailer for Library Wars
