Twilight of the Cockroaches
Encyclopedia
is a 1987 anime
/live-action film written and directed by Hiroaki Yoshida that combines live-action footage with animation. The plot concerns a society of cockroach
es who live peacefully in the apartment of a bachelor
named Seito until a woman moves in and the humans begin to exterminate the cockroaches. The cockroaches are depicted through animation, and the humans are depicted through live-action footage. Famed Japanese illustrator Yoshitaka Amano
worked on the film as an art director and character designer.
Director Yoshida has stated that the film is "about Japan
" and that the "concept of a 'hated' species is not unlike the racial and cultural enmity with which Japan is perceived." In his New York Times review, Vincent Canby
wrote, "The publicity material for 'Twilight of the Cockroaches' describes the film as an allegory about the fate in store for affluent Japan if it doesn't meet its international responsibilities. The film may read that way in Japan. In this country, it looks somewhat darker and more muddled."
The English dub of the film was produced by Streamline Pictures
. During the early-to-mid 1990s, the film was shown frequently on Turner Broadcasting
stations such as TBS, TNT
and Cartoon Network
, often paired with Vampire Hunter D
or Robot Carnival
. As a result, it was one of the first exposures to anime for many American anime fans.
The film currently has no official Region 1 DVD release. The film has also not been redub by any other anime company due to it going out of print.
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
/live-action film written and directed by Hiroaki Yoshida that combines live-action footage with animation. The plot concerns a society of cockroach
Cockroach
Cockroaches are insects of the order Blattaria or Blattodea, of which about 30 species out of 4,500 total are associated with human habitations...
es who live peacefully in the apartment of a bachelor
Bachelor
A bachelor is a man above the age of majority who has never been married . Unlike his female counterpart, the spinster, a bachelor may have had children...
named Seito until a woman moves in and the humans begin to exterminate the cockroaches. The cockroaches are depicted through animation, and the humans are depicted through live-action footage. Famed Japanese illustrator Yoshitaka Amano
Yoshitaka Amano
is a Japanese artist. He began his career as an animator and has become known for his illustrations for the anime Vampire Hunter D and for his character designs, image illustrations and title logo designs for the Final Fantasy video game series developed by Square Enix . His influences include...
worked on the film as an art director and character designer.
Director Yoshida has stated that the film is "about Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
" and that the "concept of a 'hated' species is not unlike the racial and cultural enmity with which Japan is perceived." In his New York Times review, Vincent Canby
Vincent Canby
Vincent Canby was an American film critic who became the chief film critic for The New York Times in 1969 and reviewed more than 1000 films during his tenure there.-Life and career:...
wrote, "The publicity material for 'Twilight of the Cockroaches' describes the film as an allegory about the fate in store for affluent Japan if it doesn't meet its international responsibilities. The film may read that way in Japan. In this country, it looks somewhat darker and more muddled."
The English dub of the film was produced by Streamline Pictures
Streamline Pictures
Streamline Pictures was an American media company that was best known for its distribution of English dubbed Japanese animation. -Founding:Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1988, Streamline Pictures was one of the first North American companies that was created primarily for the intention of...
. During the early-to-mid 1990s, the film was shown frequently on Turner Broadcasting
Turner Broadcasting System
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. is the Time Warner subsidiary managing the collection of cable networks and properties started and acquired by Robert Edward "Ted" Turner starting in the mid-1970s. The company has its headquarters in the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. TBS, Inc...
stations such as TBS, TNT
Turner Network Television
Turner Network Television is an American cable television channel created by media mogul Ted Turner and currently owned by the Turner Broadcasting System division of Time Warner...
and Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network is a name of television channels worldwide created by Turner Broadcasting which used to primarily show animated programming. The channel began broadcasting on October 1, 1992 in the United States....
, often paired with Vampire Hunter D
Vampire Hunter D (1985 film)
Vampire Hunter D - one of the first anime films released outside of Japan, remains a cult classic in the English-speaking world...
or Robot Carnival
Robot Carnival
is a Japanese anime anthology film released in 1987. It consists of nine shorts by different directors, many of whom started out as animators with little to no directing experience...
. As a result, it was one of the first exposures to anime for many American anime fans.
The film currently has no official Region 1 DVD release. The film has also not been redub by any other anime company due to it going out of print.