From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Halo Legends
Halo Legends
Halo Legends The idea for an anime compilation existed for years
before there was momentum for the project. 343 creative
director Frank O’Connor produced story outlines or fin-
ished scripts that the production houses animated in a
variety of styles.
Development
Special edition DVD/Blu-ray Disc cover
Directed by • Frank O’Connor
• Joseph Chou
Frank O’Connor, creative director of the Microsoft branch that
Produced by • Bonnie Ross oversees Halo, was heavily involved in developing the stories
• John Ledford that appear in Legends.
Studio • Studio 4°C
• Production I.G To oversee development of the entire Halo franchise, Mi-
• Casio Entertainment crosoft created an internal division, 343 Industries, to
• Toei Animation manage the Halo brand.[1][2] Frank O’Connor, 343’s cre-
• Bones
• Warner Bros.
ative director, said that such a move was vital: "If you
• 343 Industries look at how George Lucas held on to Star Wars, not just to
make money from action figures but to control the direc-
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
tion the universe went in, you can see why we think it’s
Release date(s) February 16, 2010 (2010-02-16) pretty vital."[3]
Halo Legends had origins in the 2006 Marvel Comics
Running time 120 minutes
tie-in, The Halo Graphic Novel; O’Connor said that the idea
Country • Japan of an anime compilation existed for years before there
• United States was momentum for the project.[2] Wanting to tell smaller
Language • English stories in a different format than video games and novels
• Japanese and in different art styles, O’Connor said that anime was
a natural fit. An additional consideration was that 343 In-
Box office $8,315,806 (DVD sales)
dustries felt that the Japanese style of narrative fit the
stories well.[4] Most of the animation studios Microsoft
Halo Legends is a collection of seven short anime films
approached were available for the project. Most studios
set in the Halo science-fiction universe. Financed by Halo
were "afraid" of creating their own stories, even if they
franchise overseer 343 Industries, the stories were creat-
were familiar with the series, so O’Connor sent them pos-
ed by six Japanese production houses: Bones, Casio En-
sible story treatments. Microsoft was deeply involved in
tertainment, Production I.G., Studio 4°C, and Toei Ani-
making sure story details were correct and writing the
mation. Shinji Aramaki, creator and director of Appleseed
scripts for the stories—O’Connor estimated that 50% of
and Appleseed Ex Machina, serves as the project’s creative
the dialogue in the final products were verbatim from the
director. Warner Bros. released Legends on DVD and Blu-
original scripts.[2] While all the stories save one are con-
ray Disc on February 16, 2010.
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Halo Legends
sidered canon, O’Connor noted that some discrepancies Based on Rentrak and Home Media Magazine numbers,
were the cause of artistic interpretation.[5] Legends ranked second and fourth in Blu-ray Disc and
The animation studios were given wide latitude in DVD sales, respectively, during its first week of sales in
their presentation.[1] "We realized very early on [that Ha- the United States. It also ranked seventh in Blu-ray Disc
lo] could take interpretation," said O’Connor, saying that rankings in Japan. In its second week it dropped off the
the look-and-feel of the universe persisted even through US Blu-ray Disc Top 20 charts, and slipped to tenth for
differing artistic styles.[2] In developing their stories and DVD sales.[16] According to The-Numbers.com, Legends
styles, the anime studios were supplied with access to Ha- sold $2.56 million worth of merchandise or 168,000 DVDs
lo’s story bible and art assets.[6] its first week.[17] Total sales have reached $8.32 million,
One of the artistic styles that is the most radical de- selling almost 600,000 units.[18]
parture from traditional animation styles is in "The
Duel", which employs a filter that makes every cell look
as though it was hand painted by watercolors. His goal
Soundtrack
that he was aiming for in this project was, "to make au- The soundtrack was composed by various artists, such
diences understand there should be other styles of ani- as Tetsuya Takahashi and Yasuharu Takanashi. Although
mation beyond the existing two primary kinds of anima- the soundtrack contains mostly remixes of original work
tion presented – precisely cel-drawing 2D style and CG 3D by Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori, it also has
style. I wanted to show that creators are not limited, that some original material of its own.[19]
they have many options for different (animation) styles No. Title Length
to create stories."[7] 1. "Brothers in Arms" 1:44
Voice recording was done by Seraphim Digital in
Houston, TX.[8][9] 2. "Truth and Reconciliation" 6:01
3. "Opening Suite 1" 1:02
Episodes 4. "Opening Suite 2" 2:30
5. "Halo" 2:25
Several episodes were originally broadcast on Halo Way-
point on the specified date. The episodes range in length 6. "Desperate Measures" 2:00
from ten to twenty minutes.[5] 7. "Cairo Suite 1" 2:13
8. "Delta Halo Suite" 5:23
Release and reception 9. "Machines and Might" 1:05
Halo Legends was originally to be released on February 9, 10. "Remembrance" 1:15
but launch was pushed back a week to February 16. The 11. "Blade and Burden" 1:10
compilation comes in three different retail packages: a
12. "Steel and Light" 1:19
standard DVD release with all the episodes, a two-disc
special-edition which contains additional commentary, 13. "Impend" 0:54
and the Blu-ray Disc edition, featuring the special-edition 14. "True Arbiter" 2:46
features and a summary of the Halo storyline.[11] The 15. "The Maw" 1:12
film’s United States premiere was held at the AMC Metre-
16. "Unforgotten" 2:41
on in San Francisco on February 10,[12] with the compan-
ion soundtrack released by Sumthing Distribution the 17. "Shattered Legacy" 1:03
day previous. 18. "Out of Darkness" 1:14
Reception to Legends was mixed. Orlando Parfit of IGN
19. "High Charity Suite 2" 2:37
UK wrote that while the decision to merge Halo and Ja-
panese anime seemed an odd choice, "Halo Legends proves 20. "Into Light" 0:39
a successful—if uneven—attempt to fuse these two uni- 21. "Sacred Icon Suite 2" 1:45
verses, and will certainly prove essential viewing for 22. "Rescue Mission" 1:20
those with more than a passing interest in Bungie’s sem-
23. "The Last Spartan" 2:31
inal shooters."[13] IGN US reviewers Cindy White and
Christopher Monfette said that the short films "prove 24. "High Charity Quartet" 1:04
surprisingly accessible to sci-fi fans in general," and that 25. "Here in Peril" 1:13
the collection was "well worth" the time.[14] Matt Miller 26. "Earth City" 3:29
of Game Informer said that Halo Legends would appeal to
27. "Risk and Reward" 0:53
story-interested fans of the franchise, not those who
cared about multiplayer gameplay.[15] 28. "Exit Window" 2:33
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Halo Legends
Title Studio Waypoint airdate
The Babysitter"
"The Babysitter Studio 4°C November 7, 2009
"The Babysitter" follows a squad of four Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, or Helljumpers. The squad is composed of Pri-
vate O’Brien, Master Sergeant Cortez, Corporal Taylor Miles (Dutch) and Corporal Checkman. O’Brien is being re-
placed as the squad’s sniper by Cal-141, a SPARTAN-II, and is now the backup. The squad is sent into a Covenant
zone under the cover of a meteor shower to eliminate a Prophet. Produced by Eiko Tanaka and directed by Toshiyu-
ki Kanno.
The Duel"
"The Duel Production I.G November 21, 2009
"The Duel" was produced by Mitsuhisa Ishikawa and directed by Hiroshi Yamazaki, with creative supervision by
Mamoru Oshii. The story follows an Arbiter who does not want to follow the Covenant religion. One of the Prophets
accuses Fal of heresy. Fal will not yield and the Prophet sends another Elite to kill his wife in order to drag him to a
trap.
The Package"
"The Package Casio Entertainment December 5/12, 2009 (Two parts)
On board a cloaked human ship, a group of elite supersoldiers called Spartans (John-117/Master Chief, Frederic-104,
Kelly-087, Arthur-079 and Solomon-069) are briefed by an intelligence officer about their mission. A Covenant fleet
is momentarily trapped in the system, and is carrying an important "package" the Spartans must retrieve. The ship
decloaks and deploys the Spartans in small ships called Booster Frames. Solomon detects the package on one of the
ships, but discovers too late that it is a ruse; Solomon is killed when the ship is destroyed. Master Chief deduces that
their target is actually in the Covenant flagship. Arthur is killed trying to cover Kelly during the battle, and the rest
of the Spartans board the Covenant ship. Making their way through thick Covenant defenses, Master Chief manages
to recover the package—human scientist Catherine Halsey in cryonic hibernation—and the two escape via a
Covenant escape pod. The remaining Spartans are recovered by the stealth ship and leave the system.
Origins"
"Origins Studio 4°C January 1, 2010
On board the ship Forward Unto Dawn , the artificial intelligence Cortana and Master Chief are stranded after the
events of Halo 3. Cortana muses on her existence and what she has learned about the noble and ancient race known
as the Forerunners. Cortana narrates past events: thousands of years ago, the Forerunners were a great civilization,
but they came under attack by the parasitic Flood. The Forerunners underestimated the Flood, by which time it had
spread, gaining the knowledge of the life it consumed. Though the Forerunners fought bravely, they eventually re-
alized it was a futile fight. The forerunners are wearing bird masks as a reference to the plague. After trying other
methods, they developed a weapon of last resort; an array of ringed megastructures called Halos that would destroy
the Flood and their food supply—every sentient creature in the galaxy. While the Flood and Forerunner were wiped
out by the Halo Array’s activation, the Forerunners reseeded catalogued life throughout the galaxy.
The second part of "Origins" follows the rise of human civilization. Humanity’s exploration and colonization of
other worlds coincides with the rise of the Covenant, a theocratic alliance of alien races that worship the Forerun-
ners and reverse-engineer their technology. The Covenant launches a massive war of extermination against the hu-
man race. The events of Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2 and Halo 3 are summarized; a band of Covenant Elites ally with
humanity to stop the Flood from spreading into the galaxy again, and the long war ends between human and
Covenant. In the present, Cortana cryptically warns that the Halos are only one of the galaxy’s many secrets.
"Origins" was a chance to tell the story of the entire Halo universe in a clear fashion; many parts of the franchise
had only been explored in what O’Connor called a "piecemeal" fashion. [4]
Homecoming"
"Homecoming Bee Train/Production I.G Unaired on Waypoint
Produced by Production I.G and executive produced by Koichi Mashimo, written by Hiroyuki Kawasaki and directed
Koji Sawai.
On a planet, UNSC forces are pinned down by Covenant. A Spartan codenamed Daisy-023 arrives and helps evacuate
the UNSC forces. While in battle, Daisy has flashbacks to her past in the SPARTAN-II supersoldier project. When she
decides to escape the project and return home, she finds a replacement clone of herself. Daisy draws her firearm,
but cannot kill the clone and decides to return to the military. The clone gives Daisy a small teddy bear, similar to
what Daisy had before she was inducted into the SPARTAN-II Project. In the present, Daisy is shot and killed; her
body is found by the Master Chief, who picks up the teddy bear beside her and places it in her hands.
Prototype"
"Prototype Studio Bones Unaired on Waypoint
3
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Halo Legends
A marine sergeant nicknamed Ghost and his demolition team are sent to destroy a prototype weapons facility to
prevent it from falling into Covenant hands. Not wanting a repeat of his last mission, in which his entire platoon
was killed, Ghost commandeers the heavy armor suit and uses it to provide cover for his squad as they evacuate.
While Ghost deals massive damage to the Covenant forces, he is heavily outmatched and seriously wounded. As the
last evacuation ships fly away, he uses the suit’s self-destruct to destroy the nearby Covenant and complete his mis-
sion.
Animated by Studio Bones, Directed by Tomoki Kyoda Yasushi Muraki, featuring production designs by Shinji Ara-
maki.
Odd Out"
"Odd One Out Toei Animation N/A
Animated by Toei Animation Company written and directed by Daisuke Nishio, Odd One Out is a parody of the Halo
universe and is not canon.[10] It follows the adventures of Spartan 1337, a member of Master Chief’s unit who suffers
both from a severe ego and horrendous bad luck, although still a fairly competent fighter in his own right. He finds
himself accidentally stranded on a planet after falling out of his transport. The planet is inhabited by dinosaurs and
a group of stranded kids, the two oldest having superhuman strength. The covenant test their latest weapon, a bes-
tial warrior called Pluton. 1337 and the kids fight back, but are overpowered. However, the kids’ ship (whose AI they
refer to as "Mama") launches the beast into slipspace. When Cortana senses it, she tells Master Chief to leave it, as it
is happy. 1337 makes for the rendezvous point, before being carried off by a pterodactyl.
29. "Finale 2" 1:24 [8] "Microsoft and Warner Brothers tap Seraphim
Digital Studios (formerly ADV Studios) for Halo
Legends English Adaptation". SXAniMedia.
References http://www.sxanimedia.com/2009/11/microsoft-
[1] ^ Fritz, Ben (2009-07-22). "Video game publishers and-warner-brothers-tap.html. Retrieved
Microsoft, Ubisoft invading Hollywood’s turf". Los 2009-11-05.
Angeles Times. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/ [9] "Former ADV Dubbing Studio Voices Halo Legends
entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/07/video-game- Project". Anime News Network.
publishers-microsoft-ubisoft-invading-hollywoods- http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/
turf.html. Retrieved 2009-07-22. 2009-11-06/former-adv-dubbing-studio-voices-
[2] ^ Hryb, Larry (2009-12-09). "Show #343: Interviews halo-legends-project. Retrieved 2009-11-08.
with members of 343 Industries about Halo and [10] Goldstein, Hilary; Erik Brudvig (2009-07-23). "SDCC
more". Major Nelson Radio. 09: Halo Panel Live Blog". IGN.
http://www.majornelson.com/archive/2009/12/ http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/100/
09/show-343-interviews-with-some-of- 1006627p1.html. Retrieved 2009-07-24.
the-343-team-about-halo-and-more.aspx. [11] Sinclair, Brendan (2010-01-07). "Halo Legends slips
Retrieved 2009-12-09. to Feb. 16". Gamespot. http://www.gamespot.com/
[3] Fritz, Ben (2009-07-23). "Video game companies news/
move onto Hollywood’s turf". Los Angeles Times: 6245077.html?sid=6245077&part=rss&subj=6245077.
p. 2. http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jul/23/ Retrieved 2010-01-25.
business/fi-ct-videogames23. Retrieved [12] White, Cindy (2010-02-05). "IGN Presents Halo
2009-12-27. Legends Premiere". IGN. http://bluray.ign.com/
[4] ^ Halo Legends; The Making of (DVD; Disc 2/2). articles/106/1067221p1.html. Retrieved
Warner Brothers Home Video. 2010-02-16. 2010-02-08.
[5] ^ "Frankie’s Halo Legends Q&A Session". [13] Parfit, Orlando (2010-02-08). "Halo Legends UK
Halo.Bungie.Org. 2009-07-23. Review (DVD)". IGN. http://uk.dvd.ign.com/
http://nikon.bungie.org/misc/ articles/106/1067327p1.html. Retrieved
frankie_legends_qa.html. Retrieved 2010-01-23. 2010-04-14.
[6] Kolan, Patrick (2010-03-01). "Halo Interview: [14] Monfette, Christopher; Cindy White (2010-02-17).
Legends, Movies and the Next Six Years". IGN. pp. "Halo Legends DVD Review". IGN. pp. 1–2.
1–2. http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/107/ http://dvd.ign.com/articles/106/1069977p1.html.
1073289p2.html. Retrieved 2010-03-02. Retrieved 2010-04-13.
[7] "Interview With Hiroshi Yamazaki". Fancoredaily. [15] Miller, Matt (2010-02-04). "Halo Legends Review".
http://fancoredaily.com/?p=1381. Retrieved Game Informer. pp. 1–2. http://gameinformer.com/
2010-02-14. b/features/archive/2010/02/04/feature-Halo-
Legends-Review.aspx. Retrieved 2010-04-14.
4
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Halo Legends
[16] Staff (2010-03-05). "Halo Legends Ranks #2 on BD, [19] "Halo Legends Soundtrack Preview". IGN.
#4 on DVD in 1st Week". Anime News Network. http://ie.music.ign.com/articles/106/
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/ 1064594p1.html. Retrieved October 29, 2011.
2010-03-05/halo-legends-ranks-no.2-on-bd-
no.4-on-dvd-in-1st-week. Retrieved 2010-04-15.
[17] Stowbridge, C.S. (2010-03-18). "DVD Sales: New
External links
Releases are the Law". The Numbers. • Halo Official Site-343 Industries
http://www.the-numbers.com/interactive/ • Official Video Release Website
newsStory.php?newsID=4954. Retrieved • Halo Legends at the Internet Movie Database
2010-04-16. • Acclaimed Director-Designer Shinji Aramaki
[18] "Halo Legends - DVD Sales". The Numbers. Discusses "The Package" Episode of Halo Legends
http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2010/ • Halo Legends (anime) at Anime News Network’s
0HALE-DVD.php. Retrieved 2010-07-24. Encyclopedia
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Halo_Legends&oldid=470503613"
Categories:
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• Direct-to-video films
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