This
Thursday, the official website of As One, the animated prequel film
to Square Enix and Sunrise's Starwing
Paradox video game, released its main trailer, also
revealing its release date: August 22, 2025 in
Japanese theaters.
A
journey between two worlds and an unexpected connection
The story
of As One is set 20 years before the events
of the original game. The protagonist is Yō, a high school student
who dreams of being a musician, but faces rejection from his parents and
estrangement from his bandmates. Everything changes when he begins to hear a
voice crying out for help from his mind and is enveloped by a bright light.
At the same
time, on the planet Meguriboshi, two nations at odds over energy
resources are trying to reach a truce. There, Rako, a young robot
mechanic, loses consciousness while facing a space danger, and during her
unconsciousness, she connects with Yō through a mysterious bond.
An
outstanding cast with a musical debut
JO1 member Ruki Shiroyuwa voices
Yō in his debut as a voice actor. In addition, under his stage name RUKI, he
performs the film's theme song, titled "Meguriboshi"
(Wandering Star).
The cast is
completed with:
- Haruka
Shiraishi as Rako
- Shunsuke Takeuchi as Vigo, a soldier close
to Rako
- Yōko Hikasa as Kizana, a key
investigator in the plot
- Ryūhei Maruyama as Rurowa, Rako's father
Behind
the Scenes: Big Names in Anime
The film is
directed by Kobun Shizuno, who is known for multiple Detective
Conan films. The character design is in charge of Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (Evangelion,
Summer Wars), who returns after his participation in the original video game.
The
screenplay was developed by Shatner Nishida (Lupin III: Prison
of the Past), Kana Matsui and Masaya Honda (Boruto).
The mechanical design is by Ippei Gyōbu, who has experience in
Gundam: Reconguista in G. The animation is in charge of the Honoo studios
and Studio GOONEYS, under the supervision of Joe Teng and Takafumi
Yūki.
What is
the Starwing Paradox universe?
The
original video game debuted in Japanese arcades in November 2018 and
ended its service in October 2021. Her story takes place on the
planet Meguriboshi, located so far from Earth that her light does
not even reach her. The central conflict revolves around two kingdoms facing
each other for control of a living energy called Hoshinochi ("star
blood").
In this
environment, the gigantic weapons known as Ae Rial emerge,
powered by the Rearis system, which allows information to be
transmitted between planets. Only by pairing a special AZ-One knight
with a being with exceptional flight abilities does the true power of these
machines be unleashed. It is then that a new key appears: the Earth.
