The Ribbon Hero Teaser Trailer Previews an Epic Experience That Will Unfold on August 8

Netflix has dropped a teaser trailer (labelled as an ordinary trailer in Japanese) for The Ribbon Hero, the previously announced anime film inspired by Osamu Tezuka‘s Princess Knight that now has an August 8 release date.

We’re first introduced to heroine Sapphire and a kingdom in a grave state, before witnessing a magical girl-like transformation into the gallant and mighty Princess Knight (Ribbon Knight in Japanese). As Sapphire declares her noble motives, the teaser offers a look at an artificial arm and the first shots of a battle against a monster in an alien landscape, and later a glimpse of someone with a sinister air and the appearance of a mysterious bird. There are also a lot of ribbons, often billowing epically, and used for cute comedy towards the end.

The teaser also reveals Sapphire’s voice, which is provided by comedian Saya, one half of the Lalande pair. Additionally, there is a key visual and a synopsis:

Sapphire is the princess of a kingdom that no longer exists. Having lost everything in her homeland of Silverland to the calamity known as “Nergal,” she wanders in despair until she finally arrives in Goldland.

Though burdened by her past, she begins to find a glimmer of hope as she encounters the kindness of the people there. But as if to sneer at her peaceful new life, the calamity Nergal appears once more. The very despair that once reduced her homeland to ashes now threatens to steal the light from this land as well.

“I won’t lose anything ever again. And I won’t let anyone else lose anything either.” Brushing away her tears of sorrow, the girl takes up her sword. This is the story of a lone hero who ties her ribbon and resolves to defy her fate.

The Ribbon Hero is directed by Yuki Igarashi, whose previous credits include Star Wars: Visions — “Lop & Ochō” (director and character designer et al.), Gen Hoshino’s “I Wanna Be Your Ghost” music video (director et al.), and Jujutsu Kaisen Season 1’s first ending (solo key animator), at the Igarashi-founded OUTLINE. Other core members of the team include illustrator Kei Mochizuki as original character designer, Mai Yoneyama (“COLORs” music video character designer and animation director, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners ending animation director, storyboard artist et al.) on character design cooperation duties, Issei Arakaki (Extreme Hearts) as animation character designer, and Cedric Herole (POKÉTOON “Wait for Me, Magikarp” director, character designer et al.) as artistic director. 

Newly unveiled staff names include:

• Nergal designer: okama
• Background art director: Masanobu Nomura (Mono, New Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt)
• Color designer: Natsumi Watabe 
• CG director: Akine Nagamine 
• Compositing director: Hikaru Fukuda 
• Music composer: MONACA’s Satoru Kosaki 
• Music composer: MONACA’s Ryuichi Takada 

There are three versions of the Princess Knight manga — the Shojo Club version (1953 to 1956), the Nakayoshi version (1963 to 1966), and the Shojo Friend version (1967). The Osamu Tezuka website describes the story of the first version as such:

This is a fantasy of a princess by the name of Sapphire who has both a boy’s heart and a girl’s heart. She cleans up evils by disguising herself as Princess Knight.

Sapphire is born with both boy’s and girl’s mind due to a mischievous angel by the name of Tink. In addition, Sapphire bears a destiny to be raised as a prince to inherit the throne. On the other hand, Duke Duralumin, who wants to make his son the king, ploys to find evidence that Sapphire is a girl in various ways.

Princess Knight previously inspired a 52-episode 1967 to 1968 TV anime with Katsui Chikao and Akabori Kanji as the chief directors and Mushi Production as the animation production studio, as well as a 1999 short. The Shojo Club Princess Knight had a follow-up titled Twin Knights, about Sapphire’s twin children. The Osamu Tezuka website calls Princess Knight “the first Japanese story manga for girls.”

Source: Press release