Hammerhead made its debut in 2015 at Japan Animator Expo. It’s not a complete series or a movie, but just an 8-minute short. Despite its short length, it doesn’t fail to pack a punch.
What does it mean to be a hero? The ideal image of a superhero is a selfless person ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of the greater good. Yet, no one asks how much the person has to offer up. Love, family, sanity, where is the end?
Hammerhead tries to explore the theme in a way that will leave the audience speechless. Violence and gore are freely used in the short, and all of it culminates in a melancholic finale.
Hammerhead Plot
Hammerhead follows the narrative of a girl whose father is a superhero. He was attacked, and his skull broke. However, a reverse reaction took place instead of dying, and his body completely regenerated.
Her dad received superpowers and began to be known as Hammerhead. Due to his regenerative abilities, her father cannot die. He fights the strongest enemies just to die but can’t find any candidate who is strong enough to kill him.
In the present, Hammerhead is just a few pieces of disconnected bones and flesh as he has been defeated. The girl is sad as her father is passing away but glad at the same time since he will finally be free of his eternal torture.
The government has different plans for the hero, though. They shock him to trigger his regenerative elements again, and he regains his form in the blink of an eye. A bigger villain has appeared, and they need his help, so he cannot die yet.
Hammerhead Anime Release Date
Hammerhead, the 8-minute short anime, was released as a part of Nihon Animator Mihonichi on July 31, 2015. It was released as one of the 35 standalone anime shorts in a collaborative series that aimed to showcase the works of various directors and studios.
The short, just like its co-releases, brought its crew to the worldwide audiences’ attention. All the short anime in the project offer cutting-edge techniques and experimental aesthetic designs.
Hammerhead Anime Studio and Crew
Hammerhead is directed by Otaro Maijo at Studio Khara. Its character design was done by Naoyuki Onda, and Yoshitaka Koyama created its music.
Otaro Maijo has worked on the scripts of Dragon Dentist, Spotless Love, and Sabikui Bisco. Art director Mahiro Maeda has worked on cult classics like One Punch Man and Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Where to Watch Hammerhead Anime?
Hammerhead is not available to watch on any official website or streaming site. Being an independent short anime, it has not been licensed by any major site for global distribution.
Hammerhead has become an often searched-for anime, and its message and animation technique were ahead of its time. Gore lovers will also adore this bite-sized anime.
So what are you waiting for? Check the short out along with the others from the 2015 expo, and comment below how you liked them!
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