Neo Yokio Trailer: Netflix’s Anime Series From Ezra Koenig
What a time to be alive.
Netflix just dropped the trailer for an anime original series from Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig starring Jaden Smith, Steve Buscemi, Jude Law, Susan Sarandon, Desus and Mero, Jason Schwartzman, and Tavi Gevinson, amongst others.
From the looks of the trailer, this is part-satire, part homage (a la Hot Fuzz), a series that aims to send-up many of anime’s most ubiquitous tropes, while also paying tribute to them.
Neo Yokio, a play off of the “New Tokyo” setting in anime classic Akira, is “a postmodern collage of homages to classic anime, English literature and modern New York fashion and culture.” It follows the adventures of Jaden Smith’s Kaz Kaan, a broken-hearted, pink-haired demon slayer who cares more about shopping, sports, and relationships than the demon-slaying legacy of his family.
Susan Sarandon voices Kaz’s Aunt Agatha, while Jude Law lends his dulcet tones to Kaz’s mecha-butler Charles. Jason Schwartzman voices Arcangelo Corelli, Kaz’s main competition for the title of Neo Yokio’s most eligible bachelor. Tavi Gevinson plays ex-fashion blogger Helena St. Tessero.
Koenig wrote the series alongside Nick Weidenfeld, with Japanese anime studios Production IG and Studio Deen as creative partners.
Check out the trailer…
Here’s the official press release via Netflix:
From creator, writer and executive producer Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend), writer/executive producer Nick Weidenfeld and his Friends Night banner, Neo Yokio is a new animated series starring the voice talents of Jaden Smith, Susan Sarandon, Jude Law, Tavi Gevinso, Jason Schwartzman, and Desus & Mero, along with Richard Ayoade, Ike Barinholtz, Steve Buscemi, Alexa Chung, Stephen Fry, Katy Mixon, Annet Mahendru, Kiernan Shipka, Willow Smith and Amanda Stenberg. A collaboration with Japanese anime studios Production IG and Studio Deen, along with MOI, the Seoul-based animation studio, the series is a postmodern collage of homages to classic anime, English literature and modern New York fashion and culture. Storyboard artists for the series include Kazuhiro Furuhashi (Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn, Hunter x Hunter, Rurouni Kenshin) and Junji Nishimura (Ranma 1/2, Urusei Yatsura, Pro Golfer Saru).
Neo Yokio will be available for streaming on Netflix starting September 22.