I was one of the lucky American movie goers to who got to see THE SKY CRAWLERS (スカイ・クロラ) in its very limited US release at the end of 2008. Lucky you now, it’s finally going to be available everywhere in the US when Sony Pictures Home Entertainment releases the DVD next week on May 26.

A lot of people thought Mamoru Oshii’s latest film would be an action packed aerial dogfight film, and yes, the homage to the fighter pilots of World Wars past is incredibly executed. But this is a thinking person’s anime and THE SKY CRAWLERS continues the themes of Oshii’s previous works GHOST IN THE SHELL and GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNOCENCE. I’m not a philosophy grad student but I think the word is existentialism. Beautiful existentialism to be exact.

THE SKY CRAWLERS is based on a Japanese manga series by Hiroshi Mori. The five book saga was first released back in 2001 and stands the test of time very well. THE SKY CRAWLERS is set in an alternate future (or past) where languages and cultures overlap, future and past technologies co-exist, and war and sport play together. The story is a slow unraveling thriller as pilot Yuuichi Kannami learns the truth about who and what he is. Acclaimed Japanese actors Ryo Kase and Rinko Kikuchi supply the voices of Yuuichi and Suito Kusanagi respectively.

I know a lot of you have been watching the Chinese subtitled bootleg (Yes, admit it!) and gotten totally lost watching the movie. Why? Because the bootleg subtitles are not good. I highly recommend watching the official release of THE SKY CRAWLERS with correct subtitles. For those with big TV’s like Ningin’s Danny Truong (Mr. 61″ screen), THE SKY CRAWLERS is also out on Blu-Ray disc. Sweet!