Robu
A Hero's Journey to Tokyo
The award-winning film took viewers on a mythical quest into the world of Japanese manga. Created and directed by Portal A's Kai Hasson and produced by our very own Elyse Preiss.
The Idea
The inspiration for the film was Kai's childhood experience in Tokyo with his mother, wandering the city searching for bookstores and falling in love with Japanese manga. Robu brings together Tokyo nostalgia...with a pinch of Spirited Away and a dash of Indiana Jones.
The Production
Shot entirely in Japan with a cast and crew hailing from around the world, the film stars Emmy-award winner Jharrel Jerome (Moonlight) and acclaimed Japanese actor, Kazuki Kitamura. The music was composed by Steve Reidell of Hood Internet and the manga artist was the renowned Kikuo Ota.
The Reception
Robu was an official selection at the Austin Film Festival and Napa Film Festival, and was awarded Best Film at Tokyo’s ShortShorts film festival. Robu premiered on DUST, the leading distributor of sci fi content, and was viewed over 200,000 times online with over 99% positive sentiment.
