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Watch the ambiguous trailer for the new steampunk series Riese
After watching the trailer for Riese, we're not entirely sure what this new Web series is about. There are two semi-evil-looking people who seem to be hunting a kind of cute woman with a kind of cute wolf-dog creature. And they're all dressed like they're at a steampunk convention, which we know because there are a lot of goggles involved. Beyond that, we had to go to the Web site.
That's where things got more interesting. It features some actors you've probably seen and liked in various TV shows: Christine Chatelain (Sanctuary, Supernatural, The Collector, The L Word), Ben Cotton (Harper's Island, Stargate Atlantis, Stan Helsing), Sharon Taylor (Stargate Atlantis, Alice and Huck) and Patrick Gilmore (Stargate Universe, Battlestar Galactica, Intelligence). And we found out more about the plot:
"Riese, a seemingly random wanderer, is being hunted by a terrifying religious cult, The Sect. Traveling from nation to nation for years, she is accompanied only by a wolf, Fenrir. Together they must evade the assassins sent by the Sect—who'll stop at nothing to complete the task they failed to achieve many years ago."Her past is shrouded in mystery, as even Riese can't recall the events of the tragic night when her entire family was slaughtered and she was forced to flee into the wilderness. On her journey, she'll piece together her past, and her destiny, in a conflict that will hold the fate of the world in the balance—and the once peaceful kingdom of Eleysia will be the battlefield."
OK, sounds kind of interesting. It debuts this fall on their Web site and on YouTube (we're guessing).
By Methos at 8:08 PM ON 09/23/09
How the hell is that Steam punk? That term is too loosely used. Steam boy I would call steam punk, but you could also say Wild Wild West was Steam punk too. That kind of makes it less cool when you phrase it like that. I honestly think the term should be limited to anime. And everything dose not have to include the word punk to it's genera. I mean people were calling 9 Stitch punk, what the hell? Just by adding the word punk to it dose not make it cool.
By Guardian at 9:00 PM ON 09/23/09
I agree, Methos--and it's not just this particular genre that gets a label that may well be inappropriately applied. These days people can't seem to resist labeling nearly everything, and in their haste, usually very poorly chosen labels--and all in the name of "cool", as you say.
I wonder if there is a label for people who purposely change the order of lettering in some words? (ie: teh in place of the). Maybe Grammar Punk? ( sorry Methos! :| )
Sometimes trying to be cool is just, well, not.
By FelixCat at 9:24 PM ON 09/23/09
I fail to see how it's not steampunk, or at least as they say steampunk inspired. Honestly, to me aesthetically it appears very steampunk, especially in regards to the costumes - yes, beyond the goggles as well. And, honestly, that term is thrown around so much that I don't even think most people really know what it means. All in all, I think it's a cool looking show that I'll watch.
By umbran at 9:49 PM ON 09/23/09
Limit the term to anime? Dude, there's dozens of written works in the genre that predate the movie, and many since.
The photo stills on the site show some steampunk style in the accessories, but they seem to have abandoned the Victorian base, in favor of... black. A shame, that.
By Newflint at 9:55 PM ON 09/23/09
I don't blame them for 'upgrading' the visuals a bit. No offense to steampunk enthusiasts, but I can't stand the Victorian style. Not sure if it matters, but they always say 'steampunk-inspired'. Guess they acknowledge they're not full steampunk.
Seriously though, I'm just impressed by the production quality for a web series. That's some good looking stuff.
By K at 11:04 AM ON 09/24/09
As they say on their website the show is steampunk-inspired, so there will be variations that the creators are allowed to take.
Looks great. I'll watch.
By MBrown at 11:17 AM ON 09/24/09
FYI- the term steampunk was coined by J.K. Jeter, and the first steampunk work was his "Morlock Night", published in 1979.
I saw a recent article (within the last month) that mentions the 'new genre' called steampunk. Huh. 30 years old is new???
By Cait at 2:59 AM ON 10/11/09
By punkthis at 7:01 PM ON 11/06/09
To break it down... the first part of the phrase refers to the setting...steam = circa 1880's, the time when steam was widely used as a source of energy; cyber = circa near future, AI, cybernetics, etc; gothic = usually a darker, more devious setting. Punk simply means "anarchistic" or dystopian. Punks desired anarchy so to refer to a world as "???Punk" would mean just that. Hope that helps.
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punkthis:
To break it down... the first part of the phrase refers to the setting...steam = circa 1880's, the time when steam ...More »