[Casshern] Lower TLs and Imagination

[clementk]

Or, why lower TLs can be cool and an example of why Traveller doesn't have to be bog-standard or boring.

From this fansite take a look for ‘Spitfire Casshern’. I can't get a direct link to currently work.

It’s a Prodigy song (Spitfire) set to clips from the movie Casshern. While it’s a whacked out fun video and song it can also be used IMO as an example of what a creative GM can come up with for lower tech Traveller worlds. It doesn’t have to all be actual real world things or plodding.

While the whole movie may not fit Traveller these clips come pretty close. WWI tanks that can *roll* ahead and over, clunky robots (some with experimental fusion guns), Aeronefs right out of Jules Verne, *huge* bombers with the face of the leader as the nosecone, a big siege gun like Big Bertha on acid, and a big gearbot with missiles and yet more missiles (ok the last is really pushing it but the missiles man the missiles!). The swordfighting duo can be explained as having a combination of skill, a 7+ TL sword, grav belt (perhaps a lower TL one that isn’t perfected yet and is more useful for short bursts?), and imported slow drug. The face mask thing is part of the look of the original Casshern and IIRC there’s a helmet of sorts as well. Naturally since it obscures the eyes and hair it’s not used for long.

There are genetic / biotech aspects in the full film but I don't know enough about them and Traveller always puts most such things at the very high end of the TL scale.

HTH and as always YMMV.

Other Casshern links:
Casshern Japanese Trailer over at Apple Japan
Official Casshern website

 

[mike wightman]

Looks like an awesome film.

Reminds me a bit of Sky Captain - perhaps he was on the losing western side?

Battle scenes look straight out of W40k.

Wonder when Hollywood will remake it?

 

[clementk]

Originally posted by Sigg Oddra:
Reminds me a bit of Sky Captain - perhaps he was on the losing western side?

Battle scenes look straight out of W40k.

Wonder when Hollywood will remake it?

Casshern was released first (by months) but it is aiming for a similar blending of animation and live action. It’s set in a retro-trad post-war period.

As for WH40K comparisons that's more likely due to some similar inspirations (the World Wars, facism and militarism, Art Deco, Bauhaus, etc.) than anything else. I don't remember Aeronefs (the big spinning propeller ships) in WH40K

. While I don’t mind the comparison I don’t want to veer too far from this being useful in a Traveller game. Which isn’t saying a bit of WH40K in YTU is wrong. The gritty aspects of either WH40K or Casshern fit in well for example.

Considering the cost in Japan (I don't have an exact figure in front of me but IIRC it's close to a major US blockbuster), a remake would likely be prohibitive (most US remakes cost significantly more) at this time, esp. if it runs over-budget and time like the original did. It is a trend though.

Back to Traveller it seems to me that slow is underutilized. How have people used it (or have they used it at all?) in their campaigns?