1. STEAMBOY

2. © Steamboy Trailer (2004)

3. OVERVIEW
Our topic is "Technology and Protest", and our film is Steamboy, written and
created by Katsuhiro Otomo. This was Otomo's second blockbuster anime
style film; the first being Akria. It highlights the struggle between good and
evil when it comes to the advancement of technology. With each major step
forward in technology, there are people/governments who want it for military
power and weaponry. On the other hand, there are people who want to use it
for the betterment of humanity. In the film, the technology in question is the
Steamball. It's creators, a father and son, intended it for good, but the O'Hara
Foundation wanted to corrupt it for use as a weapon. A war ensues between
the Foundation and Britain over the Steamball, each side craving the power it
would give them. Ray, the main character and a third generation inventor,
represents the protest of technology used for power. He attempts to keep the
Steamball out of either side's greedy hands.

4. CONTRIBUTIONS
Kristin: Culture and Origin of the Story
Miranda: Storyline and Characterization
Hina: How the Major Themes Unfold
Due to a member of our group unexpectedly leaving, Miranda and Hina are
splitting the section on technical aspects.
Miranda is also in charge of putting together the Powerpoint with assistance
by Hina.

5. CULTURAL ASPECTS
By Kristin Dixson

6. FUTURISTIC
William Gibson once described Japan
as "the most inherently futuristic of all
nations” and speculated the reason for
this was the massive societal changes
Japan underwent in the nineteenth
century to catch up to the technology
of the Western powers. From this time
on Japan was effectively living in the
future and eventually became a world
leader in technological research.
Tokyo's gigantic urban sprawl looks
like a city from the future. Japan's
neon-drenched cityscapes have
influenced the look of science fiction,
most famously in Blade Runner.

7. TRADITIONAL
Japan also manages to be one of the
world's most traditional
societies. Customs and festivals
going back hundreds of years are still
observed and Japanese culture is still
influenced by the Shinto worldview
of nature as alive with spirits and
gods. The clash between the modern
world of technology and the animist
world is a central theme in many
Japanese stories.

8. POWER OF TECHNOLOGY
One of the most pervasive themes in
Japanese SF is the destructive power
of technology. The most famous of
all Japanese SF icons, Godzilla (Gojira)
is in some ways a reaction to the
nuclear bombing of Japan. Other
films contain cautionary tales of
technology's dehumanizing effect. A
recent example is Steamboy, where the
course of scientific research is
perverted by the desire to create
better weapons.

9. POST APOCALYPTIC
Post apocalyptic societies are also prevalent in
Japanese SF, notably in films and series such
as Akira, Ghost in the Shell (Koukaku Kidoutai)
and Evangelion (Shin Seiki Evangerion). Roland
Kelts' book Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop
Culture Has Invaded the U.S. charts the rise in
popularity of anime and includes a discussion
of how the atomic bombings influenced
Japanese popular culture, along with the claim
that Japan became the first post apocalyptic
society. The book goes on to speculate that
one of the reasons for the rise in popularity
of anime and manga in America is that after
9/11 Americans were better able to relate to
tales which dealt with "a sudden shift in a
mass population from the known risks and
vulnerabilities to the unknown, the abstract,
the shadowy, and the faceless—and the
imminent possibility of an apocalyptic event
on a bright sunny morning."

10. ORIGIN OF FILM
By Kristin Dixson

11. © Katsuhiro Otomo Steamboy Interview

12. STORYLINE
By Miranda Scott

13. THE STEAM BALL
Steamboy is a science fiction/action
adventure film set in Victorian England
that tells the story of the Steam family
(Doyle). During 1866, Dr. Lloyd Steam
and Dr. Edward Steam have a dream to
better all of humanity through science.
With the help of the O‟Hara Foundation,
Dr. Lloyd and Dr. Edward set out in
search of a pure source of energy and
end up finding it in a cave in Iceland.
With the use of this newfound pure
source of energy they create the “Steam
Ball”, an invention capable of powering
an entire nation (Doyle).

14. MOMENT OF INSANITY
However, Dr. Lloyd is overwhelmed
by the power of their new invention,
which drives him to insanity for a
brief moment. Dr. Edward, Dr.
Lloyd‟s son, becomes a victim of the
Steam Ball that disfigures him. Dr.
Lloyd sees the errors of his ways
through this tragic event and tries to
protect his son and the Steam Ball by
sending them to his family and
escaping the O‟Hara Foundation.

15. GRANDFATHER’S LETTER
In Manchester, England, 13-year old
mechanical genius and prodigy James
Ray Steam anxiously awaits the
return of his father (Dr. Edward)
and grandfather (Dr. Lloyd)
(Steamboy). When Ray receives the
Steam Ball in the mail, two men from
the O‟Hara Foundation arrive shortly
after. Fortunately, Ray read the letter
his grandfather sent with the Steam
Ball warning him about the O‟Hara
Foundation and to keep the Steam
Ball safe until he returns.

16. DARING ESCAPE #1
Ray does exactly as the letter states
and protects the Steam Ball by
escaping on his steam-powered
monowheel, but unfortunately the
O‟Hara Foundation is a bit more
prepared as they send their steam-
powered locomotive after Ray.
Thanks to the help of Robert
Stephenson and David his assistant,
Ray is able to escape the clutches of
the O‟Hara Foundation for a brief
moment.

17. CAPTURED
The O‟Hara Foundation soon
returns with a zeppelin that has
mechanical arms, which are used to
help kidnap Ray. Arriving in London
prior to the London Exhibition, they
arrive at the Steam Castle where Ray
meets Scarlet O‟Hara and is first
introduced by his father to the power
and capabilities of the Steam Castle;
Ray is recruited by this father to help
finish the Steam Castle without fully
knowing the intentions of it.

18. WAR MACHINE
Dr. Lloyd, who was re-captured by the
O‟Hara Foundation, is able to escape the
cell in which he was withheld in and rushes
to destroy his invention. When Dr.
Edwards discovers this, he directs his
assistants to shut off certain valves and his
son to close a hard-to-reach valve that his
assistants cannot reach. Ray discovers his
grandfather opening valves and loosening
bolts when he almost reaches the specific
valve. Confused by what his grandfather is
doing, Ray interrogates him but his
grandfather explains to him that the Steam
Castle is really nothing more than a war
machine meant to destroy mankind.

19. DARING ESCAPE #2
Now enlightened, Ray decides that
the Steam Castle and the Steam Ball
must be destroyed. He follows his
grandfather to the center of the
Steam Castle where the Steam Ball
runs the entire castle. As he watches
his grandfather begin to unlock the
Steam Ball from its prison, the
O‟Hara Foundation begins shooting
at Ray and his grandfather. Ray takes
the Steam Ball and makes a daring
escape by jumping off of the
platform and freefalling until he
catches on a wire.

20. IN THE END
Rescued by Mr. Stephenson, Ray discovers
that he has other intentions for the Steam
Ball which are similar to that of the O‟Hara
Foundation. With the beginning of the
London Exhibition, a battle soon ensues
between the O‟Hara Foundation and
Scotland Yard; Ray must find a way to re-
retrieve the ball and save his family as well
as Ms. Scarlet. Modeling off his genius, Ray
is able to construct a flying contraption that
he uses to reach the control room of the
Steam Castle. With the help of his
grandfather, father, and Ms. Scarlet, Ray is
able to steer the steam-powered castle away
from its Armageddon on London.

21. CHARACTERIZATION
By Miranda Scott

22. JAMES RAY STEAM
• Main Character
• 13 years old
• Lives in Manchester
• An inventor following the paths
of his father and grandfather.
• Has youthful idealisms and
sincerely dislikes the employment
of technology for harmful
purposes.

23. SCARLET O’HARA
• Selfish, misguided, annoyingly
spoiled yet whimsical and not
completely heartless.
• 14 years old
• Granddaughter of the chairman
of the O‟Hara Foundation
• Matures as a result of her
encounter with Ray.
• Based upon the fictional character
of the same name from the
classical novel Gone with the
Wind.

24. DR. EDWARD STEAM
• Ray‟s Father
• The accident that occurred as a result
of the development of the Steam Ball
left Edward in a state where he needed
to have machinery replace some of his
body.
• The accident also left him with severely
twisted morals, driving him to believe
that science is an expression of
mankind‟s ultimate power.
• Edwards father calls him Eddy
• He uses the Foundation and the
Exhibition as a springboard to launch
his ultimate invention: a monstrous,
flying war machine called the Steam
Castle.

25. DR. LLOYD STEAM
• Ray‟s idealistic grandfather
• The original conceiver of the
Steam Ball, which he succeeded in
developing with his son Edward.
• Lloyd wishes to use science to
help people.
• Lloyd intended the Steam Castle
to be a sort of flying amusement
park.

26. ROBERT STEPHENSON
• Edward and Lloyd Steam‟s friend
and rival
• A major player in the Industrial
Revolution
• He claims that he wishes to use
the Steam Ball for the good of
the British Empire, but exactly
how he plans to do it is
questionable.
• Possibly based upon the real-life
Robert Stephenson.

27. TECHNICAL ASPECTS
By Miranda Scott and Hina Farooq

28. STEAMPUNK
Steamboy is a steampunk kind of
film which shows the
industrialization of Europe in 19 th
century. Steampunk refers to the
genre of films which are inspired by
the steam powered machines. Film‟s
director and co-writer Katsuhiro
Otomo has shown industrialization
and its dangers. Film is a traditional
animated style and mostly dark
colors have been used. All the
machines are dark, mostly black and
very huge and complex.

29. LAYOUT
Film starts off as being very dark and dull.
In the first few minutes of film, everything
has been destroyed because of a steam
explosion except the steamball. Director
focuses on steamball after the explosion to
emphasize its importance. Very dull shades
of brown, black and grey have been used
throughout the film. Director has
beautifully shown the Victorian
setting. When steam castle takes off, it
leaves behind a layer of white fog on
everything which makes everything appear
lifeless. Ray‟s father who is villain of film is
a cyborg with one arm and eye made of
metal. A special sort of music is associated
with launch of steam castle.

30. © Making of Steamboy

31. MAJOR THEMES
By: Hina Farooq

32. TECHNOLOGY
The advancement in technology has helped
societies to progress and enter into a new
era of development. New and improved
technological inventions have made it
possible to create machinery, progress
economy and improve quality of life.
Instead of manual labor, machines are able
to do the same job more efficiently and in
less time. They help countries to grow,
expand and prosper. But these
advancements have also caused moral and
social issues like desire to gain power and
control the world. The invention of steam
ball was considered one of the greatest
inventions of nineteenth century.

33. MISUSE OF TECHNOLOGY
Any invention or technology can be
used in different ways; either for
benefitting or for harming. In this
film all the new technological
inventions are used for the sole
purpose of making money instead of
improving people‟s lives. Humans
have always been fascinated with
power to control and rule the world.
Instead of using technological
inventions like steam ball for the
betterment of humanity, they are
being used to create weapons and
armies.

34. INVENTION OF TECHNOLOGY
In Steamboy, Ray is interested in inventing steam powered machines for the
betterment of his people and country. He is fascinated with technological
progress and hopes to design something useful like his father, Dr. Edward and
grandfather, Dr. Lloyd. Ray‟s father on the other hand is busy with the O‟
Hara foundation in developing weapons and machinery to be sold to other
countries. These weapons and machineries are a passport to destruction. They
are created to destroy countries and to gain power. Ray‟s and his grandfather‟s
views are highly contrasting to his father‟s views of these technological
advancements. Ray and his grandfather openly protest against his father. They
know that these productions will only lead to destruction and will cause
devastation among people. Throughout the film we can see how Dr.Lloyd
openly protests against the weapons, arms and other steam powered machines
that his son has invented.

35. PROTESTING AGAINST MISUSE OF
TECHNOLOGY
Ray‟s father spends his entire life in inventing steam powered machinery and
succeeds in achieving his goal. But he forgets that with such a huge invention
also comes a big responsibility of truthfully using these inventions. He forgets
his responsibility and starts working with O „Hara foundation whose interest
only lies in making steam powered weapons, machines and army. They don‟t
care about the outcomes of their actions. They just want to make money out
of these machines. Ray and his grandfather are busy in trying to stop his
father from his evil motives. They have teamed up and doing their best to stop
the production of these weapons. Ray „s grandfather has been openly
protesting against his father because of his immoral actions. Despite all the
efforts, Ray‟s father finally succeeds in launching the steam castle which is the
ultimate invention.

36. GREAT INVENTION COMES WITH
A GREATER RESPONSIBILITY
This film shows that technology, its
misuse and the protest goes hand in
hand. There is always someone
responsible enough to take charge of
everything.

37. BIBLIOGRAPHY
• Broadbent, Jeffrey. Environmental Politics in Japan: Networks of Power and Protest.
Cambridge: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 1998.
• Doyle, Aidan. "Japanese Science Fiction." The Internet Review of Science Fiction. N.p., July 2008.
Web. 4 Nov. 2012. <http://irosf.com/q/zine/article/10437>.
• Doyle, Aubrey. "Filmmakers rely on the power and flexibility of Autodesk® 3ds Max®
software to create Steamboy, the epic new film from renowned Japanese writer/director
Katsuhiro Otomo." Autodesk (2005).
• Gibson, William. “The Future Perfect: How did Japan become the favored default setting for
so many cyberpunk writers?” Time, Apr. 30, 2001, vol. 157, no. 17.
• Kelts, Roland. Japanamerica: How Japanese Pop Culture Has Invaded the U.S. Palgrave Macmillan,
2006.
• Marshall, Marc and Marshall, Akemi. Steamboy. 28 November 2006. 4 November 2012
<http://animeworld.com/readerreviews/steamboy.html#plot>.
• McKean, Margaret A. Environmental Protest and Citizen Politics in Japan. London:
University of California Press, Ltd., 1981.
• Morris-Suzuki, Tessa. The Technological Transformation of Japan: From the Seventeenth to
the Twenty-first Century. Cambridge: Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge, 1994.