A new main trailer has been released for “AS ONE,” the upcoming anime film serving as a prequel to Square Enix’s sci-fi arcade game Starwing Paradox. The trailer also offers a preview of the film’s theme song, “Meguriboshi” (Wandering Star), performed by Ruki, the solo artist name of JO1 boy group member Ruki Shiroiwa, who also voices the protagonist, Yō. The film is set to premiere in Japanese theaters on August 22, 2025.
Delving into the Prequel Story
“AS ONE” is an original story set two decades prior to the events of the Starwing Paradox game. The plot centers on Yō, a high school student aspiring to be a musician whose dreams are at odds with his parents’ wishes, and who feels increasingly disconnected from his bandmates. He experiences a mysterious cry for help in his mind and is engulfed in a bright light. Concurrently, on the distant planet Meguriboshi, a robot mechanic named Rako falls into a coma while addressing a large piece of space debris and makes contact with Yō in his consciousness. This connection unfolds against the backdrop of an uneasy truce between two warring nations on Meguriboshi, who have been in conflict over energy resources.
Director Kobun Shizuno, known for his work on several Detective Conan films, has indicated that Yō’s melody is central to the narrative, and its resonance across time will unveil long-hidden truths about the “Realide” system, the origin of “Aerial” mechs, and the deep connection between Meguriboshi and Earth, providing context for the game’s lore.
Key Staff and Cast
The film boasts a strong creative team. Kobun Shizuno directs, while Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, celebrated for his character designs in Neon Genesis Evangelion and Summer Wars, returns to design the characters, as he did for the original game. The mechanical designs are handled by Ippei Gyōbu. Shatner Nishida, Kana Matsui, and Masaya Honda are credited with writing the screenplay.
In terms of voice talent, Ruki Shiroiwa of JO1 takes on the lead role of Yō. Haruka Shiraishi voices Rako, the robot mechanic. Other cast members include Shunsuke Takeuchi as Vigo, Yōko Hikasa as Kizana (a researcher vital to the story), and Ryūhei Maruyama as Rurowa, Rako’s father.
Connecting to the Starwing Paradox Game
The Starwing Paradox arcade game, developed by BYKING and Square Enix with animation by Sunrise, launched in Japanese arcades in November 2018. It featured 8v8 high-speed mecha battles using “Air Real” mechs, controlled from an immersive cockpit-style cabinet designed to synchronize movement with in-game actions. The game’s story revolved around humans from Earth remotely piloting mechs in a conflict between two alien countries on the planet Meguriboshi, fighting over an energy resource called “Hoshinochi” (Star Blood). Despite its innovative gameplay, the game’s online services were terminated in October 2021, effectively shutting down the multiplayer functionality and leaving only a limited offline demo mode. The decision to release a prequel film after the game’s servers have been offline has been noted by some as unusual.
The film “AS ONE” is produced by Nada Holdings and Throne, animated by Honoo and Studio Gooneys, and will be distributed in Japanese theaters by Gaga.
