Murphy's Irish Stout: Last Orders

This commercial film was commissioned by the famous Ireland-based Murphy's Brewery to promote their Irish Stout. Founded in 1865 in the city of Cork, Murphy's Brewery is said to be the greatest competitor of Guinnes. The British AD agency Nexus Productions expressly asked I.G for a Ghost in the Shell flavour, as Oshii's groundbreaking movie had just been released in the UK creating great sensation around Japanese animation. I.G mustered a dream team that would be unthinkable (and unfeasible) today: Hiroyuki Kitakubo (Blood: The Last Vampire) as helmer, Kazuchika Kise (Ghost in the Shell, Innocence) as character designer and animation supervisor, and Hiromasa Ogura (Jin-Roh) in charge of the background art. The 60-second film features six fierce samurai who rush through a post-futuristic megalopolis using the most unpredictable means of transport (including a kite!) as to make it on time for the last order at their favourite pub. As the first anime style commercial film ever aired in the UK, Last Orders attracted much attention, and was presented by the local press as "the new Murphy's commercial made by the creators of Ghost in the Shell."