Wed 7 Sep 2011 | 05:39
Rugby World Cup - The Arena Test

15
Comments

The count down is well and truly on, as it's just a matter of days before RWC 2011 kicks off. The twittersphere and everywhere else, online and off, is hotting up big time as everyone gears up for 2 months of rugby bliss. Here's something different to the norm, submitted earlier today by the guys who made it.

You may not be a Manga fan, and you quite possibly don't even know what Manga is. Fear not though as all you need to do is watch as you're taken on a rugby journey through some unbelievable animation and motion graphics that tell a story, featuring well known rugby players as they battle it out.

It's made by brothers Michel and Nicolas Arribehaute, who had just 4 months to put everything together after starting with a blank canvas. The result is pretty incredible. Even if it's not your scene, there's no doubting the time, effort, and skill that went into making it.

Have a watch. It's something different and after we first tweeted and spread Graham Love's Lego RWC video - which proved to be a massive viral hit - it's probably worth doing the same with this, to see the response.

Leave a comment below if you enjoyed it, and feel free to share with your friends.

15 Comments

  • brookmcg
    2:49 PM 09/09/2011

    I understood that this was an advertisement for Nike, but players like AAC are not sponsored by Nike. But my broad selection was in a perfect world where the faces of the game were animated, in a sense a more complete representation, but cheers for the reply.

  • mise
    2:14 AM 09/09/2011

    well put together. mad that NIKE aren't involved.

  • 10:31 PM 08/09/2011

    it's because they needed Nike Athletes, almost all of the players you mentioned are Adidas assets

  • sjflaher
    5:46 PM 08/09/2011

    Love the nod to Harinordoquy's face mask from the H Cup semi final last year!

  • onulf
    3:19 PM 08/09/2011

    great effort but pretty ugly result, but then what do i know.

  • tullowtank
    2:18 PM 08/09/2011

    Not for me at all but can appreciate the time, effort and skill needed to create something like this. Would much rather see actual rugby on here but a little bit of variety cant hurt too much.

  • natural7
    11:59 AM 08/09/2011

    Yeah, it's not subtle - it's a nike advert...

  • rugbydump
    9:18 AM 08/09/2011

    Nike actually haven't picked up on it, yet. They probably won't as it wasn't officially commissioned. I chatted to Michel last night and he says they were hoping they would, but it hasn't happened yet. They did like the result though, and there's interest from the US for other projects apparently.

  • donkeyballs4000
    2:48 AM 08/09/2011

    Nike Nike Nike Nike Nike Nike Nike Nike Nike Nike Nike Nike Nike Nike

  • stefan
    2:27 AM 08/09/2011

    Oh well, I guess I can't love every single post on here! Was a bit odd IMHO. Nike's marketing budget clearly has a few bob to spare and an employee with a guilty pleasure...

  • brookmcg
    1:24 AM 08/09/2011

    Very nice indeed incorporating the ridiculousness of manga(anime for some) with rugby and using actual players is awesome indeed. I honestly do not care by the choice in players, as long as the players chosen are of international calibre and quality. But awesome effort and frankly nice choice of players, although as a Kiwi I am a bit surprised that no AB's are even animated for this. But I would say that having some players like Tana Umaga, Jerry Collins, Chabal, Lomu, Gregan, Spencer and some other lively characters to be animated in anime (or manga if you prefer) fashion.

  • 11:25 PM 07/09/2011

    Great no "First!" clowns on the forum! Whu huu! Guess I can change my name now!

    Great effort by the geeks here but I imagine they were quite well funded for the not so subtle Nike placements!

    Not really my scene though, maybe I'm just too old!

  • jackson
    10:48 PM 07/09/2011

    weird...

  • colmcg
    9:48 PM 07/09/2011

    This is epic. If it didn't end with Ashton it would have been perfect.

  • eggman
    9:40 PM 07/09/2011

    Haha this is awesome. Slightly different/weird but awesome