ABS-CBN's ROUNIN

It started with a long time fascination. Creator Philipp King who has brainstormed for Crazy for You, and has written for Komiks, Love Spell and ASAP shares "Guilty Pleasure ko yung mga anime kasi i like the way they tell stories, the look, yung pagiging action packed, makulay at saka out of this world talaga."

He pitched the idea of an anime inspired teleserye to created manager Rondell Lindayag and ABS-CBN Business Unit Head Deo Endrinal who both agreed that the concept had real possibilities. "Na-approve tapos dire-diretso na and then we noticed na yung level ng special effects, the way we were writing it, we thought na baka hindi namin mapanindigan. Naging line production sya nila Direk Erik Matti, Don Don Monteverde, Reality Pictures and Larger than Life."

"Rounin" or "Ronin" is the japanese term for "masterless warrior." "Sa Japan, nung time ng mga warlords, may in-assasinate na isang warlord tapos yung 12 samurais niya pinaghiganti yung master nila, sumugod sila sa castle ng kalaban tapos ang dami nila napatay pero nahuli sila in the end. Sila lang yung grupong pinayagang mag-harakiri (honorable death by suicide). Iisipin mo masama siya dahil masterless warrior pero very honorable actually kasi they did everything for their master."

In the series, an elite team of warriors (Luis Manzano, Angelica Panganiban, Nikki Gil, Jhong Hilario and Rafael Rosell) are tasked to protect the city of Lumeria againts the city of Helion, the city of death. Each Rounin specializes in a certain martial art and is commanded by a master rounin, the ruler of Lumeria (Diether Ocampo). As the Story goes along, when the need for new rounin arises, ang papalit ay sina Rayver Cruz and Joross Gamboa". Who's going to die among the five original warriors? "Spoiler pag ni-reveal ko!" King smiles.

The show will come out on the second quarter of 2007. Production deliberately took its time, making sure that the preparations that went into the project won't go to waste. Then the forces of nature had a hand in the project, causing its delays. "Technically, nauna pa ito kaysa sa Komiks eh. Tapos diba remember we had a series of storms? May isang instance na they were supposed to destroy the set for an important scene but the day before bumagyo kaya kailangan nila i-rebuild yung set para sirain lang ulit."

King describes the special effects as "ASTIG". "Parang pag naglalaro ka ng computer, pag sinuntok yung lupa, tatalsik talaga. O kaya habang nag-aaway tayo, magiging amber yung kamay ko, hanggang sa lumabas yung apoy talaga. Hindi siya yung parang simpleng magic lang. It is akin to ones seen in Final Fantasy while recalling some of the tricks employed in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. "May scenes na may pagka crouching tiger, yung isa lumilipad sila sa ere, espadahan sila. May isang eksena naman na maghahalikan lang yung dalawang tao (Luis and Angelica), tumalon pa sila sa ere tapos para silang helicopter na bababa sa lupa"

No Expense was spared. a cement factory in Taytay was transformed into one huge studio and the services of Hong Kong fight instructor Phillip Ko were secured. What they tried to create was virtually an entire world with its own physical rules and way of life. "Hindi siya Pilipinas, Hindi siya sa earth, may sarili silang kultura, iba yung way nila ng pagdarasal, iba yung writings nila, although not necessarily yung linguwahe".

It also helped considerably that the cast was equally enthusiastic. "They train talaga. Si Melissa Ricks ang galing, si Luis kickboxer talaga, Si Rafael, Si Jhong, mga dancer diba? Minsan hindi na sila nagdo-double when they fight" Angelica Panganiban in particular is grateful for being cast in Rounin. "Na-inspire akong mag wu-shu. Sobrang effective way to lose weight."

At the center of the series is a touching love story - make that a series of love triangles. King is confident that they'll be able to tap a wide audience with Rounin. "Basic core ng viewership natin mga babae eh. Bonus na yun if you could draw in mga bata, mga lalake. there's fighting scenes. Saka ang hilig ng pinoy sa anime!"