REFLECTIVE MUSE PRESENTS
AN ERIC CUMMINGS & RICH LAUVER PRODUCTION
PLOT SYNOPSIS
MAIN CHARACTERS
SCREEN CAPTURES
VIDEO TRAILER
CREDITS
In the Earth's distant future a cataclysm of epic proportions is developing. The Sun is beginning to collapse upon itself, and scientists determine that it will soon transform itself into a black hole which will destroy the planet. Faced with this inevitable disaster, the world's leaders decide that the only course of action is to create a new, artificial environment for the Earth's remaining inhabitants, in the form of a vast spaceship located beyond the orbit of Saturn, which creates the illusion of life as usual on Earth. The planet's population, led to believe that the Sun is merely undergoing some temporary instability, is soon transferred to this new home without their knowledge.
Their new environment duplicates the former planet Earth to such an extent that no one even notices the difference in their everyday lives. The spaceship derives its power from the black hole created by the Sun's demise with the help of an extremely rare crystal called ofarimite, and is controlled by a benevolent entity known as ASET - a supercomputer under the control of a bio-neural interface with its creator.
Other forces in the Universe are at work, too. An evil conqueror race, known as the Traxon, whose empire originates on the other side of the black hole, want to gain control over the limited supply of ofarimite crystals for their own purposes, and will stop at nothing in their quest. They surreptitiously implant a neural-electronic virus into the ASET system which disrupts its control over the artificial environment, creating wild and unpredictable shifts in the perceived reality of the spaceship's inhabitants.
Tristan Hikari, the grandson of ASET's creator, and a college student who can't make ends meet, becomes the unwitting and unwilling pawn in the government's plan to counter the impending Traxon invasion. Summoned to the family estate of his friend Noah Highthorne one day, he has a bizarre encounter at the gravesite of Noah's younger brother Zac, mysteriously killed in a recent accident. A strange power emanates from Zac's grave into Tristan and suddenly reality shatters for the first of many times, propelling Tristan and Noah into a series of adventures, and Tristan's personal quest to determine...
"What is the QUESTION?"
A complex science fiction fantasy adventure conceived and animated by Eric Cummings, with a lush and dramatic orchestral score created by Rich Lauver, QUESTION is destined to delight anime fans everywhere.
TRISTAN HIKARI
Age: 18 years
Height: 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm)
Weight: 120 pounds (54 kg)
Blood type: A
Likes: Cool clothes (when available), his motorcycle, his apartment in the city, Noah Highthorne, studies in the paranormal.
Dislikes: Conflict, confusion, betrayal.Tristan Hikari is the reluctant hero of our story. The grandson of Dr. Declan Hikari, he is one of the Earth's former inhabitants who was transferred without his knowledge to the Quest-Ion biosphere prior to the Sun's demise, and is unaware that he is no longer living on the Earth. He has been a college student, but recently had to drop out due to lack of finances. He has also been a longtime friend of Noah Highthorne, and there is a strong suggestion that he and Noah may have been romantically involved. Embedded in his right palm is a mysterious bio-implant of some sort which his father told him that he would someday understand the meaning of.
NOAH HIGHTHORNE
Age: 21 years
Height: 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm)
Weight: 165 pounds (75 kg)
Blood type: AB
Likes: Cashmere sweaters and silk trousers, taking care of his family's lavish estate, Tristan Hikari, the accoutrements of wealth.
Dislikes: General Raytek, deception and deceit - especially as he is forced to practice these traits to protect his family.Noah Highthorne is the only living son of a very wealthy and influential family, since his younger brother Zac was killed in a recent accident. His family has been seized by the Keepers of The Truth - the government organization charged with developing and maintaining the cloak of secrecy over the Quest-Ion and its inhabitants - in an effort to get to Tristan Hikari through Noah's longstanding relationship with him. His loyalties are torn between protecting his family, and his love of Tristan, both of which are equally important to him.
GENERAL ARTUS RAYTEK
Age: 1276 years
Height: 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm)
Weight: 210 pounds (95 kg)
Blood type: O
Likes: Power, political and military influence, fanciful uniforms, young boys, sudoku.
Dislikes: Ineptitude, indecision, indigestion.General Artus Raytek was tasked with commanding the military forces of the Earth's remaining inhabitants in their transfer from Earth to the Quest-Ion, and was instrumental in the seizure of Noah Highthorne's family in order to get Tristan Hikari involved in the attempt to corner the Traxon Empire's forces. At first a benevolent general with the best interests of the Earth's inhabitants in his heart, his desire for a greater stake in the outcome of the conflict between the Earth's forces and those of the Traxon Empire overcome his nature. He is compromised during the attack on the town of Kessho Gulch and becomes an evil force allied with the Traxon, bent upon destroying the Quest-Ion.
ZAC HIGHTHORNE
Age: 14 years (at death)
Height: 5 feet 2 inches (157 cm)
Weight: 105 pounds (48 kg)
Blood type: AB
Likes: His big brother Noah and his friend Tristan, and his nameless pink bunny stuffed toy.
Dislikes: Being dead - he can't quite get there because he has an important role still to play.Zac Highthorne was the younger brother of Noah Highthorne, and was killed mysteriously in a recent accident and buried in the backyard on the Highthorne family's estate. It is at his gravesite that Tristan and Noah first encounter the strange force that propels them onto a series of adventures which shatter reality and sensibilities. Zac is somehow the judge of Tristan's worthiness to save humanity.
GREYTALON
Age: 76 years
Height: 6 feet 0 inches (183 cm)
Weight: 210 pounds (95 kg)
Blood type: O
Likes: His people's heritage, destiny, honor, and justice; being kind to and understanding of strangers.
Dislikes: Contact with those outside his own tribe unless necessary.Greytalon is the pure and wise shaman of the desert where Tristan has unexpectedly arrived, who does his best to protect and help him in his short stay, guiding him on his way not only physically, but spiritually, as well. It is Greytalon who suggests that Tristan might be the "Hogosha" suggested by his people's legend as a great warrior, and who shows Tristan a cave where he has another encounter with the spiritual forces that will define Tristan's destiny as a prophet to save humanity.
WHITECLAW
Age: 18 years
Height: 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm)
Weight: 130 pounds (59 kg)
Blood type: O
Likes: His friend, the eagle "Washii"; hunting, his grandfather Greytalon, his people's heritage and the land they inhabit.
Dislikes: Washii's claws in his arm when he hasn't flied them down recently, and his grandfather's cooking.Whiteclaw is the gentle grandson of Greytalon, and the two of them live together in the high desert plain where Whiteclaw's friend Washii discovered Tristan in the wilderness and alerted Whiteclaw to rescue him. Whiteclaw is very much a younger version of his grandfather in spirit, attuned to nature, and given to helping anyone in need. His affinity to Tristan is obvious due to their similarity in age, but he does not betray his people's desire for isolation. Instead, he helps Tristan along on his way, understanding, like his grandfather, that Tristan might be the chosen one of his people's legend.
ASET
Age: 1049 years
Height: Variable
Weight: Variable
Blood type: Neo-euclidic cadmium-barium colloidal alloys in suspended high-energy micro-plasma
Likes: Peace and tranquility, chess games in 128 dimensions.
Dislikes: The Traxon Empire's advances, public speaking, females (any).ASET (Autonomous Synchronous Energy Transfer) is the bio-neural supercomputer which controls the operations of the Quest-Ion and its environment. Dr. Declan Hikari, the grandfather of Tristan Hikari, invented the system and interfaced his biological body with it, creating the ASET system.
DOCTOR MALAKAR
Age: 582 years
Height: 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm)
Weight: 125 pounds (57 kg)
Blood type: AB
Likes: Padded shoulder polyester suit coats, dark glasses, computer worms, General Raytek.
Dislikes: Colorful neckties, cotton fabrics, masturbation.Dr. Malakar is a genius among the dweebs of the Keepers of The Truth. He is the Bill Gates of the Quest-Ion, without the untold wealth, keeping systems running just well enough to keep running, but no better than that, and not without his constant complaining and doubts that anything will actually work. He is not responsible no matter what happens, and then, even if he is responsible, he'll find someone else to pin the blame upon. On top of that, he has the most damningly annoying voice of anyone, anytime, anywhere.
PRESIDENT GARRETT
Age: 812 years
Height: 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm)
Weight: 185 pounds (84 kg)
Blood type: O
Likes: Oakley sunglasses, Armani sweaters, oysters Rockefeller.
Dislikes: Shaving, making eye contact, space travel.Gruff and somewhat grungy, but always to the point, President Garrett has the best interests of the Earth's peoples at heart. As the Chairman of the Keepers of The Truth - the only ones who really know what is happening - he maintains the facade of authority, despite the fact that reality both real and perceived has somehow gotten beyond his grasp.
GENERAL ARTUS RAYTEK (CLONE)
Age: Newly hatched (seems to be about 18 years)
Height: 5 feet 6 inches (168 cm)
Weight: 130 pounds (59 kg)
Blood type: O
Likes: Revealing uniforms with somewhat kinky accoutrements, being in control, power, stability, sushi.
Dislikes: The Traxon Empire and anything to do with them, though he will crush them like the bugs that they are.Talk about hitting the ground running, Dr. Malakar and ASET didn't even give the new General Raytek so much as a bathrobe to wear after he emerged from the gooey clone slime before they started grilling him on his mission. But young General Raytek took it all in stride, because his mission is to save humanity, after all, and you can't worry about wardrobe when you're tasked with a mission like that. He did eventually pick out some pretty sexy garb in which to outfit himself, but I wouldn't make fun of him because he can probably have you destroyed.
These are actual video screen captures from the QUESTION anime. Click on the thumbnails to see larger view.
Coming soon...
REFLECTIVE MUSE presents
An ERIC CUMMINGS & RICH LAUVER ProductionQ U E S T I O N
Concept and screenplay by Eric Cummings
Music by Rich Lauver
Character voices:
Eric Cummings:
Tristan Hikari
Robot butler
Zac Highthorne
Whiteclaw
ASET
Doctor Malakar
President Garrett
Agent Graft
Doctor Lorstrom
Declan Hikari
Miscellaneous extrasRich Lauver:
Noah Highthorne
General Artus Raytek
Greytalon
Angus Benson
Dark Raytek
Young Raytek CloneCharacter design by Eric Cummings,
with contributions from the artists at:Daz3D.com and Renderosity.com
Animation by Eric Cummings realized with:
Daz Studio
Daz Bryce
E-Frontier PoserMusic by Rich Lauver realized with:
Cakewalk Sonar 6 Studio
Miroslav Philharmonik
East West Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra
Arturia Moog Modular V Synthesizer
Yamaha P200 Digital Piano
Rickenbacker and Ovation Guitars
Sonic Implants SoundfontsFoley artist:
Eric Cummings
Final music and sound mixing:
Rich Lauver
DVD mastering:
Rich Lauver
Original soundtrack score recording by Rich Lauver available on Apple iTunes stores in the US, Canada, EU, Japan, and Australia.
Buy the soundtrack now from iTunes:
Copyright © 2007 by Eric Cummings and Rich Lauver. All rights reserved.
WARNING: Federal law provides severe criminal and civil penalties for the unauthorized reproduction, retransmission, or exhibition of this copyrighted motion picture.
Made in U.S.A.
This motion picture is not rated.
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Copyright © 2009 by Rich Lauver - Baltimore - Maryland - USA