Tolkien’s enduring masterwork of high fantasy gets another source of life in this anime epic, exploring the wars and people that made the kingdom of Rohan.

183 years before the One Ring reemerged, ageing king Helm Hammerhand finds his country in danger when he rejects a marriage alliance, leaving a rival lord dead and his son seeking revenge. As the kingdom quickly falls under siege, Helm’s warrior daughter Héra steps up to defend it, creating a war that reshapes Middle-Earth. Working with the film’s writer Philippa Boyens, veteran director Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) expands on the rich medieval history in Tolkien’s appendices. Combining them with a strong English-language cast with his vivid colours, animation, and Ghibli-esque creative vision, he makes that world seem deeper, wider, and more exciting than ever.