Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalIMDb TIFF Portrait StudioHispanic Heritage MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

King of Thorn

Original title: Ibara no O
  • 2009
  • TV-MA
  • 2h
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
3.1K
YOUR RATING
Eri Sendai and Kana Hanazawa in King of Thorn (2009)
A virus begins to grip the Earth's population and a group of hopeful survivors are cryogenically frozen in attempt to find a cure. But when the group awakens they are flung into a horrifying situation.
Play trailer1:44
1 Video
99+ Photos
AnimeHand-Drawn AnimationAdventureAnimationHorrorMysterySci-FiThriller

A virus begins to grip the Earth's population and a group of hopeful survivors are cryogenically frozen in attempt to find a cure. But when the group awakens they are flung into a horrifying... Read allA virus begins to grip the Earth's population and a group of hopeful survivors are cryogenically frozen in attempt to find a cure. But when the group awakens they are flung into a horrifying situation.A virus begins to grip the Earth's population and a group of hopeful survivors are cryogenically frozen in attempt to find a cure. But when the group awakens they are flung into a horrifying situation.

  • Director
    • Kazuyoshi Katayama
  • Writers
    • Yûji Iwahara
    • Kazuyoshi Katayama
    • Hiroshi Yamaguchi
  • Stars
    • Kana Hanazawa
    • Toshiyuki Morikawa
    • Eri Sendai
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.3/10
    3.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Kazuyoshi Katayama
    • Writers
      • Yûji Iwahara
      • Kazuyoshi Katayama
      • Hiroshi Yamaguchi
    • Stars
      • Kana Hanazawa
      • Toshiyuki Morikawa
      • Eri Sendai
    • 21User reviews
    • 21Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win & 2 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:44
    Trailer

    Photos129

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 125
    View Poster

    Top cast63

    Edit
    Kana Hanazawa
    Kana Hanazawa
    • Kasumi Ishiki
    • (voice)
    Toshiyuki Morikawa
    Toshiyuki Morikawa
    • Marco
    • (voice)
    Eri Sendai
    • Shizuku Ishiki
    • (voice)
    Sayaka Ôhara
    • Katherine Turner
    • (voice)
    Akiko Yajima
    Akiko Yajima
    • Tim
    • (voice)
    Kenji Nomura
    • Ron Portman
    • (voice)
    Shin'ichirô Miki
    Shin'ichirô Miki
    • Peter
    • (voice)
    Kôsei Hirota
    • Alexandro Pecchino
    • (voice)
    Ayako Kawasumi
    Ayako Kawasumi
    • Laura Owen
    • (voice)
    Misaki Kuno
    • Alice Roznovski
    • (voice)
    Yoshinori Fujita
    • Walter
    • (voice)
    Tsutomu Isobe
    • Ivan Coral Vega
    • (voice)
    Patrick Seitz
    Patrick Seitz
    • Marco
    • (English version)
    • (voice)
    Brina Palencia
    Brina Palencia
    • Kasumi
    • (English version)
    • (voice)
    Stephanie Young
    Stephanie Young
    • Katherine Turner
    • (English version)
    • (voice)
    John Swasey
    John Swasey
    • Ivan
    • (English version)
    • (voice)
    Alexis Tipton
    Alexis Tipton
    • Shizuki
    • (English version)
    • (voice)
    Bob Carter
    • Ron Portman
    • (English version)
    • (voice)
    • Director
      • Kazuyoshi Katayama
    • Writers
      • Yûji Iwahara
      • Kazuyoshi Katayama
      • Hiroshi Yamaguchi
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews21

    6.33K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    9mishaa7

    There is no God . There are only evil fairies .

    December 2012 . Starting mass panic in the world. People in all the cities of the world are dying of unexplained illness , turning into stone statues . The virus affects all humanity scientists call the term " Medusa " or the abbreviation AC I. D. - Acquired hardened cells. UN declares state of emergency .

    At the same time a leading corporation in the field of chemistry «Venus Gate» offers its residents a panacea Earth. Their project " cryogenic sleep ," the essence of which is to put a few dozen people in the capsule for long-term sleep - can save humanity . Venue experiment underground laboratory hidden under the old castle . Among the elected girl Kasumi and arrived with her in order to hold it before a long sleep , her sister Sadzuki . They lost their parents during World disease , but because they are given a parting hard. Their personal nobody knows the history of relations largely affect the further course of events . The experiment takes place and after some time the participants wake up to find himself surrounded by monsters.

    In the animated anime film " King of Thorn " the authors with amazing fantasy story beat tale " Sleeping Beauty" in the scenery postapocaliptic horror. In the center of the story a few survivors of the experiment. Once alone in the battle with the monstrous creatures , they try to find a way out of the past and find out the reasons of the accident. All laboratory facilities , including an ancient castle itself , orgy spiny tentacles plants , and someone upstairs in the castle tower , watching them , controlling their every move .

    The gloomy atmosphere and a dizzying events well keep the viewer in suspense . The film did not reduce the pace , throwing up new heroes of this anime encounters with monsters and unexpected plot twists . Bored while watching you just do not have .

    Characters from the authors went out interesting and memorable . Boy Tim, who constantly compares all monsters and all that happens to a computer game . Catherine Tan experiencing maternal feelings for him . Mysterious and picturesque ( not only his character , but also tattooed body ) male Marco Owen .

    Do not hesitate , if you should watch the movie "King of Thorn " or not. This is a good intense mystical horror , dynamic fighter and touching drama , imaginatively something in common citations and happening on the screen with many favorite fairy tale. It is unusual , original, witty and not boring.
    4blackmoonrose

    Good start bad end.

    I read the original manga to this and was looking forward dearly to experiencing it again in the form of animation but was quickly disappointed by the many inconsistencies and differences in the movie than the manga. Especially how half the story was cut away and edited. The ending is far from the original and just leaves a bad taste in my mouth from it.
    5jhartjh-79858

    Inconsistent but interesting.

    I found the story to be pretty interesting the whole way through the film. Everything else was kinda inconsistent. Sometimes the audio was incredible and then another random time I'd notice a stock sound effect being used or a sound effect peaking. Visually there are some amazing shots but then there are the weird CGI visuals that don't quite work. This is definitely a film I enjoyed despite its pretty obvious flaws. Its definitely worth checking out and it seems like something I would watch Again despite my mixed feelings.
    6paul_m_haakonsen

    Get ready for a rude awakening...

    For an Anime, then "King of Thorn" ("Ibara no O") was actually quite alright.

    The storyline was interesting and captivating, well at least it was for three-fourths of the movie, right up to the point where the enormous winged Godzilla-like thorn monster rose from the castle, from then on it just went fast downhill.

    "King of Thorn" is about a strange virus, named Medusa, that is fast spreading and causing those infected to become ill and eventually die from petrification. A selected few, 160 people, have been chosen to be put into sleeping chambers until a cure can be found. However, those people are abruptly awakened from their slumber to find the facility overgrown with thorny vines and strange monsters are lurking in the hallways.

    I enjoyed the story, right up to the last quarter of the feature, then it just fell to the floor and became ridiculous.

    The animation was good and fluid, lots of really nice scenes and lots of action as well. There is a very dynamic feel to the animation in "King of Thorn", which really works out quite well. Lots of adrenaline and a constant good flow throughout the story.

    However, some things did puzzle me with the Anime though. For starters, just how long were the group of people asleep in this sleeping facility? And what was up with the monsters, where did they come from? Don't get me wrong, they were really interesting in design and great to look at, impressive and awesome, but just where did they come from? And finally, for a technical and medical facility to hold sleeping recipients, the design of the compound was rather strange. Sure, I can understand the incorporation of the castle, but come on, certain parts were just a bit too much.

    One of the stronger sides to "King of Thorn" was the characters. They were really nicely drawn and were full of characteristics and personalities, which was really great, where as it might as well have been the opposite; generic characters that had no personalities. There is something unique and admirable about all of the individual characters.

    But again, to put a finger on a crucial point, why were everyone speaking Japanese? Even the Scottish, British and American. It was just a tad too stupid. At least have the common sense to have people speak with the proper native language given their nationality. It was just a minor thing, but still a nuisance factor.

    In overall, then "King of Thorn" is actually a fair experience, and worth the time to sit down to watch (aside from the last quarter, in my opinion). The Anime had a great concept idea, good execution from idea to screen, great characters and interesting monsters. So all in all, well worth a watch if you enjoy Anime in general.
    8WeAreLive

    A good survival film

    A mysterious virus, nicknamed Medusa, is spreading around Japan, turning its victims into stone. Given the impossibility of finding an immediate cure, the government opts for cryopreserving a select group of patients until they come up with a solution. Kasumi, one of the chosen ones, has been asleep for years and her awakening, more than a bed of roses, is a bed of thorns, and happens in the midst of total chaos where monstrous creatures lie in wait all around. Based on Yuji Iwahara's manga by the same name, King of Thorn puts animated images to a sensational cross between Aliens and the series Lost. Enigmatic and highly explosive.

    I quite liked this film.

    More like this

    Mardock Scramble: The Second Combustion
    6.2
    Mardock Scramble: The Second Combustion
    Mardock Scramble: The First Compression
    6.4
    Mardock Scramble: The First Compression
    Mardock Scramble: The Third Exhaust
    6.4
    Mardock Scramble: The Third Exhaust
    Genocidal Organ
    6.4
    Genocidal Organ
    Gyo: Tokyo Fish Attack
    5.5
    Gyo: Tokyo Fish Attack
    Pale Cocoon
    6.9
    Pale Cocoon
    The Empire of Corpses
    6.0
    The Empire of Corpses
    The Thorn King
    The Thorn King
    Venus Wars
    6.6
    Venus Wars
    Desert Punk
    7.2
    Desert Punk
    Terra Formars
    6.4
    Terra Formars
    Bio Hunter
    6.1
    Bio Hunter

    Related interests

    Steve Blum and Kôichi Yamadera in Cowboy Bebop (1998)
    Anime
    Jodi Benson, Jason Marin, and Samuel E. Wright in The Little Mermaid (1989)
    Hand-Drawn Animation
    Still frame
    Adventure
    Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)
    Animation
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    James Earl Jones and David Prowse in Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
    Sci-Fi
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Before the doors on the cryogenic tubes close, you can just briefly catch that the display monitor reads "NO MAN".
    • Goofs
      When looking at the computers in the security room, "October" is misspelled as "Octorber".
    • Quotes

      Marco: Perhaps all of us are only a dream of somebody.

    • Connections
      Referenced in SciFi Japan TV: Anime x Tokusatsu: The Big O (2013)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ14

    • How long is King of Thorn?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 1, 2010 (Japan)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Languages
      • Japanese
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Ibara no O
    • Production companies
      • Bandai Visual Company
      • Dentsu
      • Enterbrain
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 2h(120 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.