Private Project

Tomoe Gozen : The Legendary Samurai

“They told me what I couldn’t become.”

In an era when women were expected to bow, not stand, Tomoe Gozen refused the path chosen for her. Trained in secret, recognized for her brilliance, and bound by a destiny larger than tradition, she rose from the margins of her world to become the most feared warrior of the Genpei War. Her blade cut through more than enemies—it carved a space for a woman in a realm that denied her existence.

As battles raged across Japan, Tomoe’s mastery shattered expectations. Victory after victory transformed her from an anomaly into a legend whispered across provinces. Yet the higher she rose, the more dangerous the world became. The imperial court welcomed her skill but feared her power, and the man she fought beside drifted into pride and ruin. Tomoe learned that the battlefield was honest—but the world beyond it was far more treacherous.

When fate led her to the doomed plains of Awazu, she faced the moment that would define her legacy—not through triumph, but through sacrifice, wisdom, and the impossible choices only love and honor demand. Her departure from the battlefield was not an ending, but a rebirth into a future shaped by her resilience.

“Living forever isn’t about never dying. It’s living so truly the echo never fades.”

This film reveals the woman behind the myth—exploring how Tomoe Gozen’s courage, defiance, and inner strength forged a legacy that continues to inspire every person who refuses to accept the limits imposed upon them.

  • Cherrelyn Joy Moreno
    Screenwriter
  • Jeongeun Lee
    Concept Art / Storyboards
  • Jeongeun Lee
    Lead Animator
  • Abednego Setiawan
    Film Editors
  • Cherrelyn Joy Moreno
    Film Editors
  • Abednego Setiawan
    Graphic Designer
  • Jeongeun Lee
    Composer
  • Cherrelyn Joy
    Creative Director
  • Abednego Setiawan
    Art Director
  • Jeongeun Lee
    Animation Director
  • Young Park
    Executive Producer
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short
  • Genres:
    Animation, Action Animation, Animated Action Film, Historical Animation, Animated Historical Film, Adventure Animation, War Animation, Animated War Film, Biographical Animation, Animated Biography, Samurai, Martial Arts Animation, Period Drama Animation, Epic Animation, Female Samurai, Onna-musha, Japanese female samurai
  • Runtime:
    3 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    October 31, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    5,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography

A+ Heroes is the world's first anime anthology collective dedicated to cultural reclamation for over 4 billion people. Led by Creative Director Cherrelyn Joy Moreno and Art Director Abednego Setiawan, the team unites CalArts-trained animators—BFA candidate Jeon Geun and MFA candidate Terri Lam—with heritage-rooted creators responsible for generating 100M+ monthly YouTube views. This is more than entertainment—it's the restoration of legends that shaped civilizations yet never received the anime they deserve.

Executive Producer Young Park brings over 20 years of expertise in animation and technology, with major studio collaborations including Samsung and Cartoon Network Asia. Under Moreno's creative vision and Setiawan's art direction, the collective blends traditional animation mastery with cutting-edge AI-enhanced workflows. Jeon Geun brings authentic cultural perspective to historical narratives, while Terri Lam infuses CalArts experimental animation techniques into character performance.

A+ Heroes uses advanced AI tools—neural network animation interpolation, custom-trained cultural aesthetic models, and procedural environment generation—not as a replacement for artistry, but as a powerful amplifier of authentic cultural narratives. Every technical choice serves one mission: proving diverse cultural stories can rival any major studio through innovative workflows that honor heritage while embracing the future of creative technology.

We don't invent legends—we restore them, transforming forgotten heroes into accessible, truly inspiring narratives for global audiences.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

"TOMOE GOZEN: THE LEGENDARY SAMURAI" is cultural reclamation through warrior storytelling. We chose her story because it embodies A+ Studio's core philosophy: excellence transcends the limitations others impose. For too long, Tomoe has been romanticized as exotic anomaly or dismissed as legend—we're restoring the complexity of a warrior who proved that strength recognizes no gender boundaries.

This short exemplifies our creator-driven approach. Screenwriter Cherrelyn Joy Moreno shapes Tomoe's evolution with precision and emotional depth, capturing both warrior excellence and the wisdom born from loss. Concept Artist and Storyboard Artist Jeongeun Lee creates immersive 12th-century Japanese environments rooted in mountain mists and battlefield honor. Lead Animator Jeongeun Lee brings authenticity to samurai movement and combat meditation. Creative Director Cherrelyn Joy Moreno and Art Director Abednego Setiawan guide the complete narrative vision, while Animation Director Jeongeun Lee ensures historical accuracy resonates with contemporary relevance.

Our production pipeline fuses neural network motion generation with rigorous historical research into Genpei War-era Japan. AI serves authentic representation—amplifying cultural truth rather than replacing it. Every visual choice honors Tomoe's revolutionary existence, from period-accurate armor and naginata technique to emotionally precise portrayals of a woman warrior navigating honor, love, and survival. Post-production by Abednego Setiawan, Cherrelyn Joy Moreno, and Abednego Setiawan weaves editing, graphic design, and original score by Jeongeun Lee into a cohesive vision.

In 3 minutes, this short proves that cutting-edge technology can amplify authenticity rather than diminish it—restoring forgotten voices and redefining how the world understands gender, excellence, and the warrior spirit. This film demonstrates that the greatest limitations are the ones we accept, and that true legends live in those who refuse to be told what they cannot become.