Durarara x2 The Third Arc

Durarara comes to a close with the final 12 episodes in the x2 series (デュラララ!!×2 結).  This is the continuation of the long running light novel series of the same name by Narita Ryogo and Yasuda Suzuhito.  The final part of the series aired originally in the winter of 2016.

    Picking up where Durarara x2 The Second Arc left off we find things coming to a boiling point in Ikebukuro.  The Dollars are collapsing around Mikado as he shifts his morals even further to attain his goals.  The best allies from the dying gang have huddled together to figure out what is going on and how to get out with their skins.  The darker and more powerful personalities that have been lurking in the shadows for all of x2 are beginning to operate in the public.  What began as a way to cure boredom on Mikado's part has unleashed forces way beyond his comprehension and control.  As everything comes to a close who will make it out with their lives and will their be any chance of returning to normalcy?

    I have enjoyed Durarara the entire time, but this final part of the series was a much welcomed end to the franchise.  It maintained a good grip on its ensemble cast but some of their motivations and actions became more opaque.  The final arc of x2 continues with a more solid detachment of semi-realism the show has maintained.  Even with it's super natural elements there has been a good level of control in the antics of the characters.  Now though, everything is out of the window as stress pushes the neighborhood strongest beings into action, whether they want to or not.  In reality the series as a whole boils down to 3 things.  Orihara meddling with everyone to entertain himself, filling himself with a misplaced sense of loneliness.  Mikado thinking he's more clever than he really is.  And everyone fighting for control of Celty's head.  So, it goes with out saying that Durarara can't call it quits until these three things are addressed.  The Third Arc closes the story on all three issues, but does leave a small window open to revisit this twisted landscape.

    Over all Durarara is enjoyable.  The artwork has always be rough, particularly the character designs.  Some of the characters themselves were less than believable but what draws you in is the diversity of the cast.  The levels of intrigue.  In the end though, the plot strained a little too hard to make everything connect and some aspects didn't fit very well, to the point where they had to keep introducing more characters in order to make those strained connections.  So much was going on in the end and the way the story telling differed so much from the original series that I began to loose focus on who was doing what for which reason part way through.  It seemed the writers may have picked up on this and decided they would need to walk the viewer through the more obscure details in plain fashion.

    The climax of the entire series encompasses most of the Third Arc and delivers a satisfying, if only slightly disappointing ending.  Over all Durarara has been a fantastically entertaining series, but the minor flaws in the end seemed to have diminished its hold on me and I don't regret saying good bye to these characters.  Though, I may pick up the light novels at some point down the road.  Either way, still a good series over all, if it started to get a little out of hand in the end.

    The series was simulcast on Crunchyroll and the simuldub is half a season behind.  The video release should be coming soon after as well.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron Blooded Orphans (機動戦士ガンダム 鉄血のオルフェンズ) is a 26 episode mecha war drama set in the Gundam franchise.  The series aired between 2015 and 2016.

    Set more than 300 years after the Calamity War, in which Earths power concentration is drastically changed.  The story deals with a group of unwanted child soldiers employed with a security firm on Mars known as CGS.  Mars is under control of factions on Earth and has limited wealth and resources.  The daughter of an aristocratic Martian family, Kudelia Aina Bernstein, decides to head to Earth and plead for Mars to become more independent. When the strongest faction on Earth, Gjallarhorn, decides to stop Bernstein from leaving Mars they attack CGS headquarters.  Many of the deaths in the successful defense come from the child soldiers 'employed' by CGS. 

    One of the older kids, Orga decides to start a coup in retaliation for the attitude towards the worth of his fellow soldiers.  Through determination and cunning they succeeded in taking control of the mercenary group and change its identity to solidify their emergence as a new operation.  Orga, now the leader of Tekkadan, takes over the task of escorting Bernstein to Earth, believing in her goal and the possibility of it being successful.  The members of Tekkadan are children who live on the margins of Martian society, despised as little more than sewer rats.  They see a chance at earning respect and taking control of their own destinies under Orga's leadership and enthusiastically throw their support to continue to job.

    From the start everything is stacked against the upstarts.  Gjallarhorn sends reinforcements to succeed where the provincial forces failed.  Tekkadan leaves Mars, fleeing their vastly superior enemies.  Once they understand the level of threat aimed at them they join with a powerful crime syndicate for patronage, support and protection.  The lone Tekkadon ship partners with a sister group in the syndicate to continue the treacherous journey.  Along the way they are constantly attacked by forces trying to prevent Bernstein from publicly addressing imperial oppression.  Tekkadan facing lose and a greater understanding of the difficulty of others, not just on Mars, further empowers them to push on towards their inevitable death on Earth.

    This was a much needed return to quality story telling in the Gundam universe, following a few less than stellar TV series.  The core ideals of the series deal with child soldiers and imperialism.  The series deals with these powerful things with bi-shonen Caucasian looking characters.  Somewhat lessening the impact of real world issues.  There is a lot of freedom when it comes to Tekkadan's abilities as well, most glaringly when it comes to space flight and operating space-faring ships.  How exactly do discarded, lowest tier child soldiers who are abused and used as little more than cannon fodder understand how to not only launch but successfully operate an orbital vehicle?  This is one of the glaring and obvious lapses of reality that go to lesson the impact of the real world messages the series is trying to deliver.

    The character designs are some of the oddest that that the Gundam franchise has seen since the 80's.  The mechanical designs as well are rather sub-par compared with other recent series'.  The bread and butter for the die hard Gundam fans is also mostly absent in the series.  As the story progresses we don't see the constant equipment upgrading that has become integral in the franchise.  There are long pauses in the story in which a mobile suit is almost non-existent.  Instead we get a decent attempt at a Gundam story that focuses more on the characters and their plight instead of spending undue time on the mechanical aspects of the show.

    With all of that said, I actually enjoyed the series and eagerly await its return, as eluded at the end of the final episode.  There were some serious levels of plot armor through out, but its no fuss straight forward story telling was welcomed.  As it neared the end it did begin to pick up some less than useful obligatory characters which didn't do much for the over all progress and appeal of the story.  They seemed more as throw ins for helping develop a plot arc that wasn't fully developed.  Yet with all of it's flaw's it was still enjoyable.

    The series is available streaming in North America currently, with a dub being produced.  This is also a signal that video releases are pending.  The second season of the show is slated to begin airing in the Fall of 2016.

Mr. Osomatsu

Mr. Osomatsu (おそ松さん) is the 25 episode return of the long running gag manga series Osomatsu-kun by Akatsuka Fujio.  The series aired between 2015 and 2016.

    Osomatsu-kun is a comedy manga from the 60's that focused on unlikely sextuplets and their mischief.  The brothers; Osomatsu, Jyushimatsu, Ichimatsu, Choromatsu, Karamatsu and Todomatsu, interact with other kids and people in their area in disruptive and underhanded ways.  The manga saw a 1960's anime and another anime in the late 1980's.

    The Matsuno sextuplets are portrayed in the new series as adults; lazy, perverted, hopeless NEET adults.  They spend their days screwing off in their house basking in the freedom of being cared for by their aging parents.  All of the primary supporting characters from the original series' appear in the new series, supporting similar roles to those they help in the past.  There is no general direction through out the series.  Each episode is comprised of vignettes that are generally unrelated.  The first episode was a troll episode as well.  Featuring current artistic and character design styles and poking fun at every major anime brand currently.  In the second episode and the majority of the rest the artwork 'regresses' to a more simplistic style indicative of the earlier versions.

    This is a prime example of idiotic, tongue-in-cheek, regressive humor that is the hallmark of gag comedy.  The show was about pushing boundaries of decency and public acceptance.  But the most controversial episode was the first one in which it laid waste to many of the top anime franchises now as it lambasted them to the point of ripping them off.  Enough financial threat was aimed at TV Tokyo that they eliminated the first episode from further broadcast and purged it from the video releases.  Once the dust settled though it did seem that the most outrageous attacks leveled by the show lessened, much to my disappointment.

    The artwork is classical in design and fits with the series origins very well.  The Matsuno brothers all look like someone from Garfield.  It was refreshing to have a less stylized, simplistically animated series.  It was massively refreshing to have a gag anime arrive that has taken Japan by storm, reinvigorating interest in this classic series.  Yet this isn't everyone's cup of tea in the West, where comedy and anime are viewed differently than in Japan.  For me the series filled a niche I enjoy and even though there were some bad episodes and bad segments, particularly the ones focusing on Iyami, the series overall was a joy to watch and lose some brain cells to.

    Its success and popularity has been astounding, a testament to the staying power of anime aimed at general audiences instead of filling niche otaku genre's.  It has even seen some decent exposure and interest in the west as well.  This will not be the last we see of these adult iterations and expect a video release in North America too.  This may raise enough interest in at least the 80's version to resurrect it for Western audiences.

    The series is currently available for streaming on Crunchyroll.

Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash

Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash ((灰と幻想のグリムガル) is a 12 episode fantasy series based on the light novels of the same name by Jumonji Ao and Eiri Shirai.  It originally aired over the winter of 2016.

    A group of people suddenly find themselves in an unknown land with no memory of how they got their or where they came from.  To survive they must turn to the world of hired monster killers.  The strongest band together to forge their way into the world and the six remaining 'weak' individuals left decide to join up as well.  Each person must join the guild of a profession that they determine will benefit their survival in this new, fantasy set, world.  Once they are accepted and go through basic training they regroup to begin hunting monsters outside of their village.

    The party ends up being led by Manato who has chosen the path of Cleric.  The small band of four guys and two women struggle to combat weak goblins in order to feed themselves.  Killing doesn't come naturally for them nor does forcing themselves into danger.  Driven by survival they push on, fighting more low level monsters, to the point where they become more comfortable with their situation.  They become to comfortable and the death of one of their party members forces them to question the situation they find themselves in.  They have to come to terms with the reality of their existence and what it will mean for their future.

    There are a few things that separate Grimgar from the other recent shows that deal with modern people finding themselves trapped in a fantasy world were they have to hunt goblins to survive.  The biggest is that the characters have no recollection of their lives prior to this new world.  The most important is that these characters are reluctant to kill.  They do so out of necessity instead of pride and fame.  They struggle with the morality of their chosen profession and are driven more by need than want.  The characters are not presented as heroes, they are ordinary people struggling to adapt to an unusual situation.  The series focuses on character development above everything else.

   That said there are a few moments of pointless fan-service, particularly with the trainer for the theif guild and her attire.  The series is well done but that one in particular seemed incredibly pointless and more of a distraction.  Yet, its few and afar between and nothing like the garbage that fills so many shonen fantasy series.  So as a 'prude' I can ignore it and move on.

    The artwork is beautiful and works well for the series.  Designed to look like water colors with a muted palate of hues and shadows through out.  The character designs are simple enough yet conforming to modern aesthetics enough to not look out of place.  Action sequences are easy enough to follow but the real strength is in the background pieces and the natural world.

    Yet another fantasy series entertained me, this is something like 3 or 4 now in the past few years when previously I abhorred pretty much anything in the anime world that resembled Dungeons and Dragons. I grew up a basement dwelling dice rolling nerd and mostly read fantasy novels as a kid, so I don't hate fantasy just anime depictions of it.  What really got me with Grimgar is that the characters are not bad ass over powered egotists.  They struggled through the entire story and had personal flaws that resonated.  Mainly the series followed Haruhiro who was the most fleshed out, but the rest fit their stereotypical roles well enough.  The series didn't dwell on the characters trying to remember of reclaim their past lives either.

    The series was simulcast on Crunchyroll and Hulu.  I'm sure it will see a video release in North America at some point.  The real question is, will we see a translation of the light novels?

Please Tell me! Galko-chan

Please tell me! Galko-chan (おしえて！ギャル子ちゃん) is a 12 episode comedy based on the manga of the same name by Suzuki Kenya.  The series originally aired in the winter of 2016.

    Galko is a fun loving, air headed and promiscuous looking gyaru.  The series of shorts details random conversations with her best friends; the book otaku Otako and the proper rich girl, Ojo, along with the rest of her high school class.  Such topics as what the size of someones breasts represent and how slutty girls behave outside of school.  Galko my look loose but she's really a sensitive and private girl who loves flashy fashion.  Her attitude and appearance makes her the target of unwarranted suspicions from those around her.

    For a cheap and raunchy sporadic comedy this short anime was actually rather enjoyable.  There is little substance in the show and the dialogue is humorous if somewhat outrageous.  It's more like a candid snap shot at the dumb stuff high school kids think about.  The character designs are over the top and everyone's reactions are extreme but that adds to part of the shows charm.  It's a good dose of brainless and innocent/adult humor.  I was actually surprised with how well I enjoyed this show that seems like a exploitative waste of time in the beginning.  The final episode, where it explains how the three girls joined forces was really well done and unexpected given the flow of everything before it.  Almost made me sad to say good bye the show and wished more of it was done in that fashion.  But, its a pointless comedy about dumb conversations that was entertaining if nothing else.

    Don't expect a disc release, the manga is available though by Seaven Seas Entertainment.  The show is currently available on Crunchyroll.

She and Her Cat - Everything Flows -

She and Her Cat - Everything Flows - (彼女と彼女の猫 -Everything Flows-) is a new short series by Shinkai Makoto, revisiting and greatly expanding the concept established in his short film of the same name from 1999.  The four episode story came out weekly in March 2016.

    The story follows a young woman, Miyu, and her cat, Daru.  Miyu has moved out of her mothers house to become an adult but things become problematic when her roommate moves out a year later.  Faced with loneliness and an uncertain future Miyu falls into a deep depression.  Daru, who has been connected to the woman since she was young, does the best he can to help his lost owner.  But he understands that even he is limited in what he can do.

    This is Shinkai at his most basic form, a simple tale of the attachment two living things have for each other.  It is also an emotional trap as Shinkai thrives on weaving stories of loss, regret and sadness.  It goes with out saying that the story is a melancholy one.  The story simply conveys the mental struggles of the young woman and the reflection of her faithful cat as he tries to comfort her.  The artwork fits the tone of the story well and is less realistic than his other creations.  It has a soft dream like feel to it.

    This is a very enjoyable if sad tale.  It is unlikely that it will ever see a disc release in North America and is currently available on Crunchyroll.  If you are a fan of the things Shinkai does you will want to watch this.

Erased

Erased (僕だけがいない街) is a 12 episode supernatural mystery based on the manga Boku Dake ga Inai Machi by Sanbei Kei.  The series aired in Japan in the winter of 2016.

    In 2006 Fujinuma Satoru is struggling to be a manga artists.  He delivers pizza to cover his bills and sometimes finds himself repeating the last few minutes of time.  The 'revival' as he calls it, act as a trigger to help him stop accidents.  While on a delivery he experiences a revival that allows him to stop a runaway delivery truck from killing a child.  In the process Satoru is hit by a car and put in a coma for a few days.  His mother comes to Tokyo from her home in northern Japan to look after her injured son.  Satoru resents his mother and tries to get her to leave.

    While she stays with him she talks about a series of kidnappings and murders that happened when he was in 5th grade.  Satoru had all but pushed the incident from his memory since two of the victims were classmates.  He and his mother begin to look into the murders again, believing that the man convicted of them is innocent.  Satoru's mother strikes a chord with her research and the real killer kills her to protect his secrets.  Satoru comes home to find her body just as the police arrive.  Targeted as suspect number one Satoru flees the police only to have another revival, finding himself 18 years in the past living in his 10 year old self's world.  He see's this as an opportunity to stop the murders from then as a way to also save his mother back in the present.  But what will he be able to do as a 10 year old to the rest of the world?

    This is one of those rare shows that grabs you from the start and doesn't let go until it's over with.  You go into the first episode expecting it to be about a guy who stops tragic accidents in his spare time while he struggles to live his dreams, dreams he has failed to achieve as an adult.  Instead you dive head first into a who-dun-it mystery that plays on every ones anxiety about the choices they made in their past.  The story actual story isn't the best part, its the process of Satoru reliving his life as a 10 year old but trying to use his 29 years of experience to help his friends from being murdered.  He struggles with having a child's body and not being able to have any one understand that he's mentally traveled back in time.  The first time he see's his mother after he held her dead body is powerful and the show doesn't hold back through its course.

    A lot has been said about the artwork and directing of this series.  It was done by, Ito Tomohiko, who cut his teeth working for Hosoda Mamoru.  The background animation is very detailed while the character designs reflect the original designs of the manga and are a bit strange at times.  The real strength though are the camera shots and the way the scenery is used to help tell the story, adding subtle material to the dialogue and character interactions.  The only real complaint I have with the resolution of the climax.  Everything leading up to it, essentially the entire series, was so well done.  Just one thing with the final confrontation seemed a little cheap and a little over the top.  But its nothing to destroy the series and it in no way or shape lessens the impact of this show.  It's just something that annoyed me and seemed slightly lazy, stunt like if you will.

    The series will more than likely see a disc release in North America, while you wait it can be viewed on Crunchyroll and Hulu streaming in Japanese with English subs.  I also expect the manga, which wrapped up to coincide with the end of the anime, to be available in the near future in English as well.  The series was amazing and shows what good writing and directing can do.

Quick peek at the new shows for Spring 2016

After combing through the handy upcoming list on Anime News Network here are all of the shows hitting the air waves in April that have perked my interest from vague information.

12-sai Chiccha na Mune no Tokimeki: What appears to be a slice of life comedy about the internal dialogue of a girl on the cusp of adulthood but still not totally out of childhood.  This could either be sweet and enjoyable or embarrassingly perverse...or maybe a mix of both like Today in Class 5-2 was.

Big Order: One boy received the ability to wish for what ever he wanted to when he was younger, he wished for the destruction of the world.  he has to live with that quilt in the aftermath of his wish.  I like post-apocalyptic stories and this is an interesting idea.  I don't expect this to go more than 1 cours.

Flying Witch: The trials and tribulations of a witch as she moves to a different part of Japan to live with family.  Kiki meats The Flying Nun?

Kuma Miko: A young shrine maiden suddenly has to help a manifestation of her shrines bear spirit understand the modern world.  This could go many different ways, most of the interest is in seeing what way it chooses.

Macross Delta: Even though I was severely let down with the teaser episode in January, I am going to give my oldest anime fandom a chance in its new, modern form.

Mayoiga: A group of people are on a bus trip to a town that may not even exist with the hopes of the towns ability to grant wishes being real.  This might actually be the most interesting show this season and somehow seems like a Japanese rendition of Canterbury Tales.

MS Gundam UC RE:0096:  Its Gundam, I need not say any more.

Neko Neko Nihonshi: Quick Japanese history lessons done with anthropomorphic cats.  I'm game, bring on the learning, nyaa.

Pan de Peace: The story focuses on some bread loving moe characters.  Could it be the bread version of Is The Order a Rabbit?  I hope not, but time will tell.

Rinne: The return of the latest series by Takahashi Rumiko, while not the best out there, it is fun and comfortable and welcomed to waste the time.

Sakamoto desu ga?: The wiping boy in middle school becomes golden in high school.  Not too enthusiastic, but it could be fun.

Shonen Maid: A kid who loves cleaning because his mother was psychologically abusive is offered a place to live with a relative following her death.  The caveat though is that he dresses up as a maid and clean his new house.  Uhm...not sure on this one.  Is it the trap version of Hanasaku Iroha?

Space Patrol Luluco: An average girl has her life turned upside down by catching the attention of an alien who is important or something...  I don't know, I think the episodes are short so whatever.  It probably wont last.

 

Tanaka-kun wa Itsumo Kedaruge: Slice of life comedy about a main character who slacks off all the time.  Something about it reminds me of Nozaki-kun so I guess its worth a shot.

Only Yesterday

Only Yesterday (おもひでぽろぽろ) is a slice of life drama by Takahata Isao.  It is based on the manga Omohide Poro Poro by Okamoto Hotaru and Tone Yuko   The movie originally saw a theatrical release in Japan in 1991 and was brought to American theaters for its 25th anniversary in 2016.

    Taeko is approaching 30 and laments her city life as she is on her way over summer vacation to work at a farm.  She has never been satisfied with living in Tokyo and even in her youth yearned for an escape to the simpler world, away from the hustle and bustle.  As she embarks on her trip memories of her life as a fifth grader in the 60's overwhelm her.  She is the youngest of three daughters in an affluent family during the beginning of the economic boom in Japan.  Her only struggles were the hand me downs of her older sisters, math tests and the boys learning about menstrual cycles.  She became affixed momentarily with visiting 'family' in the country side, as many of her classmates were apt to do on vacation.  Much to her disappointment she doesn't have any family in the countryside.

    As an adult trapped in a seemingly pointless existence as a single office worker she begins her annual retreats as a way to capture some of that lost simplicity she never got to experience.  The memories of her childhood force her to question her intentions and conviction.  On her trip she meets an eager man named Toshio who has recently become an organic farmer.  When comparing her actions to his, she questions if she is being honest or just pretending.  The memories of ten year old Taeko's world remind her of the spoiled girl who only went along with the crowd instead of applying herself as an individual.  If she were given the opportunity to suddenly change her life would she be capable of doing it?

    I am ashamed to say that until the news of the films release in America with a current dub, I had never been aware of it.  Takahata may be my favorite director in Studio Ghibli and this movie is another hallmark of his excellent story crafting.  But there is a glaring issue with it that didn't make me enjoy the movie until more than halfway through it.  It is difficult to understand the ultimate direction of the film until at least the half way point.  The beginning is a confused mess of flashbacks mixed with current times as you are introduced to both versions of the main character, her family and the set up for her adult fascination with rural living.  Once you realize that the movie takes place in two different time lines it settles in to showing many of the mundane struggles that 10 year old Taeko encounters.  Around the half way point the story shifts more to showing 27 year old Taeko on her trip to the country and her participation in cultivating safflower.  At this point the flashbacks are mixed in to help underline her building mental battle.

    It is difficult to watch a movie that does not have an apparent end goal, it makes for an anxious viewing, distracting you from the context in search of the plot arc.  I wasn't able to calm down mentally until well over an hour into the film.  Now that I understand the direction the story was planning on taking I need to watch it again so I can more thoroughly enjoy the entire thing.  The first half, which heavily focused on the 10 year old's world was incredibly entertaining and sweet.  I would become annoyed though with the interspersed returns to the 27 year old world, not knowing what the point of her story was going to be.  It then shifted to focusing more on the 27 year old story with less and less interspersed antics of the 10 year old world.  By this point I understood the direction of the narrative enough to enjoy both world.  In the end the movie was enjoyable and well done if it was difficult to tell its ultimate direction, just like life its self.

    As with everything Ghibli the animation is impeccable.  Beautiful landscapes and city scenery.  The segments set in the 60's are filled with nostalgia and realism.  I was only able to catch some of the popular items showcased discretely in the 10 year old world; such as her eating Marble Chocolates at one point and holding a copy of Margarete magazine in another.  I'm quite sure there were many more items and things that anyone who grew up in Japan in that time period would fondly remember from their own childhood.  In the end this is a beautiful and well done film that plays on personal nostalgia and finding your place in the world. 

    The film is currently not available on disc in North America, but it will in time.  The English dub features the voice acting of Daisy Ridley and Dev Patel.  The version I saw in the theaters was actually the original Japanese language track with subtitles so I have yet to experience the English dub, that will be covered when I add the Bluray to my collection.

Garden of Words

Garden of Words (言の葉の庭) is a short slice of life romance movie by Shinkai Makoto.  The film was originally released in Japan in 2013.

    Two lonely souls find companionship while shirking their responsibilities on rainy days.  Akizuki has a habit of skipping the beginning of school on rainy days.  Instead he finds solace in Shinjuku's National Garden park were he can work on his dreams of being a shoe maker.  At the beginning of the rainy season he finds another person seeking their own peace, a young office lady named Yukino.

    Each rainy morning they find each other at the park and slowly develop a connection.  Much like Akizuki, Yukino is shirking responsibility in order to find herself and enjoy the peaceful rainy tranquility in the midst of Tokyo.  The pair, while dissimilar, latch onto each others loneliness and form a unique bond on their rainy mornings swapping idle chat and food.  Unfortunately their difference in age and position prohibits their kindred spirits from doing more then meeting.

    Like all of Shinkai's works this one deals with the weight of loneliness and the struggle to connecting with other humans.  Akizuki finds himself alone following his older brother moving out and his mother living with her boyfriend.  His entire focus is on his ideal career as a cobbler but struggles at school as he spends more and more time in the park with Yukino.  Yukino is struggling with her own issues at her job, which she is frequently absent from.  She finds comfort in the conversations with the boy almost half her age but fears for her future.  The writing and dialog between the main characters is superb and heart felt.  My only real complaint on that end is the effect added to the character monologues which make them sound like they are trapped in a tunnel.

    As with almost every other thing he has done,  the artwork is an amazing and a highly detailed love letter to the urban world.  Shinkai is proof positive that full computer generated animation can be as good as cell shade, if not better.  The character designs are simplistic though, which is a stark contrast with the vivid scenery and motion.  To me it seems to be a slight flaw in the movie but one that doesn't detract too much from the over all aesthetics of the film.  Even if it didn't have its breath takings artwork, the story and direction alone makes it worth watching.

    The film is available subtitled and dubbed in North America by Sentai Filmworks/Section23 Film.

The Boy and The Beast

The Boy and The Beast (バケモノの子) is a fantasy action film by Hosoda Mamoru that originally aired in theaters in Japan in 2015.

    Ren is a nine year old boy living on the streets of Shibuya following the death of his mother.  He refused to live with his relatives following her death, wanting to live with his estranged father instead.  While escaping police officers, Ren encounters two cloaked beast men.  The larger of the two, Kumatetsu, jokingly offers to make the scared boy his apprentice.  Intrigued by the creatures, Ren follows them through the busy streets.

    After navigating a series of alleys he finds himself in the land of beasts, Jutengai.  As he is about to be lead back to the human world, where he belongs, Kumatetsu arrives, surprised at the young boys presence.  The giant bear is desperate for an apprentice.  Kumatetsu at some point in the future will be dueling another beast man, Iozen, for the title of the next lord of Jutengai.  Iozen is respected, patient, well established and has many promising students.  Kumatetsu on the other hand is a gruff and shoddy loner who everone dismisses as an unkempt fool.

    With little options left to him Ren is dragged off to Kumatetsu's squalid house where he is to begin his training.  Both are similar in personality leading to difficulty in their relationship.  Kumatetsu is quick to anger and has a hard time explaining himself to Ren who is defiant and slow to give his teacher respect.  Ren refuses to tell Kumatetsu his name so he is given the name Kyuta.  The presence of the human boy brings concern within the beast world.  Humans are usually not allowed there due to darkness that can lurk in their hearts, making them terrible beings of destruction and hatred.  The current master of the land allows Kyuta/Ren to remain as Kumatetsu's pupil for reasons only he understands.

    As the dual to determine who will be the next lord looms both Kumatetsu and Kyuta/Ren must figure out how to coexist with each other.  Struggling to understand each others personalities and views of the orld around them.  When the land of humans begins to call to him, the boy who lives among the beasts must determine where he really belongs.

    The fourth original theatrical release by Hosoda Mamoru is just as beautiful as his previous films.  The backgrounds are the most detailed part and the worlds that are built between the crowded streets of Shibuya and the Arabian bazaar world of Jutengai are beautifully detailed.  There are a few segments where the camera rushes and pans through the scenery via CG that are a jarring and this technique/issue has been present in Hosoda's past films.  Most notably, the opening time travel segment from The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.  The characters are simplistic and of the same design that has been the hallmark of his other films.

    What might cause issue with many die hard Hosoda fans, and anime fans in general, is the straightforward arc of the story.  It is very much in the style of western adventure animation features like one would expect from Disney and DreamWorks.  Kyuta/Ren's character follows a very familiar path of the hero's journey.  Lost and alone he is thrust into the tutelage of a mentor who shares his own vices and through their discordant relationship they make each other better than they were as individuals.  In the background a danger lurks that no one is aware of, threatening the idyllic existence.  As he matures and grows, Kyuta/Ren is given the ability to reclaim what was once lost to him.  He struggles to choose which path he wants to take and when the lurking threat surfaces he must use everything that he has endured to face the challenge head on.

    The plot is very easy to follow and for the most part there aren't any surprises in how the story unfolds and the advances.  The movie is really split into two halves.  The first is with Kyuta/Ren as a little boy, learning to adjust to his new reality.  The second half is Kyuta/Ren on the cusp of adulthood and his sudden re-connection with the human world.  That connection throws his desires into turmoil as he feels he needs to choose which world he will continue to live in and what it will mean for the years he spent away from humans.  The segueway between both time lines is a little abrupt and seemed a little forced.  There was the customary montage segment that lead up to it though and the movie would have been longer if more time was spent in the segueway.  So you get what you get.

    In the end this is a well done and enjoyable film that isn't as deep or complex as Hosoda's other works, but that doesn't mean it's bad.  It's formulaic and predictable with caricature personalities but on a deeper level this film is an excellent merging of classic Asiatic animism archetypes and western story telling.  If this movie was made, scene for scene, line for line, by an American animation company it would be a box office hit and possibly the winner of an academy award.  Yet, due to its origins being the vulgar and mysterious land of Japan...it will get little attention from the main stream populace in America.

    Perplexedly, another level limiting it from a larger audience is its PG-13 rating.  There is no more objectionable content in the film than Kung Fu panda has...and would indeed find cross movie popularity.  Many hardened otaku will shun the film for being simplistic and too western in nature but this could have been the product that truly opened the doors for more acceptance in the West.  If only it could reach a larger audience it could do well in America..

    Either way, excellent movie, not the best work by Hosoda, but still magnificent and enjoyable.  The North American disc release is pending upon this review but should be available following the end of its sparse theatrical run.