Review Category: Anime

THE FIRST SLAM DUNK [Edinburgh International Film Festival]

by James Hanton

Takehiko Inoue’s long-running manga Slam Dunk has already been adapted for television in the 1990s. Now, Inoue himself has brought his story to the big screen. Playing out almost in real-time, interspersed with flashbacks and memories belonging to all five players of Shohoku high school’s basketball team, The First Slam Dunk uses breathtaking, blended animation to bring basketball to life like no other film has previously.

Inoue is able to move the ‘camera’ through the frame with diverging height, speed, focus and editing without it feeling overboard. The result is that basketball feels more alive than ever, in a dizzying display of detail and physicality brought to life by astoundingly naturalised, kinetic movement. Bringing 3D and 2D together, albeit in a far more subtle and almost invisible way than other films of late, Inoue can transport you into the thick of the action as if you are scrambling on the court itself. Monologues and some well-timed humour bring out a human side to the action, ensuring that the players on the court are as much the soul of the movie as the sport itself.

While the short-tempered and relentless Ryota (Shugo Nakamura) is the main focus and gets the most time dedicated to him, it can be easy to wish for the same attention to be spent on his teammates. They get much less in the way of depth and detail by comparison. You barely have time to think this through however, such is the dynamic and thrilling pace of the film. A roaring triumph of adaptation, The First Slam Dunk will not disappoint Inoue’s legions of fans.

THE FIRST SLAM DUNK will be released in UK cinemas on August 30th, 2023

THE TUNNEL TO SUMMER, THE EXIT OF GOODBYES

by James Perkins

Adapted from a light novel of the same name, The Tunnel to Summer, The Exit of Goodbyes is the latest anime to hit Western shores courtesy of our friends at Anime Limited.

In this adolescent tale, Karou is at his lowest point after the accidental death of his sister and his parent’s divorce. One day, he hears a rumour about the Urashima Tunnel, where your wishes will be granted at the cost of time passing at a different rate. He has a chance bonding experience with classmate Anzu, and when they discover that it’s the tunnel is real, the two learn not only a lot about each other but also about themselves and must decide whether their ‘wishes’ are worth the sacrifice.

What makes this particular sci-fi romance stand out amongst its peers is that although it may seem pretty basic on the surface, it really fleshes out the ideas that it has with a lot of relatable and real core moments and characteristics. We’ve all had trouble dealing with grief in some fashion, and the thought of wishing something or someone back has definitely crossed our minds, regardless of the cost. This film also approaches these topics in a sensitive manner and an outcome that really makes you think – although loss is tough to live with, we must move on and make those moments we had with someone count for as much as possible.

The Tunnel to Summer, The Exit of Goodbyes is a beautiful tale of love, grief and positive thinking that will lift spirits and prove that although moving on is difficult, it is a part of life that makes us stronger. With gorgeous visuals and music, it’s a film that must be seen on the big screen.

The Tunnel to Summer, The Exit of Goodbyes is out now in select UK cinemas.

RE:CYCLE OF THE PENGUINDRUM

By James “Magic” Perkins

After its original 24-episode run in 2011 under the title Penguindrum; OG, director Kunihiko Ikuhara is back with Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum – a two-part, four-and-a-half-hour supernatural anime that serves as a compendium of the original narrative brought to life by Ikuhara and animation studio Lapin Track.

After Himari, a young terminally-ill girl, passes away during an innocent trip to the aquarium, she is brought back to life by a magical penguin hat that she purchased from the souvenir shop. In exchange for her return to life, Himari, along with her two brothers Kanba and Shoma, must seek out the sought-after item known as the Penguindrum for the spirit who helped her, and they are assisted by three penguins. Now if that was bizarre as it is, the rest of the narrative gets even stranger.

With a mixture of the supernatural, psychological thriller, and deep and dark drama (including a reference to the 1995 subway attack in Tokyo), this story is incredibly ambitious but overall too much to handle, especially in this format and if you are a newcomer. The animation, like most modern anime, is gorgeous to look at, with moments like Himari transporting us to the nether realm in between an overload of flashback sequences to the sibling’s childhood, allowing Lapin Track to flex their animation prowess.

Although there is a lot to like about this retelling of a somewhat controversial yet cult favourite story, Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum is more of a slog than an enjoyable ride and most certainly a chore to get through, especially if you are unfamiliar with the source material. Maybe give the original a viewing first but be warned about very heavy subject matter that is hard to watch in places.

Re:Cycle of the Penguindrum is out on May 20th in UK Cinemas for a one-night double-bill special event

HAMMER AND BOLTER: UNDERCITY

by Ed Fortune

Hammer and Bolter is Games Workshop’s animated anthology series, taking stories from the worlds of Warhammer. Their latest offering is Undercity, a gritty little tale that transports us to the Age of Sigmar, a high fantasy setting filled with god-powered holy knights, delusional ghouls and magic airships. Though, as the name suggests, Undercity is a bit more down to earth than all that.

The story introduces us to Callis and Toll, a pair of heroes that fans will have previously seen in a series of action-adventure fantasy novels by Nick Horth. Toll is a Freeguild Knight, which means he’s a skilled warrior in heavy armour who doesn’t really have a boss. He’s tough, surly and permanently irritated, and tries to keep out of trouble. Callis is a Witch Hunter, which means he’s always looking for trouble. They’re a double act. They work well together but hate each other. They’re essentially Age of Sigmar’s ‘buddy cop’ pairing.

Undercity sees them investigating a series of missing person cases, which of course, goes wrong. Wackiness ensues, as does a lot of violence and a fair bit of creative swearing. Some familiar monsters are featured, and fans of old-school Warhammer fantasy stories will be delighted by the grim dark tone, which is synonymous with the Warhammer brand.

This show also sees Warhammer settle into a specific animated style, a sort of stylistically scrappy, ’80s British comic books brought to life” look that is instantly recognisable and quite pleasing. It’s smoothly done and well thought out. As always, the sound design and voice-acting are superb; Games Workshop mastered the art of audio production quite some time ago, and they use all these skills with their animated shows.

Undercity is grim, gritty and great. More of this, please.

SUZUME

by James “Magic” Perkins

When the past still haunts you, but the future isn’t certain – will you lock the door to protect the world? Legendary Japanese auteur Makoto Shinkai dazzles audiences once again in his latest breathtaking coming-of-age meets fantasy masterpiece, Suzume.

Suzume, a young 17-year-old girl who lives in Kyushu with her auntie, has regular dreams of searching for her mum as a child – something she has done for years ever since her mum tragically passed away. The next morning, she has a chance to meet with a mysterious man named Sōta, who is searching for some old ruins. The ever-curious Suzume follows him to these ruins to discover a door standing alone and uncovers the secrets of the Daijin and a giant worm-like creature that breaks through these doors and threatens to destroy the earth. Suzume and her new friend Sōta must venture across Japan to lock these doors, keep the worm at bay and remember that although the past holds tragedy and despair, the future is hopeful and shaped by those moments we encounter along the journey of life.

Shinkai-san is now a worldwide household name and has once again shown how powerful his words translate to the gorgeous spectacle of animation. Drawing real-life inspiration from the horrific Tsunami of 2011 that devastated the East of Japan and turning that into a story full of hope, love, and affirmation of that which comes from the bad comes the good. This message transcends the barrier that is often present in Eastern film narratives.

The incomparable RADWIMPS once again provide another iconic soundtrack that elevates Shinkai-san’s piece to celebrated status, and the whole film proves that Makoto Shinkai does not miss. This is a masterpiece, as is the case with his entire catalogue.

Suzume is in UK cinemas on April 14th.

GOODBYE, DON GLEES!

How did you spend your adolescent years? That and so much more are explored to beautiful yet tragic lengths in Atsuko Ishizuka’s first original anime film, Goodbye, Don Glees!

A young boy, Roma (Natsuki Hanae, Demon Slayer), and his friend Toto (Yuki Kaji, Attack on Titan) run the “Don Glees” club – a secret two-man club that young boys use to bond. After Toto leaves their local farming community for the bright lights of Tokyo, Roma is left alone and has to face the harsh reality of life without his best friend. When Toto returns and reconnects with Roma, he has already found a new friend in the mysterious Drop (Ayumu Murase, Haikyu!! To the Top) – together the three of them are thrust into an adventure to prove their innocence when the local forest catches fire. On that journey, they face their biggest challenge yet – learning how to move on from childhood to adulthood.

What makes this wonderful film stand it is that it is not a straightforward coming-of-age tale, helped by the fact that anime and animation can allow creators to achieve so much more than your standard live-action affair. Not only that but this film which was also written by Ishizuka-san is about three boys from the perspective of a grown woman. It adds a flavour that is not all that common in a lot of today’s stories. Typically in the past, society has dictated that male-identifying people should not be so confident in displaying emotions or sharing their worries with those of the same gender. But what Goodbye, Don Glees! does is shows that it is okay to talk about your feelings and you should never, ever let anyone tell you otherwise.

The journey the three boys go on covers so many relatable yet fantastical moments from all of our childhoods that it manages to stay raw and down to earth whilst also putting you in their shoes. One particular moment that will always stay with us is when the boys all sing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” in this magical musical number that just really pulls at your heartstrings.

With gorgeous visuals and a touching story that also doesn’t shy away from breaking your heart, especially towards the final act, Ishizuka-san’s Goodbye, Don Glees! is a special little film.

Goodbye, Don Glees! is out now in select UK cinemas with a limited theatrical run.

Angels of Death – Final Cut

Angels of Death poster moody armoured figure

The grim ‘dark ages in cursed space’ franchise Warhammer 40,000 has had a rough ride when it comes to on-screen adaptations. This gothic, atmospheric setting is mostly told through books, art and painted models. Games Workshop have had some pretty gross mis-steps in an attempt to turn their world-famous product into a movie. Angels of Death – Final Cut is arguably the best attempt thus far.

Angels of Death is the story of band of space marines making the treacherous journey to their homeworld, Baal. Their space-craft, The Sword of Baal, is a giant fortress cathedral. In it are the Blood Angels, an order of knight-like, super human warriors who exist in a hostile galaxy filled with demons, alien monsters, cults and superstition. The ship travels vast distances by punching a hole through a hell-like sea of demons. When the ship emerges into real space to find safe harbour, they become ensnared in more violence and conflict.

The entire feature is a sort of monochrome; it’s shades of black, white or red. The Blood Angels themselves are of course clad in red armour, some of their equipment flashes so brilliantly white it almost looks silver, and the abyssal black is a constant tone throughout. It looks gorgeous and combined with an appropriately gothic soundtrack, the entire thing oozes atmosphere.

The two directors, Boman Modine and Richard Boylan are clearly no strangers to horror, gore or action and they handle these elements brilliantly. Fan favourite voice actors such as Gareth Armstrong and Toby Longworth give very notable performances. Penelope Rawlin’s is particularly notable as Livia, a hard nosed ship’s mistress who seems the sanest character in the entire movie. The acting is strong, though the characters themselves are deliberately narrow; the grim darkness of the 41st millennium, no one has time for hobbies or a decent work/life balance, after all.

Coming in at about 2 hours and 40 minutes, Final Cut is the Angels of Death animated series spliced together into one epic movie. The show so far only been available via Games Workshop’s bespoke streaming service, Warhammer Plus. Which is a pity, as it really does need a big screen to be appreciated, we do hope the powers that be in Nottingham decided to show it at a festival or two.

Parts of the story are very, very steeped in lore, though it doesn’t get in the way of actual story. The Blood Angels themselves have a back-story filled with mysticism and sacrifice and this is built into the story itself; the result tends to be some very pretty (and weird) visuals which will mean nothing to casual viewers and delight fans.

It is, a little long, but then it is several episodes spliced together. The pacing is good, the action is very pretty and it’s nice to see a certain monster get to run around and cause havoc. It does work as a single coherent movie, but don’t forget to bring snacks.

CHAINSAW MAN (S01, Ep1)

In late 2018, Tatsuki Fujimoto (author of Fire Punch) released the first instalment of Chainsaw Man in the weekly Shonen Jump magazine and it took the world by storm. Now, four years later, fans of the hugely successful and highly rated manga are being treated to an anime adaptation by the legendary studio MAPPA (Attack on Titan: The Final Season, Jujutsu Kaisen). It may have been a long wait, but wow, was it worth it!

Denji is an orphan living in a world of devils born of human fear and the hunters that track them down, plagued by the debt of his deceased father. With the help of his chainsaw devil dog Pochita, Denji manages to cling to life by making pennies hunting devils. But when he is up against his toughest challenge yet, a pact with Pochita leads him down a new path as he becomes the Chainsaw Man.

With the being one of the most popular manga series in recent memory, fans yearned for a studio that would treat it with the respect it deserves – and MAPPA have done just that.

Everything about the first episode, which introduces the world and the characters magnificently, is simply perfect. From the stellar music, the slick animation and character designs to the jaw-dropping action sequences (when Denji first transforms it will blow you away), Chainsaw Man is set to become not only your show of the season but also has the potential to shift the landscape of anime just as Attack on Titan did almost a decade ago.

Chainsaw Man is brutal, gory, funny and mind-blowing – this show has got to be at the top of your list for this season of anime. A rip-roaring debut episode.

Chainsaw Man debuts exclusively on Crunchyroll on Tuesday October 11th 2022.

INU-OH

In the 14th century, an unlikely friendship is formed between a blind biwa player and a disfigured son of the leader of a Noh troupe in legendary anime filmmaker Masaaki Yuasa’s latest film, the epic rock opera; Inu-oh.

The story, based upon the novel Tales of the Heike: Inu-Oh by Hideo Furukawa, follows Tomona, a biwa player who becomes blind from a supernatural sword as a youngster, who meets Inu-oh, the son of a power-hungry Noh troupe leader suffering from a disfiguration that causes estrangement from his father, including a gourd mask to hide his face and a snake-like arm – together, the pair transform the art of storytelling, bringing their flair and vibe to the mastery of the Noh artform with Heike tribe tales. Tomona absolutely shreds whilst Inu-oh brings the stories to life with their incredible dancing and performance that brings vibrant fantasy-like qualities for the audience to enjoy.

What always stands out in a Yuasa-san project is how he has such a trademark style whilst also managing to make every single film or tv project feel truly unique. The art style manages to invoke the 14th century setting that couples beautifully with modern music and fantastical set-pieces – some of said set pieces especially reach the dizzy heights of being as epic as the likes of Queen’s Live-Aid performance and The Rolling Stones, with the audience in the narrative being a true extension of the audience watching in the real world. The music, co-written by Yuasa-san and Avu-chan (who voices Inu-oh) is enchanting and catchy – we can guarantee you will have the soundtrack on repeat after watching.

Inu-oh is a beautiful film that speaks deep about acceptance, seeing the world in a new light and the art of storytelling and is quintessential Yuasa. A unique retelling of a forgotten age of Japanese culture and history, that blends classical and modern elements seamlessly and is captivating viewing.

Inu-oh is in UK cinemas from 28th September 2022.

DRAGON BALL SUPER: SUPER HERO

After the death of his father and the downfall of the Red Ribbon Army, Magenta and his associate Carmine recruit young genius Dr Hedo to resurrect the once great powerhouse to take over the world with a new army of androids. With Goku and Vegeta off world, it’s up to Piccolo and Gohan to step up as Hero’s of Earth in Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.

The Dragon Ball franchise has been around for over 20 years in the west, so whenever the series creator Akira Toriyama produces original content for fans, it’s an exciting time. This latest film is just that and is particularly special as it gives what some fans would say are underappreciated characters a real chance to shine. Piccolo and Gohan have been in the fabric of the Dragon Ball story since the early days and now finally take center stage.

On top of that, this story brings in a host of new characters, including androids Gamma 1 and Gamma 2, and even after all the villains that have come before them, still manage to feel fresh as they posses unique traits and have an arc even though the film is just over 90 minutes long.

The cast of the film boasts a crazy array of talent with the English voice cast being led by series veterans Sean Schemmel, Chris Sabat and Kyle Hebert who are joined by not only rising talent such as Zach Aguilar, Zero Robinson, Aleks Le and Jason Marnocha but also the legendary Charles Martinet.

The only real minor problem that baffles us is the choice of making this title the first CG Dragon Ball film. To begin with, the animation just feels, wrong. The early parts feel like a video game rather than what we are used to. However, during the fight scenes it actually works rather well but is then let down by the stilted scenes in which characters are talking.

Minor problem aside, Super Hero is an incredible fun ride that new and old Dragon Ball fans alike will have an absolute blast with. Feeling like the Dragon Ball of old with a splash of new, you will want to see this on the big screen!

Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero is in UK cinemas from August 17th