Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984), The un-credited Ghibli breakthrough

Directed | Written by: Hayao Miyazaki
Produced by: Toei Animation

Awards

• Best Short Film; Fantafestival
• Reader's Choice Awards; Kinema Junpo Awards
• Ofuji Noburo Award; Mainichi Film Concours
• Anime Of The Year; 7th Anual Animage Anime Grand Prix 

"The smaller lines are no longer blurry or gray but thin like hairs and jet black. Details pop out where there previously weren't any, especially in the meticulously painted forest backgrounds and immense aeroplanes. And when you watch closely you can actually spot signs of the animation craftsmanship itself. "-Ard Vijn, TwitchFilm

The movie considered as the building stone of Studio Ghibli based of Hayao Miyazaki's own early 7 volumes of the same name.  The story of Nausicaä is one enchanting story to remember and to captivate. A fantasy filled epic that stood for the beginning of an amazing animation studio.


Nausicaä is a pleasant mix of kindness, complex (but very comprehensible) morals and physical conflicts. Attributes shared by great works like Princess Mononoke (1999) , Metropolis (2001)  and many more. The tale of Nausicaä (Sumi Shimamoto) are enchanting and rich with adventure and compassion.

Story

The story takes place in a time that can only be described as a world build from the remnants of a former one. there is a constant reminder of the overall pollution which is slowly taking ground and wittering vegetation and civilization alike while making the air unbreakable (It is noted in the movie itself that breathing the air would rot your longs in minutes.) known as "the sea of decay". The general struggle to prevent the hostile eradication of biodiversity and humanity with it. Our protagonist Nausicaä, the - kind-hearted -bright and brave beyond reason- girl who is princess of  a peaceful village living in the valley of the wind stands in the middle of the mystery of the sea of decay and it's grotesque  dangerous creatures and the meddling of outside forces. Al-thought the emphasize of the concerns of the sea gradually decreases it is still relevant and a major importance to the story.

What more to say? The characters are credible and the oh-so cliché barrier of good and evil is left to the imaginations of it's viewer. An aspect I also found in Princess Mononoke, most wrong doings and violent act are made out of self-preservation or an act of good for its own party. From ideas to invade a peaceful village to burning the sea of decay without knowing its consequences; either way from their perspective it was the logic thing in such times. Though you might not sympathize with it, you can still find the hint of reason behind it.


Rating
9,5 - A captivating Fantasy-epic!
I loved this movie from beginning to end. Even when the few quiet scenes kicked in I could not help but to be pulled back in by the following scenes and plot structure. The visuals are stunning and authentically cel animated enhancing the drawn manga by it's director magnificently. This animated film is a reminder of a great time of animation and innovative features.  I can honestly say that I feel bad for the generation that doesn't know about the existence of such animated genius

And with this I finally end this post, and apologize for the delay. 

M.

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Delayed...

I Seriously hoped to post Nausicaä Of The Valley Of The Wind this saturday but I failed to do so. I'm already working on the post right now and I should be done by Sunday. Please stay tuned by frequently visiting the Hayao Miyazaki Film Hub or Subscribe.
Also, Expect more Hayao Miyazaki films these few weeks.

Check On that page. Don't be shy!

Feel free to comment and give suggestions !

Akira (1988), Cyber Punk mayhem.

Directed by: Katsuhiro Otomo | Written by: Katsuhiro Otomo, Izo Hashimoto
Produced by: TMS entertainment Ltd.

Awards

• Silver Scream Award; 3rd Amsterdam Fantastic Film Festival

"What makes it work is the astounding animation, 160,000 cells worth. The detail is exceptionally realistic, fluid and multidimensional, suggesting both a futuristic world and ancient quests. Otomoto's neon-lit Neo-Tokyo is a marvel of post-apocalyptic tension and desires. "Akira" is equally astounding for its color design, whether in the brightness of Neo-Tokyo, the damp darkness of its underground or the steely edge of its scientific outposts and military hardware. It's a complete world sprung from Otomoto's pen and imagination, and realized in 327 colors." - Richard Harrington, Washington Post

During the successful manga that met its end in 1990 after 6 successful volumes, an anime adaptation was made directed and written in 1988. Now I know what you're thinking: An Anime adaptation Directed and written by the same artist? What could go wrong? Well nothing, until you realize that he crammed almost 2 volumes worth of story into two hours with additional plot structure worth two more volumes... The franchise that heavily influenced modern science fiction and had the media impact of an atomic bomb in it's time ladies and gentlemen. A great manga. But is it a great movie?

The story of Akira is a well known one which tells the story of a post apocalyptic neo-tokyo set near the ruin's of the original Tokyo which was destroyed in an explosion 32 years ago during world war III. You live the moments of Kaneda the leader of the biker gang "capsule" and his frustrated best friend Tetsuo before an unfortunate bike accident caused by a supernatural events which is the first of mysteries to cause a raft between kaneda and Tetsuo who grows insane with his awakened powers after the accident due to a military proof which could potentially revive Akira, the man hinted to be behind World War III. As good and overwhelming as that story was in the manga. Yes, It is still the very same movie that shook the anime fandom in the 90's and inspired many more like minded artist and I do acknowledge this movie and it's director as brilliant, but the filtering between the manga and anime was rather thin maybe due to a short coming of material leaving only the feel to entertain its viewers into a state of constant interest due to this animated wonder and the cyber-punk gore that has been shown to it's fullest which was quite nice. Yet not for me.
The visuals are stunning for it's time and well made, exactly like the manga if I may add with the exception of shading. Neo-tokyo was captured beautifully enhancing the negative feel and desolated mood. I was constantly amazed by the futuristic view this work possessed, especially in the beginning of the movie during the gang battles that seemed familiar somehow. Despite the few changes to the story it turned out to be a good time and a well made adaptation.Until the complications kicked in....


 The main issue of this movie is that Katsuhiro Otomo was fully aware that he had to bring his unfinished work into the picture to all it's glory even if it meant bringing some elements that would only work with the continuation of the next volumes which he altered in the process,but in vain.
The battles felt rushed and half the times I was thrown off by all the explosions that formed the final battles which needed to be stretched to at least an hour. I seriously wondered what happened after major building exploded and antagonists faces were taken over with surprise and fear, every time I had to pick of after the said events, it also felt like the story had to do the same . I sincerely tried to enjoy this movie and I did when the story kicked in but I was annoyed by the constant attempts of the military units to stop Tetsuo to the point that the city had to suffer under it. Wouldn't it have been better if the movie was split into two individual parts to give it some breading space? The subtle but brutal violence is an Akira trademark that -if done well- expresses the sense of realism and dystopian taste that can worsen anytime to a full scale war, which was ruined...


The other thing that suffered because of  aforementioned aspects was character development which wasn't gradually delivered as the word "development" suggest but placed out of convenience. The movie didn't have a lot of time to meddle inside the soft spots to create a lasting sense of understanding and compassion nor did the two volumes this was based on. The repercussions of this are huge. Not only is there low to none credibility of their friendship (unless if you read the manga) but their is also no urge to understand the struggle that goes through this movie.
If only the characters where as nice as the way they were intended too.You only saw the brave Kaneda leader of the capsule gang, a true failure of a womanizer against the frustrated Tetsuo which inferiority towards his best friend fueled his insanity. Great personalities that could have been greater, to bad.

Click to enlarge

Rating
7,0 -  Post-Apocalyptic nutshell

Yes a 7, I may get a lot of hate for this but I got my reasons!Despite the innovative and the -in its time- groundbreaking story it did not succeed to bring it's full potential to the big screen.Given the fact that the manga adaptation was directed and written by no other than it's creator . You are left  wondering if this movie stood a chance as the animated equal of a well-drawn cyber punk epic. My guess is that he should've waited after the 5th volume to make this animation. What do you think? Did you like the movie? Please leave your impressions below.

• This animated film is not suited for children due to excessive violence, please remember that.

M.

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Millennium Actress (2001), An animation within a play.

Directed by: Satoshi Kon | Written by: Sadayuki Murai
Produced by Madhouse Inc.

Awards

• Best Animation Film & Fantassia Ground-Breaker Award; 5th Fant-Asia Film Festival
• Ofuji Noburo Award; 56th Mainichi Film Awards
• Orient Express Award; 34thSitges - Catalonian International Film Festival

"The film's matter-of-fact, realistic animation style makes a fitting contrast to the topsy-turvy nature of its narration. Though the moments of drama have an inescapable corniness, as a piece of visual legerdemain as well as a rumination on the place movies have in our personal and collective subconscious, "Millennium Actress" fascinatingly goes where films have not often gone before." - Kenneth Turan, Los Angelese Times

Millennium Actress (Sennen Joyū), the second work of the late Satoshi Kon which takes a turn from the illusion-indulged thriller violence to a fictional biography based on the life of real veteran actress Setsuko Hara. The movie that sets out to be a biography of an old secluded former actress rapidly turns into a vivid adventure filled with passion and drama as old memories are remembered and portrayed with the use of her early movie scenes as memory-recollection medium's. This brilliant display of "a play in a play" meant to set you of guard from the beginning truly is a Satoshi Kon signed feature.


When long time fan Genya Tachibana (Shôzô Îzuka) and his young jovial cameraman set off to document the  aged former actress Chiyoko Fujiwara (Miyoko Shôji), they find themselves reliving more than an old star's biography/Filmography. Chiyoko's love for film was at start a mere mascaraed for her love for a mysterious activist she fell in love with. The story entrusts us with the delicate story of how her feelings and stubbornness kept her searching for this man for decades in a time of national oppression and war in 1930-1940.


The clear and sharp color were slightly polished and uplifted from it's predecessor Perfect Blue becoming -in my humble opinion- more keen to the eye which could be joyful and quite dark  undertoned in dramatic entries.The Shadows are soft implementing the clear shading I so admire in this Animated Film.

Chiyoko's life told through her various scenes and character incarnations

The movie didn't have a wide variety of main characters but many recurring ones that cleverly substituted unknown antagonists in her film scenes to form the row of collage-like memories such as the man with the scar that hunts down the mysterious activist throughout the film . The characters that it did posses (even if they had very little character development) were the ones I LOVED. Not once did I think that Genya or his easy-going cameraman where an annoyance or in the way of a particular film scene of the actress' past, on the contrary they filled the position of spectators and main duo of this film, the ones that where in her plays and in Genya's case: the one that played a roles in her film scene-memories he watched and cried to. Genya's interrest and respect for Chiyoko is also explained and exploited and comes together in this -what can only be described as- satisfying closure.

Click to enlarge

Rating
9,8 - True Drama!

I loved this movie from beginning t'ill the last frame. The moving story and misfortunes in her lives illustrated by her own film scenes is a a clever concept in which her life is shown true fragments of her best moments and career. Every scene has its feel and moment that has been carefully portrayed through well written screenplay. I can only hope others enjoy it as much as I did even after the movie ended. Do comment if you saw this movie already and if you liked it as much as I did.

M.

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Yea , something went wrong...

My computer died on me a few days ago, apparently my over charged hard drive wasn't able to support my near-death motherboard. Well that's fixed (...hopefully). Sorry for the Inconvenience. I will review a Satoshi Kon movie soon!
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Metropolis (2001), the fictional future of many pasts

Directed by: Rintaro | Written by: Katsuhiro Otomo
Produced by: Madhouse

Award(s)

• Best Animation Film - 2nd Place;  5th Fant-Asia Film Festival
• (None out of 3 Nominations)

"Playing like a candy-colored hybrid of Fritz Lang's film of the same name and Ridley Scott's Blade Runner, Osamu Tezuka's Metropolis borrows its plot liberally from numerous legendary sci-fi sources (despite the fact that the original manga was released in 1945, certain cinematic aspects can't help but appearing overly familiar), all the while dazzling viewers on the same cutting-edge visual level as suchanime classics as Akira and Ghost in the Shell. "-JASON BUCHANAN, Rovi (Allmovie) 

Fritz Lang and Osamu Tezuka 

The 2001 adaptation of the 1949 manga of the same name by no other than the godfather of manga himself, Osamu Tezuka which in turn is inspired on the innovative 1927 silent film Metropolis by Fritz Lang. This movie shows it's worth as a piece written by the man behind the acclaimed cyber-punk manga Akira.
The filtering process from genius silent film and sci-fi predecessor to many great films in hollywood's golden age of cinema to a memorable manga brought forth by one of it's pioneers and all time legends who also claimed that he based his work of a single still image of its name sake is a remarkable homage,marvelous and a debate starter of preferences between the above-mentioned works .Be that as it may, the name and premise of this movie spans generations of great minds and great screenplay.

Now I admit that I never saw the original motion picture, therefore not being able to discuss which version is undeniably better. But I can however, compliment this films stunning visuals and accurate recreation of Tezuka's art style while enhancing the monumental posture that is Metropolis and its heaven-reaching tower.I'd also state that the film and animated film both posses an element of originality of it's own cancelling the thoughts that this movie is a copy or a cheap homage. It is not...

This movie is a colorful blend of animation and futuristic technology while preserving aspects of the presumed year the manga was made, probably due to the accurate adaptation of Osamu Tezuka's work (with the exception of some character changes).
While the animated feature and character development fair well in this movie, some turns of events do not and linger in my mind even after I finished this movie...twice.
 For example:

1. The japanese Detective Ban Shinsaku (Kôsei Tomita) who -together with his nephew Kenichi (Kei Kobayashi)- is the main protagonist who came to metropolis to arrest Dr. Laughton for the crime of human Organ-trafficking. Due to unfortunate events they find themselve separated: The detective with it's robot guide (with a serial number as name I won't even try to write that...) and Kenichi with the Tima  (unbeknownst to both of them that she is a robot made for a destructive purpose). Logic has it that the detective will search for his lost nephew who could be dead for all he knows.Well...he does not. While he shows faint signs of concern he does not search thoroughly for his nephew to the point that 5 minutes inward in the movie you can see him eat a hot dog like their is no problem in the world. It's an insignificant flaw but it does raise some moral questions.
2. There is an escape scene where Kenichi has to run away and hide with Tima for safety while being shot at repeatedly. It isn't exactly news that antagonists are horrible at aiming. But to miss 5 shots at two people standing still? That's pushing it... I know that it would have crippled the chasing scene and important turn of events but he could've at least scraped him.

The turn of events and cruel human-to-robot violence fuel the main thoughts that robots are abused and misunderstood as one of it's biggest enigma struggle to understand that she is not human and is destined for great destruction. That concept is constantly pulled back and forth in terms of importance in the movie it didn't quite stick, it was a mere reminder of interaction between humans and the machines much like The Animatrix portrayed  but less impressive. They should have worked on it more is what I'm getting at. Some bonds like the detective and his appointed robot partner where hardly credible and forced. I often found myself not believing them.
 The kind-hearted kenichi finds a fitting place in this turmoil and creates strong bonds with them and Tima in particular. The chemistry between the two said characters is portrayed as strong and emotional and plays an important role near the end. It is a shame that that bond wasn't exploited more to maximize the emotional and moral impact at the end of the film.

Rating

7,5 - Futuristic thrill !

The first animation film that taught me that not all movies are for children. I still cherish this childhood memory that screened at midnight on my old TV. The dept and visuals of this film are a mixture of Osamu tezuka particular characteristics and Fritz Langs original picture. It is not the greatest movie but it still deserves some respect and attention. 

M.

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It's happening! I'm finally there!

As I round up my last and definitive template and design changes. I'm finally ready to make the next step and get my own domain hopefully by the end of the month!



For the few of you who regularly visit my blog (which I appreciate ) have noticed the ridiculous amount of changes since I started this. Well that's over with! Right now i'm starting to work on more reviews and a few entries on my own... they beter be done before osarunime.com launches ^^

HUBS

 You might've/might not have noticed the few banners below certain posts. I'm still working on it just so I can categories content faster as this blog grows
List (so far):

That's about it for now, make sure to comment and show your input and/or appreciation of what I've been doing so far!