Much like his 2009 film, Summer Wars, director Mamoru Hosoda’s latest effort offers an intriguing contrast between the real and virtual worlds. Seventeen-year-old protagonist Suzu Naito and her father live in the verdant spaces of ...
Read More »Shirobako: The Movie review
Not only does Shirobako: The Movie depict the tensions of anime production, but several of the film’s creative choices reflect the customary victors of these divergences. Anime isn’t just entertaining, it’s often a surprisingly insightful ...
Read More »On-Gaku: Our Sound review
On-Gaku has long embodied the underdog spirit. After rejections from most of the major manga houses, Hiroyuki Ôhashi self-published Ongaku and Manga in 2005. A dramatized retelling of his experiences of playing at a musical ...
Read More »Promare review
For devoted animation fans, Studio Trigger is undoubtedly one of medium’s dominant powerhouses. Founded by director Hiroyuki Imaishi, who broke off from Gainax, Trigger has delivered a succession of prodigious works. Efforts like Kill la ...
Read More »Millennium Actress review
2001’s Millennium Actress opens with shots of a determined female astronaut breaking free of Earth’s gravitational possession. Reminiscent of several popular science fiction films, she’s the resolute hero, determined on exploring the cosmos alone, on ...
Read More »Sound! Euphonium: The Movie – Our Promise: A Brand New Day review
On the surface, Sound! Euphonium explores the myriad of tribulations faces during teenage life. The novel, manga, and anime center around members of the Kitauji High School Concert Band Club. Once a prestigious competitor for ...
Read More »Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?: Arrow of the Orion review
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? (affectionately known as DanMachi in Japan) success stems from several remarkable traits. Fujino Ōmori’s light novel, as well as the property’s adaptations in ...
Read More »Made in Abyss: Journey’s Dawn review
When works are adapted for other media, there’s always the risk that something will be lost in the process. Certainly, that’s a possibility with Made in Abyss: Journey’s Dawn, which is twice removed from its ...
Read More »Sailor Moon S: The Movie review
When Pioneer Entertainment Sailor Moon S: The Movie arrived stateside in 1999, it trailed the original theatrical Japanese release by a half decade. While the film showcased the irrefutable charm of the animated television series, ...
Read More »The Night Is Short, Walk on Girl review
For many, there’s a salient period between the twilight of youth and the dawn of adulthood. Before we allow marriage and mortgage to administer our lives, nights of bacchian revelry offer a spirited eulogy to ...
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