The second of two programmes showcasing the acclaimed Japanese animation house STUDIO4°C (The Animatrix, Batman: Gotham Knight) is a very mixed bag of work. It ranges from run-of-the-mill Saturday morning cartoon fare to animated sci-fi punk.
Mahiro Maedas Gala falls into the first category. A giant meteor crashes into a remote village, inspiring the curious human/animal townsfolk into blasting open the cosmic rock. That unleashes a mysterious life force that compels them (including a talking cat) to perform good deeds. I know, I know, dont ask.
Kazuto Nakazawas Moondrive takes place in another corner of the same galaxy, following the adventures of a down-and-out band of treasure hunters scavenging the moon. While it features some eye-catching animation, the film falls flat in the humour department and the characters never leap off the screen despite all their high-decibel hijinx.
Wanwa The Doggy by Shinya Ohira is, well, how to describe this? Moments after a little boy is tucked into bed, a hurricane blasts through his room and sweeps him into a kaleidoscopic never land of hungry monsters and candy bars. Our little guy is hurtled through space as a beast claws after him. Wanwa is a non-stop tumble through colour and space, both whimsical and fantastical. However, at 13 minutes and without a story to hang it on, the film is a little long.
Tatsuyuki Tanakas Tou Jin Kit is a much more mature work, set in the near future in a cold, mechanised city. Robotic cops bust into the apartment of a teenage girl who collects teddy bears that harbour an alien virus. With minimal dialogue, the film creates a chilling post-punk world that recalls early-era Heavy Metal magazine. The films atmosphere and detailed images overcome its foggy narrative. (Im still not sure what the virus is, apart from being a colourful blob.)
Koji Morimotos mini-epic Dimension Bomb features a beautifully drawn surreal explosion of colour that recalls the star gate sequence in Kubricks 2001. Again, forget the story, just sit back and float downstream.
Mahiro Maedas Gala falls into the first category. A giant meteor crashes into a remote village, inspiring the curious human/animal townsfolk into blasting open the cosmic rock. That unleashes a mysterious life force that compels them (including a talking cat) to perform good deeds. I know, I know, dont ask.
Kazuto Nakazawas Moondrive takes place in another corner of the same galaxy, following the adventures of a down-and-out band of treasure hunters scavenging the moon. While it features some eye-catching animation, the film falls flat in the humour department and the characters never leap off the screen despite all their high-decibel hijinx.
Wanwa The Doggy by Shinya Ohira is, well, how to describe this? Moments after a little boy is tucked into bed, a hurricane blasts through his room and sweeps him into a kaleidoscopic never land of hungry monsters and candy bars. Our little guy is hurtled through space as a beast claws after him. Wanwa is a non-stop tumble through colour and space, both whimsical and fantastical. However, at 13 minutes and without a story to hang it on, the film is a little long.
Tatsuyuki Tanakas Tou Jin Kit is a much more mature work, set in the near future in a cold, mechanised city. Robotic cops bust into the apartment of a teenage girl who collects teddy bears that harbour an alien virus. With minimal dialogue, the film creates a chilling post-punk world that recalls early-era Heavy Metal magazine. The films atmosphere and detailed images overcome its foggy narrative. (Im still not sure what the virus is, apart from being a colourful blob.)
Koji Morimotos mini-epic Dimension Bomb features a beautifully drawn surreal explosion of colour that recalls the star gate sequence in Kubricks 2001. Again, forget the story, just sit back and float downstream.
