[Categories: Specials]
The Sci Fi London Anime All-Nighter: I am a Shinkai fanboy as of now
My weekend jaunt to London (the reason why I didn’t post anything yesterday) not only gave me chance to check out Cafe Manga (an eaterie that should prove to be a big hit when it properly gets off the ground) and do a bit of sightseeing but was also the night of the Anime All-Nighter at the Sci-Fi London event at the Apollo Cinema in Piccadilly. Thanks to some friendly souls in the audience (nice meeting you guys!) and a good choice of titles it was a golden opportunity to see some anime that really looks its best on the big screen. From 11.30pm till 8.00am the following morning we dosed up on generously provided tea, coffee, Red Bull and assorted snacks, before sitting back and enjoying the show…
Voices of a Distant Star
The evening kicked off with the short sci-fi romance from up-and-coming animator/director Makoto Shinkai. How this one man created such a little gem of a film (it’s only 25 minutes long, remember) with hardly any outside assistance is a mystery: in its short running time we are presented with a heartfelt and powerful drama that results from a teenage couple torn apart by intergalactic war, with visuals and characterisation that bely its indie origins.
When Mikako is separated from her would-be boyfriend Noboru they communicate through e-mail via their mobile phones; unfortunately the further Mikako travels to defend Earth from the alien threat the older Noboru gets and the longer it takes for their messages to reach their destination. An excellent debut for what promises to be a dazzling career.
Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
This was one of the most highly anticipated features of recent years, and rightly so: taking place after the events of the 1995 feature film, director Mamoru Oshii revisits Shirow’s characters Batou and Togusa, this time as they investigate a string of incidents involving rogue cyborg geishas. It looks astounding, it sounds astounding and there is enough philosophy and literary quotes to make your head sore and your eyes water.
Innocence is less action-packed and more cerebral than its made-for-TV spinoff but it is no less memorable: Production I.G. have excelled themselves once more with the slick action scenes and dramatic panoramic views of futuristic cities. At some points the detail is almost overwhelming and the highbrow musings sound a little clever for their own good: nevertheless I can’t imagine any fans of the Ghost in the Shell franchise being disappointed with this.
Karas
The first half of what has been described as the anime equivalent of The Crow (a comparison that is a little misguided it has to be said), Karas is another dark, visually stunning piece that includes demons, detectives and some awe-inspiring blending of 2D and 3D CGI work. Sadly the coherance of the storyline didn’t match the quality of the artwork but it was nevertheless an interesting way to pass the time; hopefully the second half of the OVA (if and when I get around to watching it) will explain things a little more clearly.
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
I must have been the only one in the theatre who was only mildly curious about this one, mainly because I’d heard mixed reviews and hadn’t any experience of the FF franchise. Because of my complete ignorance the appearances of the numerous characters seemed like a stream of less-than-subtle fan-pleasing cameos and the plot was derivative and predictable.
To its credit though Advent Children did its job admirably in entertaining long-standing fans, the swordplay was exhilerating and with only a couple of misplaced moods aside the musical score was great. Since my eyes had been open for so long already they deserved the visual treat that this film’s CG offered!
The Places Promised in our Early Days
The session started on a Shinkai effort and it also ended on one - in my personal opinion they had left the best film till last. It didn’t have the philosophy of Innocence, the action of Karas or the CG of Advent Children but in terms of characters and storytelling Places Promised… was a real winner for me. Seeing the themes of friendship, trust and determination to see your dreams reach fruition protrayed in such a sincere and thoughtfully written way made it an unforgettable and uplifting experience. The cast were ordinary and real-sounding people, the animation was carried out with stunning attention to detail (it’s a marked improvement on Voices…) and as for the ending…I won’t spoil it but rest assured it’s fitting, eloquent and packed with suspense. A fantastic end to a fantastic evening.
Now I’m reeling from 34 hours without sleep…
