Ah, that time of year again…as much as I’d have liked to have taken time off work for the full duration of the festival and watch as much as time allowed my finances wouldn’t stretch (especially since it’s an hour away by train). It became more of a social occasion what with the screenings of First Squad: Moment of Truth, Ponyo and Summer Wars forming the perfect excuse to meet up with friends and discuss the movies over a meal and a drink or two.

For some reason I prefer to watch episodic anime and the more headscratch-inducing stuff on my own at home but the feature-length efforts are more enjoyable when the experience is shared with friends and on the big screen. I’m certainly expecting these three to wind up licenced; assuming legal red tape doesn’t get in the way I see no reason why they won’t. I hope.

First Squad: Moment of Truth

There’s a lot to be said for walking in with little or no knowledge of what to expect: I know 4°C manage to nurture some impressive and original talent so I was at least unsurprised at how it looks and feels different from the norm, and is very stylish indeed. There seems to be a lot of fan backlash though, which I put down to the old problem of the rift between what a production is and what the audience expects.

My own expectations on the other hand were limited to three things: 1. a Russian girl with a sword, 2. Nazis and the undead and 3. cool visuals that look different from most other films and series. Needless to say I was prepared for a load of hocus-pocus nonsense unfolding in front of a backdrop that’s conversely very gritty and historically accurate, and didn’t worry about the short running-time hampering the build-up of a complex storyline.

I wonder whether it was the live-action segments that fail in delivering the documentary feel in the eyes of some viewers, or whether it was the fact that nobody is used to historical events set in Russia colliding with fantasy adventure, or Russian dialogue used with an anime art style. I found it to be an oddity but at least an enjoyable one – the end result was a cross between Blood: the Last Vampire (the old OAV) and Valkyria Chronicles, with the supernatural trappings that underpinned Hellboy and Outpost. For all the authenticity in regards to real-life locations and military hardware it is ultimately nonsense but hardly offended me.

Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea

I’m not sure what I can add when talking about this one – the fact that it’s Miyazaki-directed and could be the last one he does before retiring (although he’s been considering throwing in the towel since Mononoke Hime but always comes back) makes it a must-watch anyway but it’s certainly his most childlike so far. How many kids of the target age can sit still through a one hour and forty minute feature I don’t know, but the screening I attended seemed to be filled with grown-ups appeasing their inner child. And succeeding.

Make no mistake: this is Miyazaki’s simplest, purest and most harmless feature since My Neighbour Totoro. Adults will appreciate the exquisite detail in the hand-drawn artwork but also grin like an idiot at how GODDAMN CUTE it is. Seriously. The story’s more straightforward than most of his work; the watercolour backgrounds are, deliberately I think, lacking in detail too. It really looks like Ghibli have gone back to basics with this one, which makes it quite a departure in some ways: sometimes less is more, which I think is what makes Ponyo so successful at what it sets out to do.

Even so, it also feels like Miyazaki as the cynical old guy is showing through more here. I’m not sure if it is meant to be a reflection of his personal thoughts about his own domestic life and relationships, but it certainly portrays the contemporary problems associated with working families, and how individuals are affected by those issues. I’m sure the target audience, who are as much as two decades younger than me, won’t read between the lines as I did but the way that social commentary shows through in between the moments of fairytale wonderment was quite noticeable to me.

Fundamentally though, I think the family strife isn’t trying to say anything on its own: it merely serves to portray a situation that’s familiar to Japanese children of today in a more general sense and is therefore one that’s easy for its intended viewers to relate to. Miyazaki is always keen to stress that his films are intended principally to entertain rather than dwelling on his trademark social and economic messages, and Ponyo is no exception. Focused pacing, a plot devoid of holes and complex character development are hardly an issue when it’s a film as effortlessly charming AND SO GODDAMN CUTE as this one. Needless to say it’s a must-watch.

Summer Wars

Speaking of feelgood family entertainment, I was also really looking forward to Summer Wars, the latest movie from Mamoru Hosoda. I know I promised Gaguri that I’d write about it at length but quite honestly there’s so much I want to say about it that my full thoughts will have to wait for another post.

What I will say is that it’s an absolute blast. The visuals are even more spectacular than The Girl Who Leapt Though Time – particularly the Superflat Monogram-style online world of Oz – and Yoshiyuki Sadamoto’s character designs are so brimming over with life and vitality they’re almost jumping out the screen. Unlike its predecessor though, Summer Wars is less personal in its focus and underlying messages, and the overwhelming inventiveness of Oz draws attention away from the human element a bit in places.

Despite these minor issues I still absolutely loved it. What Hosoda and his team excel at is making little details enhance the bigger picture, and also shifting gear effortlessly between drama and comedy. There are scenes that will have you fighting back the tears one moment and creased up with laughter the next but, like the little nuances that endeared themselves so much to me, felt completely organic and natural, even when the mechanics of the events don’t make a lot of sense.

Although the subject matter and storytelling approach are very different between Tokikake and Summer Wars, the same stylistic flourishes and atmosphere are present in both. Basically, what we have here is an extremely talented director and an equally talented staff who can take on different subjects and themes while keeping their signature styles intact thoughout. Summer Wars proves it CAN be done in the right hands…something Makoto Shinkai can take comfort in when the time comes to release his next feature, I think.

Honestly, there’s so much more I can say about this one but for now I’ll cite it as contender for my anime film of the year and wait for the Blu-Ray release. It’s fan-bloody-tastic so go watch it when you get the chance.