This movie is absolutely fantastic, and doesn't get the praise it deserves due to its medium. As an anime film, it is atypical- being a movie more focused on character development and world building than action, sex or horror. The animation, however, is phenomenal- completely cel-shaded with full-stop animation and bursting with color- perhaps the bested only by Miyazaki's later films.
But no matter how well animated a movie may be, without a good plot, themes, and characters, it cannot be considered great. Luckily, Shiro and co are incredibly well developed, flawed but relatable people and the world they inhabit is an incredibly alien but fascinating one. The story itself is fairly simple- a civilization's first step into space. But there are so many layers to it- on an political, emotional, and even spiritual level. It sticks with you. The level of detail and immersion just grabs hold of you and doesn't let go until the final sequence. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this movie. You owe it to yourself to watch it.
Anime Ideas grow; sometimes bigger than life.
This movie is absolutely fantastic, and doesn't get the praise it deserves due to its medium. As an anime film, it is atypical- being a movie more focused on character development and world building than action, sex or horror. The animation, however, is phenomenal- completely cel-shaded with full-stop animation and bursting with color- perhaps the bested only by Miyazaki's later films.
But no matter how well animated a movie may be, without a good plot, themes, and characters, it cannot be considered great. Luckily, Shiro and co are incredibly well developed, flawed but relatable people and the world they inhabit is an incredibly alien but fascinating one. The story itself is fairly simple- a civilization's first step into space. But there are so many layers to it- on an political, emotional, and even spiritual level. It sticks with you. The level of detail and immersion just grabs hold of you and doesn't let go until the final sequence. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this movie. You owe it to yourself to watch it.