Movies
Spirit of Wonder: Miss China's Ring
This was a very nice surprise. Miss China's Ring is a lo-fi sci-fi tale with some pretty cool animation and an attractive art style. I hadn't heard about the film before, which is a tad surprising considering its relatively broader appeal, but it's always cool to bump into a hidden gem. It's not grand enough to be a true anime classic, but that's about the only negative I can come up with. The plot is pretty simple and the comedy a little crass, then again this is a short 90s OAV, so what did you expect? I did like the detailed art style and the love that went into the animation, a clear step up from similar projects of the time. The slight sci-fi elements are a nice touch and there's a sweetness and lightness to the film that makes it a very easy watch. Fun.Read all
Sakura Wars: The Movie
Sakura Wars is part of a popular video game franchise that branched out into different media. Maybe this film makes more sense if you're familiar with the games, but from what I gather it's mostly just a bunch of random anime tropes thrown together, turning this film into a pretty incoherent mess. The character designs look rather plain, but the mechs are nifty and the cel-shaded animation is pretty cool. The music on the other hand is extremely cheesy and once the crew is out of battle, the comedy/drama is just unsightly. Lots of ups and downs in this film in other words, the animation saves it from being a complete failure.Read all