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Tekkonkinkreet - Michael Arias (2006)
Tekkonkinkreet is the first anime directer by a foreigner, Michael Arias who also produced The Animatrix. It's based on the manga „Black and White“ written by Taiyo Matsumoto and tells the story of two young boys, Black and White who are a part of a gang called The Cats that controls Treasure town. Their reign is threatened by the reappearance of a Yakuza boss, and a strange entrepreneur Mr. Snake that wants to get rid of them so he can turn Fortune city into a major amusement park...
The story is a classic tale of good versus bad, light versus dark, progress versus traditional values etc. The script has certain weaknesses and is s a little difficult to follow at times ; the separation of the main characters seemed to have come out of the blue and had no other purpose but to prolong the story, the appearance and motivation of certain characters ( Snake and his „goons“, the two kids that try to take over Treasure town at the beginning etc.) is a tad confusing.
The best part of this film is the animation. It's simply the most impressive and original anime I have seen in recent years . The very unique stylization is due to the idiosyncratic style of the original manga which the animators have done an exceptional job at transferring to the big screen.
Then there's the general tone of the film; despite the bright colours that dominate the majority of it, it is a very somber experience.
There is a palpable feeling of disillusionment with the modern world, visibly expressed through the character of Black; a quiet and aloof child, the older and more mature of the two, who is eventually driven to madness by the inevitable „progress“ and its irreversible consequences to Treasure town and his relationship with White, his opposite and moral anchor (the symbolism of their names being less than subtle). While Black represents the consequences of living in a modern day metropolis, the „uncorrupted“ (and at times annoyingly bratty if I may add) White represents the long lost innocence and soul of Treasure Town. In its finale, Tekkonkinkreet delves into metaphysics and psychodelia , much like its classic predecessor Akira (or according to some, 2001 A space oddissey) as the main character battles with his duplicity, which in turn, reflects the eternal struggle of good and bad in us all.
In short, despite its shortcomings, Tekkonkinkreet is a very enjoyable experience and a must see for any fan of Japanese animation. I rate it higher than Satoshi Kon's Paprika and that's saying something.
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Tekkonkinkreet is the first anime directer by a foreigner, Michael Arias who also produced The Animatrix. It's based on the manga „Black and White“ written by Taiyo Matsumoto and tells the story of two young boys, Black and White who are a part of a gang called The Cats that controls Treasure town. Their reign is threatened by the reappearance of a Yakuza boss, and a strange entrepreneur Mr. Snake that wants to get rid of them so he can turn Fortune city into a major amusement park...
The story is a classic tale of good versus bad, light versus dark, progress versus traditional values etc. The script has certain weaknesses and is s a little difficult to follow at times ; the separation of the main characters seemed to have come out of the blue and had no other purpose but to prolong the story, the appearance and motivation of certain characters ( Snake and his „goons“, the two kids that try to take over Treasure town at the beginning etc.) is a tad confusing.
The best part of this film is the animation. It's simply the most impressive and original anime I have seen in recent years . The very unique stylization is due to the idiosyncratic style of the original manga which the animators have done an exceptional job at transferring to the big screen.
Then there's the general tone of the film; despite the bright colours that dominate the majority of it, it is a very somber experience.
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In short, despite its shortcomings, Tekkonkinkreet is a very enjoyable experience and a must see for any fan of Japanese animation. I rate it higher than Satoshi Kon's Paprika and that's saying something.