Editor's note: In honor of the newest Studio Ghibli film, Tales From Earthsea, we wanted people to discover other Japanese animation films beyond that of master animator Hayao Miyazaki (Earthsea is directed by his son Goro). Miyazaki's work has dominated the genre the way Pixar has dominated computer animation the last 15 years. We're still trying to figure out if we can rank Miyazaki's movies for a separate blog, but that's proving as hard as picking which of your kids you like best. Meanwhile, our animation expert Charles Solomon--a Miyazaki devotee--delves into the other gems of the genre.
For mainstream American audiences, the work of Studio Ghibli co-founder Hayao Miyazaki has become synonymous with Japanese animation. But millions of otaku, most of them in their teens and twenties, know that the Japanese animation industry encompasses as many styles and genres as live action film.
Here are ten interesting, original and important Japanese features that were not made at Studio Ghibli and that bear only a vague resemblance to the conventional American vision of what animation can be and do.
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Akira Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira(1988): It's often described as the movie that created a mass audience for Japanese animation in America. Although the convoluted plot and inconclusive ending may frustrate American viewers, Otomo's direction, especially his cutting in the motorcycle chase sequence, was ground-breaking. The film probably looks better in this Blu-Ray release than it did in its initial release as dust, dirt and scratches have been digitally removed.
Cowboy Bebop: Knocking on Heaven's Door: Director Shinichiro Watanabe expands the popular broadcast series to the big screen with his accustomed panache. The climactic duel between bounty hunter/"space cowboy" Spike Spiegel and the manaical Vincent plays against innocent yet eerie images of a Halloween carnival on Mars. Knockin' on Heaven's Door provides a stylish introduction for the viewers who want to know why Cowboy Bebop scored such a hit on both sides of the Pacific.
Evangelion 1.11: You Are (Not) Alone: You Are Not Alone makes it clear why Hideaki Anno has returned to his watershed tale Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995) yet again. He's "rebuilding" the story as he initially envisioned it, unconstrained by technological and budgetary limits, and the new visuals eclipse the broadcast series. An eerie mixture of Jungian psychology, Christian symbolism and sci-fi adventure Evangelion remains a landmark in anime history.
Ghost in the Shell: Director Mamoru Oshii's skillful blending of drawn and computer animation was key work in the creation of the cyberpunk genre. The film is set in the not-too-distant future, when an unnamed government uses lifelike cyborgs for undercover work. Cyborg Major Motoko Kusanagi battles through a web of espionage as she searches for the mysterious superhacker known as "The Puppet Master." Oshii deftly juxtaposes rapid-fire action with static dialogue scenes that allow the characters to sort out the rather hazy plot.
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The Girl Who Leapt Through Time: Makoto Konno is a normal high school student: smart, but not brilliant; well-liked, but not a social star. She likes to play baseball with handsome, studious Kosuke and shaggy, offbeat Chiaki. When Makoto nearly loses her life in an accident, she discovers she can move through time to escape, but her efforts to improve the present backfire. The well-drawn relationship Makoto, Kosuke, and Chiaki share balances the fantastic elements of the story.
Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade: Written by Mamoru Oshii and directed by Hiroyuki Okiura Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade is set in a fictionalized version of the recent past, when a repressive Japanese government is battling The Sect, a violent revolutionary organization that uses adolescent girls they call "Red Riding Hoods" as couriers. Capitol Police Constable Kazuki Fuse and Kei Agawa, the older sister of a courier, find themselves caught in a snarl of plots and counter-plots. Okiura’s skillful cutting and striking imagery transcend the limited animation.
Millenium Actress: After spending decades in seclusion, aged film star Chioyoko Fujiwara grants an interview to journalist Genya Tachibana. Director Satoshi Kon intercuts scenes from Chioyoko's films with her memories of pursuing a mysterious artist she met as a girl. Accompanied by his blasé cameraman, Tachibana finds himself within Chioyoko's memories and films, alternately observing and aiding her. Kon's skillful direction and subtle use of color strengthen his intriguing narrative.
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Paprika: Based on a novel by the Japanese science fiction writer Yasutaka Tsutui, the unsettling feature Paprika continues Satoshi Kon's exploration of the disturbingly permeable boundaries between dreams and reality. Psychotherapist Atsuko Chiba uses her alter-identity as "dream detective" Paprika to prevent a mass nightmare from causing multiple suicides. Kon effortlessly carries the audience between reality and fantasy, confirming his reputation as one of the most talented directors working in animation today.
Samurai X: the Motion Picture: Samurai X offers a darker, more violent take on Noboru Watsuki's manga than the popular series Rurouni Kenshin. A key fighter in the Meiji Restoration that transformed 19th century Japan, assassin Kenshin Himura received scars on his soul that mark him more decisively than the X on his cheek. Director Hatsuki Tsuji builds subtle visual patterns of downward motions--falling tears, fluttering bamboo leaves, the deadly stroke of a sword, Kenshin’s spectacular leaps--to create a film with an unusually satisfying resolution.
Tokyo Godfathers: The tenuous existence of three homeless people--Hana, a flamboyant drag entertainer; Gin, an alcoholic former bicycle racer; and Miyuki, a sullen teenage runaway--becomes more chaotic when they search for the parents of an abandoned baby on Christmas Eve. All three care passionately about the abandoned infant, and they love each other, although they're loath to admit it. Kon shows that battling inner demons can present a more daunting challenge than fighting aliens and cyborgs.
--Charles Solomon is a critic and historian of animation, who reviews for Amazon.com and has published several books, including The Art of Toy Story 3.
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