The dog also walks and hits an anime. Part 30] Enjoy Masaaki Yuasa's first works three times as much with "Yoru wa tanashi arukete yo otome" and "Yoruake yorueru rou no uta" (The Night is Short and Walks Away)!

We want to meet more and more anime that excite our hearts, anime that will cheer us up tomorrow, and anime that we will always love!　Our anime writers will introduce you to anime that are hot at the moment, regardless of whether they are new releases or long-term favorites.

In this issue, we will take a look at two feature-length animated films currently in theaters, "Yoru wa tanashi arukete yo otome" and "Yoake ni naru rou no uta".

Both films were released in quick succession by Masaaki Yuasa, director of "Mind Game" (2004), "Shijo Han Mythos Taikei" (2010), and "Ping Pong the Animation" (2014).

Seeing the two films together makes it more enjoyable!　I have been curious about Yuasa's works for a long time, but this time I finally made my debut, and I would like to introduce some of the attractions and highlights that I thoroughly enjoyed for the first time.

What is "The Night is Short, Walk away Otome"?

Yoru wa tanshi arukke yo otome" is based on the novel of the same title by Tomihiko Morimi, the author of "Arikoten Kazoku" (2013). The film is the result of the staff of the TV anime "Shijohan Shinwa Taikei," which was broadcast in the "noitaminA" slot and received favorable reviews.

The setting is Kyoto. In a university club, a "senior" is in love with a "black-haired girl" who is his junior. The black-haired girl walks off on her own to enjoy a free-flowing drink, and the senpai follows after her. In one mysterious night, Pontocho in spring, a used book fair in summer, a school festival in autumn, and a cold winter come and go. What will happen to the two after overcoming many unusual incidents? ......

The strange and funny characters unfold an absurd slapstick drama that seems to be real but is not. If you are familiar with "Shijohan Shinwa Taisei," you will be amused by some of the stories in this film.

What is "Dawn Tells Rue's Song"?

Dawn Tells Rue's Song" is a completely original work by director Yuasa. The entire film is characterized by its use of flash animation.

The story takes place in the deserted fishing port town of Hinashi-machi. Kai, a junior high school student whose parents divorced when he was young, has been closed-minded since then, but when he meets a curious and vivacious mermaid girl named Roo, he gradually learns to express his feelings.

However, since ancient times, mermaids have been thought to bring misfortune to the town of Himashi. Soon Roo's existence becomes public knowledge, and a great rift is created between the townspeople. What can Kai do to help Rue and the town in their time of crisis?

The plot is easy to follow, and the worldview is familiar even to first-time viewers. The film has an interesting and cute cast of characters, including Roo, "One Fish," a dog that has turned into a mermaid, and Roo's dad, a shark mermaid that walks on two legs.

The audience enjoys the song and dance scenes that are the hallmarks of director Yuasa's films!

Looking at the two films, the commonalities in the visuals that seem to be Director Yuasa's signature are clear even when seen for the first time.

The unique screen compositions that emphasize perspective. The joy of free and soft movement of lines, as if a dream has become reality. Buildings dance, the horizon tilts, and water rises like a solid object. The overflowing images at the climax, the joy of movement that is freed from common sense and runs through space, is full of the charm of "This is Yuasa-busi! is full of charm.

This characteristic is especially effective in the song and dance scenes.

In "Yoru wa tanashi wa aruka yo otome," a mysterious dance called "sophomoric dance," which has been passed down in the sophomoric club of the university, appears and parades through the bar. How to visualize this has been the focus of much attention among fans of the original work. Even without knowing such background, the movements are just grossly interesting.

I laughed when a scene at a school festival was turned into a musical and the main characters "suddenly" started singing with emotion. The original cast was made up of voice actors, actors, comedians, and musical actresses, and it was a battle of multiple talents, but the fun was in the way they competed with each other in song!

In "Songs of Rue Dawn Tells a Rue," singing and dancing are a big part of the show and key to the story.

Mermaids love to sing and can get energy from singing. Lou is drawn to the songs that Kai hums at the window or the band plays, and she sings along with them, and when she hears them, she is flooded with energy.

When the mermaid hears the groove of the music, her fins split into two legs and she can dance around on the ground. The "two legs," which step at a speed faster than tap dancing and with a heightened sense of excitement, is the symbol of this work.

Walking Otome" makes adults who like to drink happy, and "Roo's Song" is deep despite being geared toward junior high school students.

The characters in "Yoru wa tanashi aruka yo otome" (The Night is Short, Walk with Me), originally designed by illustrator Yusuke Nakamura, are fashionable and mature, giving it an image of being aimed at young adults in their 20s and 30s.

Both the main character "Senpai" and the "black-haired maiden" are university students, and their positive attitude toward the joys of drinking alcohol suggests that they are targeted at adults aged 20 and older. The scene where the black-haired maiden drinks while talking about the happiness of drinking is a great scene for those who like to drink, as it makes them feel euphoric from the inside out.

The visual of the poster for "Songs of Rue Dawnrise Tells," a story about a cute mermaid who meets a human boy, led me to think that the film would be aimed at elementary school-aged children. However, when I actually saw the film, I was wrong.

The main character, Kai, is a junior high school student. He is dissatisfied with his divorced parents, and even though he has problems, he does not express them in words, but rather swallows what he wants to say. He is unable to think positively about higher education or his future, and is cold toward the music he loves. It must be people of the same generation facing the same problems who sympathize with or are annoyed by Kai.

In this light, the target audience for "Dawn Tells Lou's Song" seems to be junior high school students and older. And yet, there are also some parts of the story that touch the hearts of adults. The adults in the film are silent, each carrying their own pain in their hearts, and many of the scenes are heartbreaking.

Each ending speaks of a different form of happiness.

After watching "Yoru wa tanshi arukke yo otome" (The Night is Short, Walk away, Maiden), you will want to affirm life in a cheerful and warm way.

After a long, long walk on a mysterious night, the relationship between the senior and the black-haired maiden undergoes a change.

I had almost forgotten about it in all the crazy commotion, but when I came to the end, I remembered. Come to think of it, this was a story that began with love.

It was a chance meeting here. The story ends with the word "karma.

Even those who thought they had nothing, find themselves realizing the treasure they have in their hands. They learn that they can give something to others. And new connections are made.

People are not alone, but feel that they are connected to others and to the world in various ways ....... After watching the show, you will leave with a bright and warm feeling of "I saw something fun! After seeing the film, you will leave the theater with a warm and cheerful feeling of "I saw something enjoyable!

On the other hand, "Dawn Roo's Song" has an indescribable sadness. However, it is not what one would call a "tear-jerker.

However, the emotional trauma of each individual is carefully depicted, and when you sense it, you feel sadness. In particular, the film clearly depicts why adults other than Kai and the other junior high school students say and do the things they do.

At the climax, when the sea brings danger to the town, I was reminded of the tsunami in the Great East Japan Earthquake, even though they are not similar. The sea brings blessings to human beings and disasters at the same time. Where one is reminded of the harshness of reality, a hand of hope is extended.

Although it may depend on the interpretation, "mermaid" and "sea" seem to be the same thing in this work. Sometimes cheerful, sometimes angry, sometimes close to humans, sometimes far away, giving and taking away. They are different, but they understand and love each other, but they cannot be united. The relationship between them is sad and deep.

Because the pain is depicted in a way that is not pretty, the series of events that occurred after Roo and Kai met seem to have meaning. And I feel that being involved in any event as one's own can make a difference in the world.

The title of the film, "Dawn Breaks," also struck me after I finished watching it. After sadness, there is a dawn. Because it does not end with a happy-go-lucky children's story, the film leaves the viewer feeling sad, but also positive.

Watching two films, "Walking Maidens" and "Song of Rue," will triple your enjoyment!

Yoru wa tanashi arukete yo otome" makes you want to cherish your relationships with people.

Yoru wa tanshi aru no uta," which makes you want to cherish your relationships with others, and "Roo no uta," which gives you the power to act on your love and convey it.

Both of these films will give you a little energy and hope after you have enjoyed the fun of animation for about two full hours. You can think back on them again and again and ponder this and that for a long time.

I enjoyed the charm of director Yuasa's works three times as much with these two films. Animation is about the joy of movement. I hope that many people will see both of these two films, which allow you to fully enjoy the appeal of animation, because they have different tendencies.

The dizzyingly dancing images, the rhythm that makes you feel as if your body is about to start moving, and the exhilaration that surges through reality, which is Director Yuasa's forte, can only be fully enjoyed in the theater.

(Text by YAMAYU)

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