![]() ![]() An admittedly formulaic structure Image used with permission by copyright holderĮven with crowd-pleasers like Shanks and Uta, though, Red doesn’t exactly have too much that makes it stand out in an already packed crowd of big-budget anime movies. It isn’t a dealbreaker, but as much as anime fans take to the music used in anime openings and endings, the frequency and length of the numbers give the story a stop-and-go pace in places. As endlessly and wonderfully bizarre as this universe is, these musical numbers slightly hold back the pacing of the plot. Though, for some, this could give mixed results. It’s a fun way to work in an otherwise atypical subgenre for action-shounen anime, and Uta’s voice for the singing segments - Ado - does an excellent job performing the various upbeat songs in the movie. That’s what partly paves the way for the movie’s most inventive aspect: the musical numbers. Image used with permission by copyright holderĪnd, in a somewhat refreshing change of pace as far as the movies go, the story does a decent job of showcasing a plot that has a little more emotional resonance with the main cast than normal. Uta is mostly the star of the show in this movie, though, and the Grand Line’s resident J-Pop idol is as suitably larger-than-life as longtime fans would want to see in a fresh face within the One Piece world. ![]() The former has been generally elusive in the source material’s world, so his getting any kind of focused attention in a feature film was always going to be a plus. Welcome new character spotlights Image used with permission by copyright holderĮiichiro Oda has assured fans since One Piece‘s inception that the Straw Hat Pirates would be universally beloved, but the biggest selling points of Red are Red-Haired Shanks and the aforementioned Uta. Nonetheless, nothing and no one goes unnoticed no matter how long (or briefly) they appear. ![]() This goes for the various flashy wardrobes the main and supporting cast sport throughout the movie but, more importantly, goes for the movie’s new star attraction in the form of Uta. Oda was credited as being very closely involved in the production of the movie compared to past entries, and that certainly also shows in the character designs. Elegia - the Island of Music where the story predominantly takes place - feels about as unique as any of the settings found within the manga source material or the TV anime adaptation, which is as high a compliment as any for a semi-out-of-continuity original story. The whole of this franchise’s universe can be succinctly described as “colorful” and “vibrant,” but the expanded scope in Red certainly shows, including in the art direction and character designs. Image used with permission by copyright holder Other anime movies released this year, namely Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero and Jujutsu Kaisen 0, have upped their respective games in flexing the potential of animation as a medium, but One Piece Film: Red can comfortably and proudly stand alongside them with the studio’s achievements. This shouldn’t come as a surprise for an IP as massive as One Piece, especially since the studios on the TV side of these properties often tend to take the reigns of the cinematic adaptations as well. While some of the high-octane action sequences can feel colorfully overwhelming, the film is an unfiltered and vibrant dose of eye candy that should appeal to longtime fans and newcomers alike. And, expectedly, Toei Animation does not disappoint here. Longtime anime and One Piece fans have been waiting for this film for several reasons, one of which - unsurprisingly - is what the animation studio at the helm would do in the movie’s visual department. ![]() A vibrant feast for the eyes Image used with permission by copyright holder It does ultimately cater to an all-too-familiar “anime movie” formula in the end that won’t exactly grip initiated fans, but it’s a generally loving expansion of Oda’s pirate universe. Putting some focus on one fan-favorite character, Red-Haired Shanks, and the original Uta - along with the musical numbers she injects into the movie - are some instances of this. This is the 15th anime movie adaptation in the series, and while all of the entries prior to Red fall under the blanket term of non-canon, certain elements of this latest endeavors make continuity a little more of gray area and, in some places, allows its story to make some refreshing additions to the formula. ![]()
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