Origin - Spirits of the Past [DVD]

I was so looking forward to this film that I had to put it in the DVD player as soon as it dropped through my letterbox; and from the powerful and beautifully animated opening credits, with evocative music and stirring imagery, I knew I was going to be in for a treat. This film has excellent post apocalyptic and environmental themes that infuse it with a sense of drama and excitement, as soon as you've watched fifteen minutes you'll be hooked to the very end. The tag line on the cover says 'the most impressive looking anime movie to come out since Steamboy' and I'm inclined to agree. The film is beautifully rendered and the animation is lush and detailed. If you like ghibli and more modern manga and anime then this film will be right up your street. This film is superbly dubbed into English and you get none of that cheesy dubbing from past anime films i've seen. The story was reminiscent of 'Nausicaa' in places, what with the forest fighting back, but it comes from a genetic modification angle, that ties the film into advances in science since that film and the perceived dangers associated with them. At just under 90 minutes this film is a perfect length and will easily keep your attention for the duration. A top anime film that comes highly recommended.

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I don't want to go into the plot of this excellent Anime production, as I really enjoyed seeing the story unravel, and I don't want to take that away from you, if you decide to buy it. Suffice it to say that the confusion you may experience in the first 5 minutes is nothing to worry about - everything is explained in the end.

It would be really easy to be cynical about this film. Post-apocalyptic setting? Check. Teenage, slightly gauche, male hero? Check. Tom-boy female minor character, in love with the hero (who hasn't noticed)? Check. Massive vehicles, including an armoured train? Check. And you could argue that, at its heart, is a very simple parable about working with nature rather than against her.

But this all becomes irrelevant, as the enchanting story-line and the truly jaw-dropping visuals sweep you along. In just over 90 minutes they tell a wonderful self-contained story, that will still manage to feel fresh to all but the most jaded palates. Scarcely a moment is wasted, everything serves to move the plot forward, and you are never more than a few minutes away from an image that will take your breath away.

If you first came to Anime via 'Spirited Away', and want to know what to watch next, this would be an excellent choice.

I'd added the region one version of this DVD to my Amazon wishlist over a year ago, after I'd seen `Afro Samurai' and been so impressed that I sought out other animated features from the same studio that created it- Gonzo. I don't know why it's taken this long for the movie to be released on region two, but I was really looking forward to discovering whether or not it had been worth the wait...

Japanese cinema (and Japanese culture in general I suspect) shows an intense fascination with the ecological story, especially with the idea of Mother Nature striking back against humanity as we develop ever-evolving technologies to aid us in making our mark on the natural world. Usually the counter-attack from natural forces manifests itself in the most outlandish form possible; fantasy role-playing games and films in the Studio Ghibli catalogue are littered with examples of the natural world mutating new species as a means of combating humanity's increasing technological might. So does `Origin' manage to make it's own mark on an extremely common theme? Yes and no...

The opening music is absolutely majestic (by Kokia) and the perfect accompaniment to a gripping sequence that sets the foundation for the story about to be told. Also I'd have to comment on a superb score, it's absolutely spot-on throughout. Unfortunately the story descends into all the predictable clichés; an ordinary young boy just waiting for the chance to prove himself and a gifted young girl from another world meet under unusual circumstances, their fates intertwine and before long they're embarking on separate journeys that will culminate in their reunion as they come face-to-face with a hideously over-the-top baddie hell bent on destroying the world as they know it. Only they can prevent the utter destruction of all they hold dear, but will they be victorious? I think you know the answer already. So the plot is nothing that hasn't been seen a few dozen times before, but there's still a lot of enjoyment to be had and the occasional stunning visual to behold.

The beauty of `Afro Samurai' was that it combined a totally creative concept with an unusually charismatic anti-hero in the lead role, so for those people that were seduced out of their comfort zones and into anime due to that one-off example of the genre, I don't think `Origin' will have the same broad appeal. It's lacking well-rounded, sympathetic characters and the wooden dialogue is a shame too. The same applies to ardent Myazaki fans, but for a different reason- the subject matter is just too familiar to really entrance.

But while the character animation is not as accomplished as the unique colouring & expression in `Afro Samurai' and a compelling atmosphere isn't quite as well established, `Origin' does boast some fantastic shots involving movement and landscape with a similar kind of experimentation in camera shots, which I expect/hope will now become standard with not just animated movie features in the future, but also those that are series-based as well.

It's lacking a much needed edge, but `Origin: Spirits of the Past' is still recommended viewing for fans of anime like myself.