003 4 Jin-Roh has got to be the darkest , most morbid movie I've ever seen , anime or otherwise . Make no mistake , this movie has no fairy tale ending and is black as the night . But it is a morbid masterpiece . The film is intricately woven with such epic complexity and depth that it might have collapsed under the weight of its own story under lesser filmmakers . A morbid spin on the old Rotkäppchen ( Little Red Riding Hood ) story is seamlessly and ingeniously integrated into the entire movie as the omnipresent theme . Wolf is given so many layers of meaning in this movie , as it is meant to . Jin-Roh also creates a dark gothic world with stunning effectiveness and believeability . This movie stays with you , with its chilling quotes and its unforgettable and shocking ending . The ending will make you sick to your stomach , yet at the same time will have you begging for more . I guarantee it . We are not men disguised as mere dogs . We are wolves , disguised as men . It is only in tales written by men that the hunter kills the wolf in the end .
030 4 Jin-Roh : The Wolf-Brigade is the most interesting anime film I have ever seen . Set in in the distant future , and in an alternative reality , Japan has turned into a militaristic government society . In this alternate reality Japan turned into a restricted society after WWII and it appears that in the film Germany didn't loose the world war as the Japanese use German WWII weapons . Enter the Wolf brigade a secret military group designed to crack down on the most diabolical threats . The film is incredibly engrossing with great characters that make this other wise dark military world seem human . The animation is top notch with great use of character models and color that truly fits the universe the film is set in . I only watched the English Dub version which is incredibly strong , none of the voices seems out of place . I could go on and on about this anime film masterpiece , but it's a great film worth your time and money to any one who loves anime and great films in general .
034 4 Jin-roh is dark , VERY dark ! And yet . . . the thread of finding love is always there in the background of this very surreal and tragic tale . The Red Riding-hood fairy tale is eerily told throughout the movie as a comparison to the relationship that develops between the main character Constable Fuse and the terrorist girl Kei . The music is beautifully and emotionally haunting , and I wish there'd been more of it . There isn't a whole lot more I can add to what others have already posted . From the opening sequence , and right through to the tragic ( if not quite unexpected ? ) ending and the music during the closing credits . . . this is one animated movie that should be seen to be appreciated ! ! !
054 4 If you have any interest in politics this movie is for you . Even though the movie takes place in a fictional Japan where the Nazis won WWII , it is very rooted in the real world . The movie has a real , live action feel , and the tone is dark and somber , yet the animation is jaw-dropping . It is very fluid and realistic . Some have said the plot is too slow and the movie is lacking in the action department , but these are just people with no attention span . The characters are real and complex , they are fleshed out beautifully and we really care what happens to them . The story is complex and disturbing , abounding with insane , unpredictable plot-twists . All in all , this is a cinematic treasure that should have found a wider audience .
011 4 . . . .
The film can be considered a political drama of sorts , but to perceive it as only ( or even primarily ) that , does run you the risk of failing to engage in it's real emotional power - the story of the relationships between the main protagonists , which many might argue is the real point of the film . The story is beautifully told and carries a subtlety & sub-text that would most likely be lost on a younger audience , dealing with the nature of people & their ability or willingness to change their own function in life . This whole journey is explored through the relationship / s & ( rather incredibly ) compared to the story of Little Red Riding-Hood amidst the backdrop of the alternate reality of a dystopian Japan where the outcome of WWII was somewhat different . . . There are many , many layers to this film - and while it might not be a film you could watch over & over , it has depth enough to keep you discovering new facets to the world , story & people involved that you are never at a loss to make new discoveries .
At it's simplest ( or perhaps most complex ) , it's a love story .
So why have I only given this product 3 stars . . ? Because clearly , when it came to transferring this film to DVD , Bandai Entertainment thought it prudent to deprive a village somewhere of [ a not too bright person ] before appointing him chief of staff at the quality control centre .
I purchased this DVD under the impression that it would be of a suitably high production standard that a film of this quality deserved - but was shocked . . . when I actually started to watch it . . . . - the colours on this transfer are HIGHLY washed-out & on many occasions the scenes are FAR too dark to see what's going on & even to the extent that much detail has been lost - regardless of how you manipulate your colour & contrast controls ( and considering how many of this films scenes are set in dark & gloomy places , this is completely unacceptable & utterly distracting ) . And as if to intentionally pour salt into the wound , the accompanying documentary with this ' Special Edition ' DVD ( they got THAT right ) shows footage of the film that is of SUPERIOR quality to the actual film on the main feature disc . The film is not unwatchable , by any means - especially if you are watching the film on a PC where you can adjust the contrast and lighting settings relatively easily in order to achieve reasonable picture quality ( Of course , if you haven't seen the film before , you are less likely to be quite as horribly dissatisfied as I was ) . As far as I know , both of the U.S . Bandai Entertainment DVD releases of Jin-Roh contain the same video quality , although the audio of the special edition is possibly the best of any version out there . For all the added bonuses , the soundtrack CD & superior sound quality , you really should ask yourself if it's worth paying for this version when perhaps the most important thing - the video quality of the film itself is so noticeable flawed . . . If this DVD presents you with the only opportunity you'll have to see the movie , then buy it anyway - but bear in mind that you won't be seeing it as it deserves to be seen .
. . . At this time , I'm still looking for a DVD that does this film justice ( and contains English subtitles - as I speak no Japanese or French ) . . . . I hope this review of the Bandai DVD won't prevent any of you from seeing this remarkable film .
025 4 saw this on the net to see it before i decided whether i ought to buy it or not . it was the subtitled version but was still great . this is really amazing animation for those of you who don't like the ' big eyes / oddly proportioned ' characters of some of the more commonly veiwed anime . bit confusing at times , one that ( like many animes ) you may have to watch more than once to pick everything up .
anyway , a bit sad but worth buying in my oppinion .
029 4 This review is from :
Jin-Roh : The Wolf Brigade - Anime Movie Classics ( DVD )
Jin-Roh : The Wolf-Brigade is the most interesting anime film I have ever seen . Set in in the distant future , and in an alternative reality , Japan has turned into a militaristic government society . In this alternate reality Japan turned into a restricted society after WWII and it appears that in the film Germany didn't loose the world war as the Japanese use German WWII weapons . Enter the Wolf brigade a secret military group designed to crack down on the most diabolical threats . The film is incredibly engrossing with great characters that make this other wise dark military world seem human . The animation is top notch with great use of character models and color that truly fits the universe the film is set in . I only watched the English Dub version which is incredibly strong , none of the voices seems out of place . I could go on and on about this anime film masterpiece , but it's a great film worth your time and money to any one who loves anime and great films in general .
035 4 The majority of anime I own , I've downloaded . Its my way of judging whether it's worth the purchase . An Jin Roh , in my opinion , is a work of art , an of course well worth it . The character models as well as the environments their running around in are so well drawn that its easy to loose yourself in the drama . Surprisingly , the story itself is just as involving , being based on an alternate time line in post WWII Japan .
I highly suggest this anime , an Angel Egg as well . . .
042 4 The title of my review is a reference to a story which is very similar to Jin Roh , . That story is The Spy Who Came In From The Cold by John LeCarre . Like that novel , Jin Roh is about the Cold War , and the way it soiled and destroyed so many things that it touched . In this case , the aspect of the Cold War that Oshii wants to expose is its effect on Japan in the Showa 30 ' s ( 1955 - 1965 ) . To do this Oshii uses two Fairy Tales . The first is the Brother's Gimm version of Little Red Riding Hood . The Second is the story of Japan in an alternate history where the Nazi's won WWII , and invaded , conquered and occupied Japan . The story takes place in post-occupation Japan , the Germans have left , but they left social chaos in their wake . To stop the rising tide of public revolt , the government creates a new police squad , the Capitol Police . Part of this is a death squad of Panzer Cops , heavily armed and armored cops who can kill the determined revolutionaries . The story concerns the romance between a member of the Capitol Police , and a young revolutionary .
This is the feel bad movie of the year . The world it depicts is bleak , hopeless , and unsentimental . It is hard for me to tell exactly where the creators of this film stand or what they want us to feel . It made me feel like I was in a maze with no exit . However , this movie is still powerful food for thought , like The Spy Who Came In From The Cold or George Orwell's 1984 .
051 4 I read an awesome review for this Jin-Roh at AnimeJump , and it looks like exactly what I am searching for . Anime follow a typical set of themes or tropos like any other mass produced storytelling art . Common themes in anime are slightly different from standard live-action motion pictures . My favourite is exploring the meaning of humanity and its relation to our actions and thoughts . This can either be in the form of exploring our semi-antagonistic relationship with technology , or in the form of humans trying to get through a difficult life . Jin-Roh falls into the second category .
There are numerous foils in this feature to the historical reality of Japan after WWII even though it is an alternate history Anime where the Germans occupy Japan . The social unrest , and even the police force have a historical model behind them . The cool suits and hyper-military training , of course , do not . The German occupation really does not figure as heavily into the plot as you might imagine .
If you are looking for the standard big mecha beating the snot out of each other , do not get this anime , it is not for you . The studio that produced it actually made it at a loss , could not afford to advertise it heavily , and made no attempts at what is called fan-service in the anime industry . Fan-service can be understood as the stock Arnold Schwarzenegar flick with the stock plot , wooden characters , lots of pretty explosions , and all in all not very much to reccomend it . You will find a great deal of violence in this film , but you will find even more plot and very human drama . I wish that more anime like this were made .
062 4 The film is set in a fictional Japan . In its alternative history a paramilitary police force , known as the Capital Police Force ( CPF ) , was created to put down civil unrest that developed in response to harsh economic policies instituted by the government following WWII . However unlike Tokyo's existing , local police force , the CPF utilizes military-style armor and weapons . Apparently some portion of the CPF , known as the Wolf Brigade , really does consider itself to be more wolf-like than human . This is due to their mission , which involves stalking their prey and using lethal force to bring it down , instead of trying to apprehend criminals and bring them to justice . The CPF's military-like tactics causes a portion of the civil unrest to organize , and a terrorist group is born , known as The Sect .
Fast forward to the present . As it turns out , the government's harsh , yet aggressive economic policies have worked . The economy has been stimulated to the point that unemployment has shrunk drastically , and most people are happy with the government . The Sect is now a marginalized , fringe group , and there is less and less need for the CPF . Consequently the local police force would like to drive the nails into CPF's coffin , whereas the CPF is fighting tooth and nail to preserve itself .
Our hero , Kazuki Fuse ( a rookie in the CPF ) , stumbles into this mess when he has an opportunity to prevent a terrorist from setting off a bomb , but doesn't . All he has to do is shoot the terrorist , but she's just a teenage girl , and he can't bring himself to do it . He is sent back to boot camp as punishment , but he's haunted by memories of this young girl blowing herself up . He later visits the site where her ashes are interred , and it's there that he meets and becomes involved with her sister .
This emotional weakness on the part of Kazuki Fuse works its way into the turf war , and much of the plot centers on the question , Is Kazuki Fuse a wolf , or is he not ? There are many well-done plot twists , so just when I thought I could answer this question , it became obvious that I was wrong . And then things would twist again !
And oh , the animation was beautiful . . .
111 4 I've been an avid anime collector for a very long time now but the last couple of years I completely lost interest in anime . ( Anime is an expensive hobby ) . Anyways , with a recent new job that pays a hell of a lot better than my last , I decided to start up my anime collection again . Jin Roh was one that I decided to buy because everyone I talked to who is into anime hasnt seen it and the cover kept teasing me . It just looked so damn cool . I decided to buy it . Bad idea . . . . for me anyways .
For those of you who enjoyed this movie , good for you , but not everyone likes chocolate . This movie had potential . The plot twists and the animation were cool , which is why I gave it 2 stars and not 1 , but it just moved . . . . . . way . . . . . . . too . . . . . . . . . . . slow . I have run into many japanimation movies that seem to loooove showing cars driving by in a city and birds chirping in the background . This movie contains A LOT of those scenes . Yes , a lot of quiet scenes of the characters sorta just standing there , or cars driving by . * LOOKING UP WITH MY FISTS IN THE AIR SCREAMING WHYY ! ! ? ? ? ? * sorry . I just had to get that out of me . Anyways , if your into that sort of thing , this movie is for you . As for me , I saw a lot of wasted potential .
132 4 Jin-Roh could have been so great . Being the impulse buyer that I am , when I saw the box art and read the back of the DVD case , I said , Cool ! This looks like a good action anime with a story !
That day , I learned to never judge a DVD by it's case .
No joke : this anime is BORING ! It starts out with a nice action sequence with cops futilly trying to capture a terrorist . After that , the entire anime bogs down to a slow crawl concerning Constable Fuse ( the protagonist ) and his connection to the Jin-Roh , or something . My friend and I can't quite remember what happened after that because we started talking about how cool this anime could've been .
The biggest gripe with the film is that you just know that it's leading up to something great and just kinda fizzles out . Take my advice and avoid this movie like the plague
016 4 Anime is best known for its sci-fi and fantasy-themed works . With the power of animation , creators can craft stories that are almost impossible to recreate in real-life without some kind of sacrifice . But anime is also used to craft stories based in reality , stories that can also work in real-life but are more powerfully told in animation . Some of the best examples of such stories include the heartbreaking Grave of the Fireflies and the psychologically disturbing Perfect Blue , and now the profound movie Jin-Roh joins their ranks .
Contrary to what the front cover might indicate , Jin-Roh is not an action movie ; it is actually a military drama . While there are scenes involving combat , the main focus of the movie is Constable Fuse and how he deals with the events around him . Set in an alternate history version of Tokyo , Fuse , a member of the Capital Police's Special Unit , is on a mission to eliminate members of an anti-government group known as the Sect . But when he fails to follow orders to shoot a young girl , who kills herself before his very eyes , he has to live with the emotional scars . And soon he is forced to face not only the girl's almost-identical sister but also an intricate plot involving the Special Unit , a plot of which he is unwittingly a part .
Truthfully , Jin-Roh cannot be summed up in a single paragraph . The underlying plot is so intricate and complex that it may take several viewings for it to make sense entirely . But even so , the plot is so wonderfully crafted that the viewer really won't mind a repeat viewing . The underlying tensions that Fuse goes through are presented exquisitely , and the movie's close tie-in with the original Red Riding Hood story is a stroke of genius in storytelling . And while the movie is quite short for a drama , it never bogs down with needless exposition and seems to present exactly what is necessary , nothing more nothing less .
Visually , Jin-Roh is a marvel . While it hardly can be said to possess visual flair , it still looks good enough to amaze . Everything is dark and moody , projecting the movie's atmosphere marvelously , and animation flows smoothly . Character designs are realistic and very well done ; you won't find the typical big eyes and long hair of anime in this movie . Jin-Roh is most certainly a movie for those who demand quality eye candy .
Audio-wise , both the English track and the Japanese track are in Dolby 5.1 , and sub fans also have the added bonus of the Japanese track in DTS , so audiophiles need not complain here . The music is also a breathtaking accomplishment , creating rich atmospheres of sound to emphasize the movie's emotional strong points . As for the dub , the Oceans Group ( Gundam Wing , Inu-Yasha ) have given Jin-Roh one of its best performances . With no melodrama or lag of any kind , all of the voice actors manage to get into their roles from the beginning and give solid performances . Anime fans that can't stand subtitles need not worry ; Jin-Roh is an excellent example of how dubbing can be done well .
Overall , Jin-Roh is an excellent movie for those wanting quality and deep storytelling in their anime set in a realistic backdrop . However , this movie is certainly not for everyone ; those who don't like psychological drama need not apply here . But for everyone else , Jin-Roh just might be the anime movie you're looking for .
005 4 This is actually a very easy anime to recommend since it is easy to describe : it is plainly story-driven , dark in both theme and imagery , and with limited ( yet still bloody , and even disturbing ) violence . It defines feature-length story-driven anime aimed at adults looking for dialogue and intrigue , not action .
This does not mean overlap is nonexistant , just that other favorites such as Ninja Scroll are action-oriented videogame movies for adults , and Jin-Roh is akin to slow , sophisticated movie .
Each has its place in my collection , but know what you are getting if you are interested only in a specific subgenre of anime . Jin-Roh is thus definitely not for those who only want uber-colorful panty-fests and robot smasheroos . . .
Extras : all very nice , with great interviews ( which jack up the film length rating , the movie is really 1 : 40 - - which reveals some reviewers didn't really watch the movie ) , and nice soundtrack .
008 4 For a mature adult seeking to be truly moved by a film , Jin-Roh is the one . Jin-Roh is essentially the Little Red Riding Hood story told from the wolf's point of view . In a typical American film the virtuous hero has crisis and falls from grace . He battles back until the very end where he is give the choice to reclaim his true nature and become the man he was always intended to be . Jin-Roh asks , how would this story look from a wolf's point of view ? A hero falls from grace by going against his nature - by being bad . But a wolf falls from grace by being good and showing compassion .
Jin-Roh is the story of a man trained to be a killer whose personal crisis is showing compassion for a young girl . As the story progresses , he battles back and is given the chance to redeem his true nature - that of a wolf . The climax will keep you guessing and in awe for days after you see it .
All the negative reviews are from people who thought this would be a candy-coated action film . It's not . No apologies , no concessions - this film will blow you away .
010 4 If you're in classical fairy tales , the original versions , often with sad and moralist endings , then Jin-Roh will fit your bill perfectly . The sad story revolving around Fuse and Kei , the Wolf Brigade on CAPO and the political affairs between CAPO , the police and the military are sure one of the best Oshii's works so far .
As in any Oshii story ( direction was handled by Hiroyuki Okiura ) , things move slowly , but to a solid reasoning that may be hard for the begginers , but will left many wondering what they have been watching ( and missing ) lately .
Image and sound wise , the movie is top notch . Being able to watch this in a theater was nothing less than a thrilling experience , as it shows the gorgeous imagery with great detail ( the DVD does justice to the original print , but watching this at the movies is sure other deal ) . If you pay attention , the world set on Jin-Roh is alive and breathing , everything you would expect on a given scene is there , as proof of the dedication of the animators .
As a side note , after watching the movie I recommend a good read on the Red Riding Hood by Charles Perrault , as this movie focus a lot on this obscure version of the fairy tale . . .
012 4 WOW . I had heard so many good things about this movie and i wasnt disappointed . Amazing animation , but above all a truly moving story , perfectly executed .
People are complaining about the lack of action in the movie . . and i guess if thats what you are looking for , then i dont recommend this movie . But ask yourself this question . . . How many films actually stay with you after you have watched them ? I was thinking about this movie for days afterwards . . and couldnt wait to watch it again .
My only gripe is with the 3 disc SE . . . the extras disc is a little light on features , and the production artwork is so murky i dont know why they bothered putting it on the disc . Sound effects are top notch though . . . and if you wanna give your system a workout play the DTS track . . . . amazing !
014 4 The Wolf Brigade is a name for the special unit within the Capital Police Deparment ; this unit is suppose to help the government combat terrorist groups or any other rebel organizations such as the Red Riding Hood group . Kazuki Fuse is one of the officers in this group whose life is about to change . The Man vs . Beast battle is about to take on a fatalistic meaning .
Kazuki Fuse is a Capital Police Constable who finds himself face to face with any officer's worst nightmare : killing a seemingly harmless child . There are little kids wondering around blowing up buildings and committing mass terrorism . These kids are called Red Riding Hoods . Red Riding Hoods are little girls used to overthrow the current government . Fuse gets caught in the midst of the battle . After having to kill one of the Red Riding Hoods , he becomes consumed by thoughts of the little girl's face as he shot her . He tells himself that he did the right thing but he continues to obsess about the incident . The main question in his mind is why she wouldn't surrender ? Why would she choose to die ?
He meets Kei ( who turns out to be the sister of the girl he killed ) . Fuse and Kei become close ; wandering the city , visiting the most obscure places that wreak of melancholy . Melancholy and sacred silences are the dynamics in Fuse and Kei's relationship ; They seem to need each other in order to be able to go on day to day.Fuse ( chronically silent at times ) has so many things he'd like to say but can't get out ; Kei ( bizarrely optimistic ) talks about too much and gets hurt in the end due to her openness . As far as whether Fuse is apart of a secret cabal group w / n the Capital Police well you'll have to watch the movie to find out for sure . In the end , Fuse has to make a choice between being a man or a wolf . It's an old battle man vs . beast except this time the beast is inside of the man .
The story of Little Red Riding Hood gets a twist to chill even macabre fans . Does the wolf win ? Will Little Red Riding Hood transform the wolf ? Or is Red Riding Hood the villain who must be taken down ? Fuse must decide if he will end the story like the fairytale that kids are told or finish the story the way it really would have ended ? If you don't know what I'm talking about ? Watch this movie ! It's more than worth it ! You'll be yelling : He's a man ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! Not a Wolf ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
019 4 In an alternate Japan , some 10 years after a major war , poverty and crime stoke the flames of civil unrest . Anti-government guerillas , calling themselves the Sect , spark bloody clashes in the streets . The police respond with a crack unit of heavily-armoured cop-soldiers , the C.A.P.O . , to tackle the increasingly well-armed Sect . The C.A.P.O . unit find themselves in a very high-pressure position . On the one hand , their very presence escalates the climate of violence with the Sect . On the other hand , regular cops resent and distrust them . At the center of this firestorm is a young C.A.P.O . officer named Fusé .
When Fusé hesitates to kill a young sect courrier she commits suicide with the bomb she is carrying he is blamed for his failure and demoted back to training camp . Deeply troubled by the experience , Fusé visits the girl's grave , and there meets her sister , with whom he begins a complex relationship . At the same time , a sinister conspiracy is brewing deep in the labyrith of the police system , pitting a secret group of extremists within the C.A.P.O . , the Wolf Brigade ( Jin-Roh ) against the politically inclined bureacrats of the police force . Fusé and the girl are nothing more then pawns of pawns , but who's pawns are they ?
While some segments of Jin-Roh are extremely violent it is not an action movie . Jin-Roh is an extremely complicated movie with 90% of it's screening time devoted to developping the characters , the plot and the intrigue . Action segments were only incorporated when required by the plot , however those action segments that do exist in the movie are extremely intense , yet most of the film's intensity still comes from the plot and not the action . Although very different in topic , anyone who enjoyed Perfect Blue will probably enjoy Jin-Roh . Although not quite as complicated as Perfect Blue , Jin-Roh succeeds as only the second Anime of the Pshychological Thriller type . . . that is , only the seconds success . Further comparisson between Jin-Roh and Perfect Blue is not warranted , they are extremely different stories with little in common except for their complexity .
Artisticly Jin-Roh is a masterpiece , as can be expected with anything coming from Productions IG . The extreme attention to minute detail seen in Jin-Roh is very rare . Hiroyuki Okiura eschewed the recent trend of computer animation with Jin-Roh which was almost entirely done on cels ( apparently it took 80 000 cels and 3 years to animate ) . Jin-Roh is almost entirely filmed in low light settings and rainy weather , further adding to the somber mood .
Jin-Roh isn't perhaps for everyone though . Without a doubt , if you are into intense psychological drama , and dark moods , Jin-Roh with it's excellent production values is a must see . . . and maybe you should watch it twice , just so that you can understand it . However , if you'd rather something lighter , funny , or just plain mindless violence that doesn't require heavy thinking ( and at times we all want this stuff ) then Jin-Roh definitively isn't for you . If you're not sure though , watch it ! It's only 98 minutes , and you might discover a new genre that you want to see more of ( I certainly do ) .
027 4 Damn you losers for saying its boring ! ! ! Damn you ! ! ! This movie is really really good ! !
Ok , enough angst . Seriously , this movie is well made , but isn't for everyone . If you are buying it because you liked the non-stop violence of akira , you will be disappointed . The movie is truly filmmaking at its best . The cinematography is great , especially near the middle . The script combines many literary forms that we dont see in movies too much anymore ( plus , its just beautifully written ) . And its only slow to develop the characters , damn it !
036 4 Jin-Roh : The Wolf Brigade has to be one of the best anime movies ever made period . This great film was played out so well that they could make a Live Action or Hollywood movie version . Still its one of the greatest films of all time .
If you are expecting an Action film filled with gun fights then your expectations are wrong . Even there there are some fire fights in the movie , its not an action film movie , its more of a dramatic darker romantic version of Little Red Riding Hood since the storyline to the movie is based heavily on the original darker version of the childhood story .
Even though the movie might sometimes be slow in some areas , over all its a great film . Emotionally , this film will make you cry in some parts because of its strong emotional scenes the movie shows .
If you are an anime fan looking for a good and serious anime film , I say go for Jin-Roh . Its also a good romance film as well to be watched but I will probably say you will cry at some areas of the movie together . Still this movie should be watched by any anime fan who likes movies that are romantic , filled with drama and emotions , with a deep and heavily dark story line . Again if you expect so see tons of action and gun fights , this film is not for you .
I give it 5 / 5 stars because its a great movie and is prized item in my Anime DVD Collection .
043 4 This is a very sort of anime from either the romantic or mecha driven genres . While there is certainly a love story , of a sort , and no shortage of those anime staples hardware and gore , the experience is very much of a modern Japanese or Hong Kong movie transferred to animation .
Absolutely worth buying , even ( perhaps especially ) if you generally don't care for anime .
For those who seem a little confused about all the German equipment and organizations : watch the first 5 minutes again . The anime storyline represents an alternate history in which Germany occupied Japan during WW2 . The strong German influence is neither accidental nor affected ; it is very much central to the story .
045 4 This review is from :
Jin-Roh : The Wolf Brigade ( Special Edition ) ( DVD )
For me to actually write a review of somthing means its really good : ) Jin Roh ( the wolf brigade ) is an excellent political / action / drama movie . . . it mixes these three aspects very well and makes u keep guessing at what is going to happen next . The muscical score is really well done also . . . which they so thoughtfully give you on a seperate cd with the special edition . . . not to mention the sleeve with the printed wolf on it , a 12 page color booklet , the feature itself , and a extras disc : ) It has to be one of the best DvD sets ive bought thus far . Worth the price ppl , I highly reccomend it .
055 4 in a different japan , where the society didn't react calmly to the economic growth that followed the defeat in world war two.we see both , the society and government , taking up extremism to solves their differences.and two individuals who got caught between them .
directed by Hiroyoki okiura-a key animator in ghost in the shell-and written by mamoru oshii , who took the original , and more bloody version of the grimm's fairy tale rotkappchen-little red riding hood - as a background theme to this story of political rivalry , deception and love .
this anime film is a great work of art.watching this anime feels like walking in an art gallery . you get confident animation , various and pleasing use of colors with a realistic depection of gun fights and action .
if your looking for another ninja scroll , then this is not your movie .
if you want to add a great anime to your collection , then what are you waiting for ? buy it .
p.s . no making of video in this dvd .
056 4 THis is mostly a character driven type of anime . THe animation itself is very beautiful and had a fluid painted quality about it . The story itself is basically a drama , that's right , not an action film but a human drama . The plot is about various govenment organizations , to do with law and order , competing against each other in ways that involve all kinds of different subterfuges and intrigue , with the aim of getting authority in their particular area of jurisdiction . There are not really any heroes , just villains in the sense of two sides both prepared to do anything to achieve their goal . At the centre of this struggle are two characters , a girl who is basically a complete victim who is completely manipulated and an older guy called constable Fuse who briefly discovers his heart , only for it to become cold again as he slowly recommits to one of the organisations . So it's pretty bleak and about alienation also , and this kind of interweaves with the version of little red riding hood ' that is delineated through the story .
Despite it's rather pessimistic view it is still a good film and worth having or seeing in my opinion .
070 4 I know I reviewed this before , I must have since it blew me away , but I'll review again : here it is = by this film . I highly recommend this film to people who don't like Anime , they will be amazed after they watch Wolf Brigade and will be completely blown away if they watch this special edition . Anime fans must watch this film , must buy this film . The music is incredible , the animation is great and the story will bring you to your knees . No kidding .
By this film .
071 4 This was basically an impulse buy for me . I collect DVD's , love anime , and just decided that i would see what it was all about . I mean , any anime that gets a 3 - Disc Special Edition is something I want to see .
What a treat was in store for me .
This movie blew me away . I thought the visual style was dead-on with the gritty tone of the movie , and it helped to keep you in check with the idea that though the characters are animated , the emotions they display are real and within each of us . Like any good movie , you get sucked in and almost lost with the plot twists , but that's how you are supposed to feel . The musical score is astounding , I've never been so touched by a soundtrack ( which comes with the special edition ) . The plot revolves around several philosophical questions that deal with human nature how they relate to the story of little red riding hood , but as with most of ohsii's movies , the answers don't come easily , and often not at all from the movie . Instead , the viewer must find what he / she wants from this movie , because there is a lot there , just watch and you will see .
075 4 When I first purchased this movie , I expected a hour and a half of pure violence . Though that isn't what I got , I received something much more meaningful and ( dare I say it ? ) satisfying than any blood and guts action movie could have delivered . Trust me , if you're going to get this movie , you should watch through it at least once to get a feel of this anime , if I could call it that , and then see through it again . Let me just tell you that from climax to end this movie is poetic .
I ended up loving Kazuki Fuse's character more than ever by the final panel and the movie's use of Little Red Riding Hood was a wonderful , if not haunting , portion of the storytelling .
If you're going to buy anything to push your emotional buttons and tell you the REAL Little Red Riding Hood story , don't hesitate to purchase this .
078 4 Jin-Roh is not a movie for the faint of heart or for crazy action fans . The story moves along slowly at first but all that time is spent doing character development and it really pays off in the end with a dramatic climax . The plot is really complex and demands attention . The characters are not going to explain everything to you in the end and the little explanation that they give will make you think . Jin-Roh needs to be rewatched several times for a better understanding and for you to really appreciate the movie .
As for those negative reviews that this movie got , I think it might be because people didn't pay enough attention to the movie or because people didn't have enough patience for it . I admit that this movie is not perfect ( but what movie is ? ) but it is a very good movie and worth seeing .
079 4 I'm not a big fan of animation . When a coworker of mine handed me this insisting that I see it , I had no idea . . . In fact I hadn't even heard of Jin-Roh nor its creators .
Now I have one thing in mind . . . that I must order one for myself immediately .
083 4 This is such an amazing tale . It's loosely woven around the fariy tale red riding hood , and is influenced quite a bit by the bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki . It's grim , yet has moments of beauty . The animation is perfect ; I lived in Korea for a year , and although it takes place in Japan this evokes the same sense of the country that living there did . The people look realistic , no funky hair or weird flying here . It's very high quality .
It is not happy , though , or kind . It's very dark and deals with difficult emotions . It's inevetable and still suspenseful , tragic and conflicted and pure .
090 4 As is customary of Mamoru Oshii , Jin-Roh , which Oshii penned , offers a complex narrative that may require multiple viewings in order to fully get your mind around its plot . As far as I'm concerned , a movie that rewards my hard earned pesos with multiple viewings is a good thing . Provided the movie itself is a good thing .
Jin-Roh starts at the beginning of United States occupation of Japan , right after the bomb was dropped . True to the surrender terms signed by Japan , the Self-Defense Force is limited in how it can exert its military authority . Consequently , Japan has little control over its increasingly hostile citizenry that has found itself on the low-end of Japan's economic social ladder . Here is where Jin-Roh detours into an alternate history . Oshii creates a fictional capital police organization which Japan has mobilized to keep order over a new class of underground rebels .
This is all a backdrop to a slow evolving forbidden romance that develops between a member of the Capital Police , named Fuse and a young girl , Kei , who assists the underground rebels by transporting bombs carried in discreet satchels .
Hiroyuki Okiura , who in the past has worked as Oshii's chief character designer and animator , now takes up the task as Director of Oshii's script . Whatever Okiura learned from Oshii has paid off with Jin-Roh . While you can certainly see some of Oshii's influence - - especially in how the Red Riding Hood metaphor is employed - - you can definitely see how Okiura has brought some of his own sense of forward movement to Jin-Roh . Oshii's movies are generally even paced , which is a polite way of saying they are usually slow . Okiura puts a little more urgency in this movie , which is a glorified way of seeing that he adds a wee-bit more action just to make sure we don't doze off before the climatic ending .
Okiura also introduces the forbidden kiss between Fuse and Kei . Until The Sky Crawlers , Oshii usually dodges overt romantic themes in his movies . Any affection in his stories are often implied and remain unspoken between two love interests . Okiura on the other hand knows that some kind of emotional contract must be signed by his main characters in order for a probable breach of contract to mean anything at all to the audience .
That decision alone might be what makes Jin-Roh such a compelling animation . It's a political-action-romance-drama all rolled up in one . And while the politics of the movie aren't always clear , the action is spellbinding and the romance is dramatically heart breaking .
091 4 I hate to go against the grain here , but I was really let down by this film .
The animation is quite good , and has a really nice look to it . But the story is what let me down .
The film starts out kinda on the wrong foot with a really longwinded explanation of the premise of the film . It's very political , and involves a lot of characters . It's quite boring .
Once the film gets going , it looks like it might pick up . Once the main character witnesses a tragic event , the film loses it .
Just the main character hanging out with a girl , and having flashbacks of this terrible event . Over and over and over . Perhaps he was in the wrong line of work ? It really doesn't help that the main character is your typical i'm deep , so I represent that by not speaking at all anime character . I hate those guys ( well , except for D ) .
Anyway , there's a couple of twists at the end , which make this film pick up towards the final section
However , most of this film is genuinely a snooze . And i'm not the kind of person who must have action non-stop to be entertained . I mean , i'm huge fan of Royal Space Force , and it almost has no action whatsoever .
I just got tired of seeing the main character hanging out with that girl for what seemed like forever , while she waxes on the futility of existence , and he has those damn flashbacks .
Not recommended .
095 4 Jin-Roh is truly great anime . Despite the length of the film depth of the plot , I had no trouble negotiating the story at all . The characters were compelling and the plot moved along at a decent pace , although it was definitely a lengthy piece . The use of Little Red Riding Hood excerpts interspersed into the film gave a kind of creepy foreshadowing to the resolution of the relationship between the male female leads .
Anyway , I have one question : Why is every piece of machinery German ? Every piece of equipment , be it a gun or a car was from a German manufacturer . . . wierd .
097 4 It has been broadcast by Tampa Bay Brighthouse Network recently , and it is a very involving movie . Animation is first-rate , as is backgrounds , characterization , etc . Not for the sqeamish , it is a realistic , pragmatic look into the nature of the human beast . Most are
like flocks of birds , some are like gazelles-and some of us are wolves .
You can try to become one of the others-but your real nature always comes
out , whether or not you want it to .
In light of recent political problems , it is a gritty look at a near-alternative future , as if the Peace Treaty Riots never stopped-nor did
the police units against them . And there's always a rogue unit out to
save it's own life at any cost .
I highly recommend this movie-in any of it's versions .
098 4 This movie was very good . It's about a different Tokyo . The situations between the many levels of the Police System are very difficult to understand . Basically There's this special unit that does all the dirty work and they don't get any appreciation . After an incident the Police Brass want to get rid of this special unit by developing a conspiracy .
In my opinion , this movie was written very well . I thought it needed some more emotion and dialog . The characters have these unemotional eyes . It's not what I'm used to . If they eyes were less cold , then I would've rated it much better . Overall it's a good movie .
101 4 I remember seeing it on cable a couple of times . Of which the first I truly didn't quite understand some of considering Military stilye anime has never been my thing . But honeslty the second time around I had hoped I could get into it . But the repressed soldier to me seemed kind of . . . well . . . It took to long to get to the point of the story between the soldier and the sister of the girl that blew herself up . Of which was just some stranger with a strong resemblence .
For the goverment officials to set them up for the sake of a scandel-be serious . They could have thought of something better . It just didn't wash at least not with me .
The girl's sisterly grevaince story had too many holes that I caught on to before he did . Closer toward the end on the whole time they were out on what i assume you can call a date jumped into some ulterior motive behind another brigade infultration was the worse . Also by that time I was glad it was over since it nearly bored me to sleep . I'd rather Sailor Moon than to ever see THAT again .
108 4 Unlike most anime films , this one is not sci-fi nor fantasy . It's a regular drama / thriller but animated . I haven't given it the full 5 stars because the plot is somewhat complicated and the movie doesn't really flow . But there are several scenes that take your breath away , plus the surprising ending which make it worth while .
Enjoy !
109 4 I am very sorry that I was not prepared for this anime in the slightest . The first time I watched this anime I was expecting a fast paced-action film with a straightforward plot . Instead , what I got was a much slower-paced film that focused on animation rather than character development or excitement . I will admit that the story was interesting , but I couldn't stand how the characters showed little to no emotion throughout the whole film .
All in all , stay clear of this film if you are looking for action or adventure , but if you are an otaku , like me , check this one out just for the sake of expanding your horizons .
112 4 Let me set my biases out first : I'm an animation fan , not a movie buff . I like story , plot , and characters as much as anyone else , but if I'm buying an animated movie , I want it to make use of its medium . Jin-Roh , while it succeeds as a movie , fails as animation .
The basic point here is that all of this could just as easily have been done with live actors and sets . It's a character-driven drama , about the choices ( and lack of choices ) facing people in a decaying society . The characters are realistic , the setting familiar and urban . The armor used by the Capital Police - - the elite troopers at the heart of the story - - is nothing which could not have been better in a dozen U.S . science fiction movies . Watching this , I wanted to scream , Why is this animated ? The only answer is this : Japan's live action movie industry is almost pathetically small by U.S . standards . I want to compare Jin-Roh to Wings of Honneamise , which is another anime movie which could have been live action . But WoH was a powerfully re-imagined world , which would have been constrained had it been created with sets ; Jin-Roh has no visual imagination or sense of wonder to it .
But what if you're not like me , and just want a good movie ? Jin-Roh may succeed for you . I found it difficult to generate much sympathy for the characters , as the plot is driven by politicking ( this may be a trend : Gasaraki and Patlabor , as just two examples , fell prey to this also ) . The political machinations of almost faceless characters is not compelling to me . Once the story starts in motion , with Fuse , the main character forced to act , it becomes more interesting . The ending , without spoiling anything , has a sharp emotional impact .
In the end , Jin-Roh is a depressing movie which conveys a sense of hopelessness and futility , and the inability of men to escape their hunger for power . I simply wish it had the visual imagination to make use of the inherent freedom of animation . This is a live action movie forced into animation because of the economics in Japan .
114 4 This is one of the best ( anime ) movie I have seen for a long time . I was lucky to receive this movie . The plot confused me alot , and though I watched it 100 times I still don't get it some of it : who the heck is who ? Why are they enemys ? Who shot * * * * at the ending ( I was amazed when i figured out ( a bit of sixth sense - ending , how I could miss that ) . . .
While you are loughing at my low IQ , I take the time to say that I just can't get enough of this movie .
A word of advice ( if you want to listen to my advice , that is ) :
* * You have to see it for yourselve * *
124 4 This review is from :
Jin-Roh - The Wolf Brigade ( DVD )
This film was disappointing , overrated and terrible ! I liked the look of the federal police costume and the animation was about 7.5 out of 10 . But be warned , the action is 1 out of 10 ! I could not believe how boring this movie was ! I was expecting a cool action film concept ; this was way off the mark . The dialog was so boring and monotone I fought very hard to stay awake ! I felt like someone was telling me a lullaby . The DVD artwork for the movie showcases the cool police armor but the armor could have been left out of the movie and it wouldn't have changed the movie at all ? It was only in the movie for about 15 minutes and was very poorly developed in my opinion . It was like some gimic the artists used to trap people into watching the movie ?
017 4 You like Dragonball Z and Sailor Moon ? Watch Toonami , thumb-sucker . You like old Twilight Zones , Raymond Chandler novels and ( gasp ! ) Shakespeare ? Then Jin-Roh is for you . More beautiful and fully realized than Ghost in the Shell , this a slow , sad , gorgeous reminder that what we do in life inevitably defines what we are , despite the dreams ( or nightmares ) we may occasionaly have . The best animated film since AKIRA ( with the possible exception of MEMORIES or perhaps Princess Mononoke ) .
066 4 The guy who said this was the most emotional movie since Schindler's List was spot-on . I still cry at the ending , and I must have seen it a dozen times now . The most intelligent , artful , beautiful , profound and ( admittedly ) pessimistic anime I have seen since AKIRA .
123 4 I am a HUGE FAN of animation , especially The Ghost in the Shell & AKIRA , and subsequently bought this film based on faith alone because it is from the creators , so please don't make the same mistake . I recommend renting this video first and then deciding if you want to buy it ( you might find yourself trying to stay awake ) . I would recommend Vampire Hunter D : Blood Lust instead , especially if you are a fan of quality animation with exciting storylines . . .
028 4 Last week My DVD copy of Jin-Roh finally arrived . I haven't been this blown away with an anime since i finished Escaflowne .
I don't know if i can really classify this as an Anime . I actually have it shelved in my films section of dvds . Jin-roh takes place in a fictitious post world war II japan , somewhere in the 1950 ' s . Consistant cival revolts have prompted the govt . to organize a specialized mobile police that fiercly resembles the S.S . & Panzers of Nazi Germany . This is deliberatly done so much to point that all the weapons ( excessivly degailed ) , helmuts , and much of their gear is very much nazi army .
Our main character , Fuse ( foo-say ) is a member of the Special Division of the moblile police , which has recently come under controversy due to a break of discibline in the ranks when Fuse is confronted by a young girl in a red hood , carrying a bomb for her terrorist group .
Jin-roh has an excellent set of characters , and is exceptionally well directed and informative for a feature length film . Jin-roh really plays an obvious parallel to the childrens ' story , Little Red Riding Hood . They use the German title , Rotkappchen , which litterally translates to Red little hood .
The first thing you will notice while watching Jin-Roh is how unlike it is to any anime . The characters are drawn to look VERY japanese . No big eyes and clown smiles ; The characters in Jin-Roh have black hair , fair skin , and small eyes . Produced by the same team that put together Akira , and Ghost in the shell , ( neither of which i am a tremendous fan of ) ' Jin-Roh is Exceptionally detailed , from the characters . . . but especially the backgrounds . So vidid with detail , but not necessarily bright colors . Jin-Roh isn't a standard Anime filled with humor . In fact , I can't remember laughing one time during my first or second viewing of this film .
This film is so clever ; it has an ending and a twist that would remind you of an american film like Memento , Unbreakable , . . . Fight club even .
Upon watching the movie a second time , i found myself immediatly recognizing things at the beggining of the film that allude to circumstances revealed later .
Jin-roh is not for the sensitive viewer . This is a very violent film ; however , this is not an action based movie . Excellent Music , and fantastic voice Acting - Jin-Roh , is a heavy drama , and exactly what i have been looking for in an Anime since i started this hobby two or three years ago .
In Conclusion , Jin Roh is a Truley engrossing masterpiece of an Anime Film that could satisfy even the most cynical of movie fans .
WOW ! !
007 4 There are few movies that leave me breathless .
Perfect blue did , but other than that I can't remember the last time I just sat and stared with my mouth hanging open as the credit titles roled up across the screen .
Jin-roh is more intense and powerfull than any anime I have ever seen . Of course it seems foolish to compare it to the likes of Akira , or Ghost in the shell , because they both are much more action oriented and Jin-roh is it's own thing .
Some people have called it boring others purely political . Well , I don't know what movie they were watching , because the Jin-roh that I saw was about complex people , real emotions , devistating truths in other words heart gripping drama . Sure , there was a little politics in it too , but don't let that scare you off .
For action buffs there's even a fair share of decent action sprinkled throughout the movie . For me it never got boring . I can only recommend that people stay with it untill the end . The heart shattering climax is worth the wait . That and the wonderful score pushes the movie up into a league of its own .
013 4 Japanese Animated movie about a militaristic Japan sometime in the 1940s - 50s era . Civil war is threatening to erupt as the populace , led by an underground terrorist group protests at the current government . They are in turn put down by police and The Wolf Brigade - an elite militaristic police force .
The story begins when one of the Wolf Brigade follows a beautiful young woman into the sewers and watches her blow herself up in order to escape capture . Upon visiting her grave , he encounters her sister , who looks identical to the dead woman . This occurs as his elite training begins to fall apart and he's followed by spies from both sides of the government .
This movie has a nice balance of action and depth as it follows the breakdown of the wolf brigade soldier . Although it's animated , the movie plays out very much like a live-action movie with very real characters . The tale unfolds as the wolf brigade soldier follows this girl while political and military forces begin to surround him for a reason he may or may not be sure of . A great movie about deceit and treachery - on an emotional as well as political level . There is a lot of action in the movie , although probably not as much as action buffs - - what this movie has going for it are real characters and depth .
015 4 In an alternate post-WWII scenario , Japan is on the brink of social chaos . The occupation has failed to turn Japan into a stable society by the late 1950s . Anti-government protesters and terrorists regularly battle with the authorities , setting off napalm cocktails and bombs . To combat the disorder , a storm-trooperesque division of the police - - the Special Forces - - is formed . This force is decked out in Nazi-style helmets with glowing red infrared eyeholes , and they are as ruthless as wolves in hunting their prey . But one day , Fuse , an ordinary member of the Forces , encounters an innocent Little Red Riding Hood-like girl clutching a backpack full of explosives . He survives the blast , but she does not . In the aftermath , Fuse goes on a soul-searching journey to discover why he didn't have it in him to shoot her first , all while poltical forces conspire to get rid of the Special Forces altogether .
Jin-Roh is a deeply intelligent , mature animated film that seems to belong in a seperate category from most Japanese anime . The dystopian 1950s Japan depicted in the film is bleak , but believable . Oshii's reflective , meditative style serves him well this time , unlike in the pretentious Ghost in the Shell - - by keeping the focus on the main character's self-discovery and on the theme of the effects of violence on the human soul , as well as the deft parallels to the original Little Red Riding Hood tale , the film achieves a kind of resonance and significance rare in anime . Sometimes the political relationships between the two different police forces are confusing , but the dramatic core of the story - - the budding relationship between the suicide bomber's sister and Fuse - - is strong , and is a vehicle for character exploration . Also , the memorable soundtrack by Hajime Mizoguchi ( with a little help from Yoko Kanno ) shines , accentuating some deeply powerful and unsettling scenes . The film may not be for everyone , as its pacing is deliberate and its politics are tangled . But for those with the patience to look under its surface , there is a rewarding amount of depth to discover . The Special Edition DVD , with a soundtrack CD and an extra disc included , is highly recommended for purchase .
018 4 To start off im a DTS sound freak and when i first saw it in stores i accuatly hesitated to get it . I looked at the back of the cheap one it looked nice and all but i figured get the box set since dts can't go wrong but after i watched it I have to say WOW ! best DVD I bought to date so tragic and sad . But yet done so good that I saw it five more times back to back the dark yet artistic backgrounds character animations and political military story just make it a must buy for any anime watcher if you like Ghost in the Shell then consider this its great grandfather cause its worth every last cent . The special edition comes with the soundtrack and an extra's disc the english dub is DD 5.1 and surprisingly acurate . The Japanesse DTS track is nothing short of great work . Theirs also a DD japanesse track too . For those who haven't discovered the bueatiful thing called DTS .
Put the jap . DTS track on and turn on headphones for a really cool experience and so you can crank it without disturbing a soul . The soundtrack is absolutely amazing its stored on my xbox PC and anything else that has a HD .
031 4 This review is from :
Jin-Roh : The Wolf Brigade - Anime Movie Classics ( DVD )
No big eyes or green hair . This is the real deal . This is the kind of stuff that
got me into anime in the first place ! A real story , animation so detailed and
precise , right down to the way a door bangs shut on a telephone booth or the
way the wind carries cigarette smoke . Written by the director of Ghost in the
Shell ( 5stars ) , this one will only disappoint those unencumbered by the
thought process .
032 4 No big eyes or green hair . This is the real deal . This is the kind of stuff that
got me into anime in the first place ! A real story , animation so detailed and
precise , right down to the way a door bangs shut on a telephone booth or the
way the wind carries cigarette smoke . Written by the director of Ghost in the
Shell ( 5stars ) , this one will only disappoint those unencumbered by the
thought process .
044 4 I have purchased this Special Edition about two weeks ago , at the time , I only saw two commercials for the thing and decided to buy it off of what was seen . I figured , hey I might as well buy the Special Edition , if it turns out good then at least I wouldn't have to purchase it later ( I am like that ) . But after I purchased it , I looked around at different Anime boards , apparently people weren't digging it , many complaints were about the animation , none whatsoever were about the plot . My personal opinion on it is that it truly is a good flick . After all it did have the potential , I mean the directors of both Akira and Ghost in the Shell working together on the same project ! How could you go wrong ?
After , seeing top-notch animation from Vampire Hunter D : BloodLust , I was expecting a little more than what this one had to offer . The plot is more of a drama than an action ; many people don't like to animated dramas , if you're like this , skip this one , rent it instead . . .
The Special Edition DVD comes with the Feature on one DVD , Special Features on another , and the Soundtrack from the movie on a CD . Making a total of 3 discs , the collection is completed with a booklet .
059 4 I don't know what took me so long to finally pick Jin Roh up . I had heard so much about it over the past couple years , and very little that was said about it was bad . But I'm an admitted skeptic of real-life anime ( Perfect Blue , Millennium Actress , Tokyo Godfathers ) since I believe if you're going to make anime look real , why not just make a live action movie ? Thankfully , Tokyo Godfathers changed that for me , and I was willing to take a step towards purchasing Jin Roh .
And I don't regret it at all . This is a masterpiece , plain and simple . Deeply plotted with some startlingly violent moments , Jin Roh is easily one of the smartest anime I've seen , and it doesn't have to get complicated in order to be so . It moves from point A to point B in a straightforward line , with only a few surprises along the way to make that line perhaps a little jagged . Jin Roh uses classic storytelling tools , such as symbolism ( and there is a lot of that in here ) , foreshadowing , and metaphor to drive the plot along .
The story of Jin Roh is set in an alternate history Japan , where social unrest has become the norm and constant rioting pollutes the streets . To combat the terrorists and keep control , the Japanese government has put together a group of elite soldiers - - human tanks , really , creatures uncaring of who they kill , which is why they become known as Wolves - - to disband the justice and scare the populace into its place . Kazuki Fuse is one of these soldiers ; only he becomes haunted by the death of a girl , who was also a terrorist , and finds himself constantly thinking about what went wrong . That's when he meets the girl's sister , and things really begin to change .
I'm not really surprised by how much I loved this movie . Anything made by Mamoru Oshii , or anything he involves himself in , has found a good place on my list , starting with Ghost in the Shell . But , though I'm a little hesitant to admit this right now since I've only recently watched Jin Roh , I believe that Jin Roh is better than the cyberpunk classic , GitS . So , in other words , Jin Roh is an instant classic . If you liked Ghost in the Shell , Perfect Blue , or just enjoy richly plotted stories , then I highly recommend Jin Roh : The Wolf Brigade to you .
DVD Review : Being apart of the Anime Legends collection , Bandai has made the once $40 box set much more affordable , so that , in my book , makes this DVD instantly worth it . You get the movie , a supplemental material disc , and the CD movie soundtrack all in a thin collection . Though the special features aren't that great , and the CD soundtrack is only instrumentals , it is the truest form of this movie and at only $18 dollars it's difficult to avoid this , especially if you're a collector . I think it was a great buy for me , and if you're a budgeted collector of anime then I recommend this to you .
060 4 First allow me to say - ignore mr . Jason ( directly below ) - case in point : he's given two good reviews and i've seen him review some cracker products .
This is not a typical animation . The director of Ghost in the Shell wrote this script and i must say i'm impressed . This is story based first and foremost , but the story is interesting , compelling and down-right amazing . Having won several awards i looked it up and was suprised to see an animation with such a well thought out story . Its a drama and a political masterpiece . But you aren't at a loss to understand the manuovers . Rather than take on the intrigue of the higher powers in the game , it looks at the pawns , those being manipulated and fighting back . It was one of the few films i've ever seen where i was actually surprised to find out that : this person was working here , this person was with the others on the sly etc . etc . , but don't worry what i've said won't wreck the experience . Not by a long-shot .
At the end i was even wondering : Why ? How could that happen ? It pulled you in that well .
Shocking , Realistic , Inventive , Exciting , Intriguing , Powerful and Provocative .
This is truly a masterpiece - animation or no .
061 4 Jin-Roh is written by Mamoru Oshii , the director of the famed Ghost in the Shell , who also did the Patlabor TV series , feature films , and recently released Ureusei Yatsura series . Most of the crews also in this film worked with Mamoru in GitS , and other animations . The director himself was the character designer for GitS , and did some key animations . On the quick glance , it is easy to mistake this film as Mamoru's because of those reasons .
Jin-Roh has one of the best atmosphere's that can be found in anime , or even in feature films . The design of the weapons and its mechas are just amazing , and the character development is fabulous . I've seen this film several times , and it just works in a very different way from the typical animes - it works more in a film-esqu manner , and not surprisingly , Mamoru recently directed a live-action film called Avalon . To people who saw Ghost , and liked it , this film with definitely appeal to you as well .
The reason it is four stars , instead of five , is the slow pacing of the film , which can lose its audience at some point . I've seen some of my friends lose the film after 30 - 40 minutes into it . Other than that , it has amazing animation from Production I.G . , the studio that is working on the GitS TV show in Japan and the O-Ren Ishii sequence in the latest Quentin Tarantino flick Kill Bill .
067 4 Okay , the middle was a bit slow , but otherwise Jin-Roh starts off fast and ends with a swirling , twisting bang .
My Japanese girlfriend , who is very particular about what anime she likes ( e.g . she doesn't like Ghost in the Shell , but likes Princess Mononoke ) liked this a lot . . . she said it had all the sophistication of a ' real ' movie . She even thought that the painted backdrops were so good that you could have inserted real actors on to the ' sets ' . Great music , too .
076 4 There's so much to be said for this film that it's hard to know where to start . A political and human drama that has the feel of an historical epic , Jin Roh pushes the standards for artistic anime in almost every way .
To start , the artwork . Even those who dislike Jin Roh praise its animation . The world it portrays is dark and dreary , effectively setting the tone for the movie . The character designs are by far the most realistic I've ever seen , and that only enhances the historical feel that Jin Roh conveys . While this is not an action-oriented film , the scenes of violence and killing are particularly beautiful and disturbing .
In terms of plot , Jin Roh excels the most . The plot is not complex at first , but it soon completely engulfs the charaters in its oppressively dark situations , and the viewer along with them . The two leads , Kazuki Fuse and Kei are good characters if not great ones , but for most of the film it's the machinations of those higher up that seem to define them .
On a different note , much has been said , good and bad , about the use of Little Red Riding Hood as a narration ( actually , a much more macabre version of the story than I've ever heard before ) . It might seem silly , but it's really not . It drives home a lot of the key themes in the movie without being at all intrusive . And then again , it helps define the dark feel of the movie .
At this point , it's hard to say much more . If you like artistic and dramatic anime , then it seems hard to go wrong here . A lot of people have commented on Akira and Ghost in the Shell in relation to this movie , and for the record , I disliked both films . Jin Roh isn't really like those in terms of pacing or action , so if you're a fan of robots and really big explosions you should stay away . But if you like good characters , an engrossing storyline that's enigmatic in places and stunning animation , make sure to pick this up .
096 4 saw the movie a year ago in the Fantasia festival 2000 ( Montreal ) and since I looked forward to own it on Dvd . Simply one of the greatest anime I've seen . A must have . It's a instant classic with Akira , Ghost In A shell , Ninja Scroll and Perfect Blue . Great graphic , Good music and powerful sound effects ! It's a nice remake of the red riding hood in a twisted japan future . . .
105 4 I finally managed to sit through this anime after the 3rd attempt and still found myself fast-forwarding sections of the movie . I truly wanted to like this movie once I heard that it was written by the director of Ghost In The Shell , one of my favorite animes .
The opening sequences of Jin-Roh kept me interested in how Fuse , the protagonist , might come to terms with his involvement in the death of a young girl . But the as the plot starts unfolding , it just ends up being a convoluted mess . I couldn't empathize with any of the main characters , who were either frustratingly non-communicative or just spoke in metaphors to explain themselves .
Kudos for art direction and excellent voice acting , but story is dissapointingly weak which ruined it for me .
118 4 Don't get me wrong , this is a great movie . The movie is heavily flawed in many aspects . First of all the story is well written . This movie does fall into one category that so many anime movies fall under : overhyped . . .
Fuse , the protagonist , seems to not care for the people his around . The whole movie I wondered why he just stood there and watched as five wolves tore his girlfriend to shreds . Then he glanced over at her half-eaten body and just kept going like he didn't have a care in the world . This movie is not for those with weak stomachs by the way .
Like I said , the storyline is great but was slightly under-developed . The MSP , Panzer Corps , and Wolf Brigade are not explained as much as they should be . The ending is anti-climatic like many other anime movies * cough * Ghost in the Shell * cough * Akira * .
I think this movie is meant to be depressing from some reviews I read , I didn't find it like that at all . Grave of the Fireflies was depressing but this is more melodramatic than depressing . Fuse's girlfriend starts to become very annoying , very quick . I on purpose did not want to hear her 1 and a half minute long crying scene , so I quickly skipped past that section .
Before buying the dvd , rent the movie . The movie isn't for everyone , or those who don't want to see a movie about Japanese Nazis .
129 4 My brothers and I are all real anime fans and we've watched Ghost in the Shell , Akira and all the other greats . My brother thought this would have to be good because Okiura had written Ghost in the Shell and Akira but this was terrible .
First , this movie is 2 1 / 2 hours long and it had no early action and an annoying repetiveness that made both my brothers fall asleep within the first twenty minutes . My cousin gave up watching after about five minutes , citing there was no action and the plot was boring .
I have a lot of patience but even I gave up after a while . Jin-Roh was absolutely disapointing . Think about renting it first , cause I ceretainly didn't think it was worth buying .
041 4 A beautiful story and asthetically pleasing character designs and art , Jin-Roh The Wolf Brigade tells , in simple terms , the tale of Little Red Riding Hood but Jin-Roh is a bit more complicated than that . Quoting a version of Little Red Riding Hood , there are many versions of this classic fairy tale , throughout the movie , it tries to explore human nature . Set in an alternate history of Japan , Jin-Roh portrays a romance between a member of an elite Special Forces team , set in place to maintain peace in a time of civil unrest , and a Red Riding Hood , or bomb carrier who are caught up in politics and conspiracy . But it also asks an important question ; can a beast or rather a wolf in man's clothing live among humans ? Once a beast always a beast .
The second disc has a number of Japanese trailors and one English trailor and althought there are many Japanese trailors most seem to be the same . The second disc , or Extras Disc , also inlcudes interviews with the creator , director , character designer , and music composer . The interviews give you a good picture of what Jin-Roh is { hisory behind it and what the story is about } , as well as their own personal feelings about the movie . The second disc also includes fairly extensive weapon , character , and background sketch galleries for those who enjoy seeing those elements in their first stages before the color , detailing , and animation processes . Personally it's a nice add in .
The third disc is the Jin-Roh Soundtrack . The music blends very well with the movie and is good by itself , especially the main theme , but is much better with the movie as most soundtrack music is . If you are a collector of anime music like I am you will enjoy this CD . If not but are a fan of music with action and / or drama and the romantic feel then you won't be disapointed . The music was composed by the same person who composed the music for Macross Plus and Escaflowne .
001 4 First , the good news : this movie is astounding . The opening riot scene is so realistic it's scary . The story , the artwork , the visuals , the soundtrack , all excellent . Some have complained it's too slow . I don't know why . There's no need to complain about how long it takes to get from Point A to Point B if the journey is as interesting as this one is . It's an excellent anime that is not too hard to follow ( looking at the personnel flowchart helps keep track of who's who ) , yet it shows an intelligence and complexity far above the typical anime offering . And the visuals are so gorgeous , so realistic . Even the muted color scheme is evocative of the tone of the movie .
So , why only 4 stars ? Well , if you buy the 2 - disc Special Edition , I have one question : How's your Japanese ? Oh , the menu for the extras disc is in English , but all the interviews , everything , is in Japanese . No alternate audio . No subtitles . All Japanese all the time . Please note that the movie has both English audio and subtitles ( as well as the original Japanese ) , but the extras disc does not . So , unless you speak fluent Japanese , save your money and just buy the single-disc movie-only version .
004 4 A very impressive anime that works most effectively as a drama with suspenseful elements and some brutally real violence . The story of Fuse , member of the Wolf Brigade , a special military unit in a fictionalized Japan is captivating and very bleek . As he struggled to deal with a young girl's death and find his own humanity , I was completely involved in the character . In fact , as I watched I often thought to myself of how this story could have been made perfectly into a live action film , something that can't be said for the average animated feature . It's a very real , grim story , the love angle is handled with care and you can definitely feel for the characters . The only thing that REALLY bothered me was the entire wolf symbolism . About halfway through the film I was thinking okay , I get it already . Between the images and dialogue it's delivered with all the subtlety of a Spike Lee movie , and I personally found it a little distracting at times . And still , when the conclusion comes it redeems itself entirely and everything comes together so neatly . Altogether it's an outstanding work with a few flaws , but will likely get better with age .
009 4 It is sad to realize that some reviewers have completelely missed the aim of the film and even felt outraged by it , giving away part of the plot in the process .
First of all , this is not a Disney-like film , though if you are reading it , I think you are fully aware of the differences . The story told is for grown-ups , not on account of fornification or violence , but because of its depth . We are dealing here with a sad . pessimistic and depressing story . Take this into account when renting or buying the film . This is about people living in a period of hardship , opression and darkness . Of people trying to survive , love and reach happiness , unaware of the powerful forces that are shaping their present and future . If you are expecting light entertainment , non-stop action or fornification , save your money and pick up another film .
Another interesting point is that this film is also a fairy tale , a variation on a very famous one , Little Red Riding Hood , only that the version used is not the one everyone knows . Personally , I consider it as a story more touching , misterious and evocative than the most spred one . Take also into account that the version the characters of the film read was not written for the film , is one alternative , as ancient and valid as the one your grandpa or grandma told you when you were a child
About the animation , you can see some mistakes , but , being the film taking place in the fifties , you can realize is completely deliberate to create the athmosphere
To conclude , for those who will watch the film , at first sight you can thing that the characters seem unconcerned and withdrawn . Wait for the end and you will realised why they refuse to love and show human feelings
057 4 i have seen alot of anime in my time and i must say that this movie was unlike anything ive seen . im always on the look out for a good animated movie and i saw this one day while browsing through the anime section and was impressed by the packaging , the cover art , and the description on the back . i rushed home to watch it and enjoyed it from the beginning . the art work in this movie is very well done . the colors used really convey the mood of the film . alot of people would find this movie slow . its not for everyone . the sound track is haunting , the story is powerful , and the ending was so shocking that i had to watch it again right after i finished it . the ending made my mouth drop and my eyes tear . very good movie in my opinion .
073 4 This isnt a movie for young anime viewers . Mainly because there is very little action , but it makes up for it with an outstanding story . Dont buy the Special Edition unless you want the OST and a bunch of interviews . The soundtrack wasnt to bad , but it wasnt good enough to make me wanna buy it . The interviews are interesting and good to watch through maybe once . After that you just have your trailers and your feature film which is all you really need . Overall , its a great movie worth buying .
116 4 It is impossible to say anything negative about the animation here . It's top notch and breathtaking to look at , particularly the use of lighting effects , but that's all this film has going for it . This is an unbearably dull piece of film making . I saw it recently in a theater , and the soundtrack was nearly drowned out by the audience's groans of boredom . The use of Little Red Riding Hood , which so many reviewers have praised , is simply obnoxious . A small child can easily figure out this connection in the first act , but the film makers , not trusting the audience's intellegence , deems it neccesary to hammer this point into our skulls time and time again . The end result is a flat , emotionally lifeless waste of celluloid . If you want emotion in your anime , pick up Cowboy Bebop or Grave of the Fireflies . Just stay away from this one .
136 4 This is a terrible waste of some interesting ideas . The writer and director once take on more than they can handle with this film . The whole thing is a muddle . The use of the Red Riding Hood fairy tale is clumsy and unnecessary . Rather than deal directly with their subject the writer / director choose to hide behind metaphor .
All of the characters are thinly drawn and portrayed with little or no emotion . The film keeps the viewer at a distance by neglecting emotional envolvement .
A total waste .
048 4 Jin-Roh is a tale of two lovers who never really like each other . They stay togather merely because , in their own eyes , the other is exactly want they want from life .
For Kei , it is to be remembered . To know that she shall not fade away , and cease to exist . For what is the point of existing at all if no one can remember who you are or what you did after you are gone ?
But , in Fuse's eyes , Kei is another chance . Perhaps an option he knows that he can never choose . The life of a human , the love of a woman , who he himself killed . He never truly see's Kei as herself , but more as Nanami , her supossed sister , whom he watched blow herself up during the first half hour of the movie .
No one can just see this movie once , and suddenly have a solid knowledge of what it is about , and how it is proceeding . Every detail is important , every moment , every second , every scene .
People fail to realize that . The background characters are not merely a side population , they are part of the cast and crew . Without them , gaps of the entire story would be left missing .
As the movie poster so imfamously says , A wolf in sheep's clothing is still a wolf . Consider this as you see every character interact , for it is not only those amongst the Wolf Brigade that bare fangs .
006 4 I own a region 2 version of this film , I saw this special edition in Region 1 and picked it up for the extra features , and
boy was I in for a surprise , the colors on the r1 version are all
muddy and details are all fuzzy , it has a muddy unsaturated look all over , I put the region2 disc and wham the movie just comes alive.I dont know how the director could have allowed a transfer which is like this.I viewed it on a progressive scan dvd player connected to a progressve scan 16 : 9 television.The film is a beauty though.I think to really have an idea of the superb production of Jin-Roh backgrounds and characters one needs to see the r2 version .
037 4 Jin-Roh encapsulates the key components of a quality film by successfully incorporating philosophical and psychological to enrich content and character .
Albeit , Jin-Roh may be slow in terms of action sequences , the main point of the film is not shells , artillery , and gore , but rather it's about the more poignant and serious facets of life such as betrayal , duty , deception , and sacrifice . Very few anime that I have seen are able to weave such a well presented package without becoming too deep or confusing .
If you are looking for a more mature piece of anime minus the outlandish eye candy , which is proliferate in this genre , Jin-Roh will make a terrific addition to your library .
038 4 You know a film is excellent when the first 10 minutes evokes an emotional response like no other . Jin-Roh does it .
This is a retelling of Red Riding Hood , based in a terrifying parallel Japan . There is civil unrest everywhere , and the only means of putting it down is through violence . Jin-Roh is not a family film ; it is ultimately depressing and the violence is graphic . But this film needs to be seen by a huge audience . The artwork , music , and characters are all excellent . And even though action is not abundant in this film , the plot's dark telling will hold you tight until the end , and in the final seconds of the film , you'll be speechless until the credits disappear .
Jin-Roh has a special place in my heart as one of the finest films ever made , anime or not .
047 4 Having heard about this film when it was in theaters through a synopsis I had to see it . This film is an excellent example of storytelling using striking themes and images . Sometimes the symbolism used is a little too simplistic , but the overall story was fresh and very interesting .
If anyone has read the Manga , much of the action is retellings of what was already done . However , it was all rewritten and used as an overall story in a most fullfilling way in Jin-Roh .
I loved the weaponry and armor used by the CAPO forces , and although I was disappointed at first that there was not a constant use of all the armor and guns , I am pleased that the film did not resort to simple minded violence and action .
I was really thrilled at how well done this film was . I enjoyed this story , the setting , the characters , and the cool anime use of special gear and weapons .
087 4 There is only one word to describe Jin Roh . . . brilliant . The underlying themes and metaphors are complex and dramatic . The ending is heartwrenching and superbly done . The entire production is a masterpiece of drama . However , it is NOT an action anime as it may seem . There is action , but the majority of the film focuses on the drama . Therefore , this is only really for the more sophisticated or intelligent anime fan , definitely not for fanboys . If you are looking for non-stop action , then this is not for you . If you are looking for the finest dramatic anime since Wings of Honeamise ( I know its not spelled correctly ) then Jin Roh will not let you down .
082 4 Jin Roh is one of the most incredible movies I have ever seen . It is full of emotion , moral delemas , and political intrige . I would recomend this to all my SMART friends , because if your the type of person who only likes anime that is action packed and has exitment at every turn , you will not like this . Also , Iwould definetly not recomend this for someone under , say , 16 , unless they are very mature and intellegent , as it is very violent and most children would get bored and not understand it . The violence , however , is not gracious or entened to be enjoyable , and instead powerful and realistic . The dub is quite good , as dubs go , but I still recomend watching it in Japanese with english subtitles . It is beutiful and tragic , moving and amazing , wonderfuly directed , and a truely adult anime . This could very possibly be my favorite movie . See it , and prepared to be amazed .
058 4 . . . to those of you who enjoyed it , but this one put me right to sleep .
092 4 I bought this DVD knowing it was an old title . However , I am a fan of GIS and so I figured Jin-Roh would be as graphically enticing . For the most part it was . However , I was completely dissappointed by the video to digital transfer . Being a Bandai DVD I would have hoped for a little bit better quality . For the most part Anime distribution in Japan is monopolistic to Bandai Visual / Emotion . So when I pleasingly saw the Bandai / Emotion symbol on the cover , I figured the quality of the DVD to be similar to other region 2 dvds they carry . It was just a video transfer . The only other DVD I have purchased that is similar in quality would be the Macross Plus Movie Edition . Although Jin-Roh does have dual language tracks and subtitle options , I was still hoping it to be more like GIS . But either way , being an anime fan , I will proudly add this movie feature to my collection .
020 4 Lots has been written already on how great this movie is so I won't elaborate beyond agreeing that this is a must for those interested on good , serious Anime - - I give it 4 stars . Also , as many of you have also indicated , the quality of the DVD is rather poor - - I give that 2 stars . If you are interested on finding a good quality copy then go to the ' cdjapan ' website , where they have better reproductions . This , provided you can watch region 2 DVDs .
039 4 Anime at it's best . Look , if you are looking for a classic review , with analysis and other stuff like that , forget it , I'll go straight to the point . It's a excellent story , you even forget is anime at some points . You just go inside the story , and share everyhting with everyone . The movie is so great , it doesn't need a lot of action . Is poetic , is sad , is fun . Want to see a different movie , even a different story for an anime ? Check it out , don't rent it ( and for me to say this ) , you won't regret it .
088 4 Wednesday , June 22 , 2005 / 3 of 5 / Sedate and joyless mystery
A mostly joyless and sedate anime , it plays like a morality theatre piece . In an alternate future a member of a special forces unit confronts a young girl terrorist who kills herself in front of him . He proceeds to soul search while the girls sister shows up and they develop a strange pragmatic relationship . Is everything as it seems however as political forces maneuver in and around the situation making one question motives for all the players . It's introverted and serious in tone and probably wouldn't hold up well to repeated viewings . The artwork heads towards the realism side of the anime spectrum . An interesting introspective story that eventually comes to a head .
089 4 I bought this movie only by reading what it was about on the official website . It was quite a gamble for a thirty dollar movie , but i'll tell you , it turned out to be a wise choice my friends . This movie has a great story , very unique , and complex in its own way . Watch it twice , one dubbed and once in subtitles to fully grasp it , and be sure to look in the insert of the normal DVD version for a plotted tree of all the government agencies and how they connect in the movie . It is great for people who like character focuses , a dramatic plot and a sympathetic ending . Go rent it or buy it , its worth your money .
100 4 For one thing , I am glad to see that I wasnt the only one who was bored by this . I started to think that somewhere along the lines I developed A.D.D . or something . It just couldnt keep my attention . I was really expecting something much better than what I got . It was not worth the money at all .
103 4 Jin Roh is one of the most beaufully animated anime of all time ! ! ! If you are into animation , this is must buy ! ! ! Pepople think it's rotoscoped , but it is actually hand drawn ! It's that good . Story is also awesome and would surprise you at the end . . . I don't want to spoiled the movie . . . just check it out . Man , you got to love the armor suit . . . it's sick !
106 4 First off it you don't like animes where you have to think and pay attention then look elsewhere , but if you like animes with beautiful animation and a complex gripping storyline then this is a must buy . It wouldn't surprise me if the people who rated it one star are like 12 and consider Dragonball Z their favorite anime . This isn't the equivalent to an action movie , anime style , if that's what your looking for then Vampire Hunter D is the movie for you . You might want to rent it first if it sounds like something your interested in because the special edition version is a must buy if you like it . It's 20 bucks extra for a cool subtitled director's commentary , the soundtrack with twenty-two songs on it , a bunch of art , and a bunch of different trailers for it , it's definitely worth it to me but some of you might just be interested in the movie .
125 4 This film was disappointing , overrated and terrible ! I liked the look of the federal police costume and the animation was about 7.5 out of 10 . But be warned , the action is 1 out of 10 ! I could not believe how boring this movie was ! I was expecting a cool action film concept ; this was way off the mark . The dialog was so boring and monotone I fought very hard to stay awake ! I felt like someone was telling me a lullaby . The DVD artwork for the movie showcases the cool police armor but the armor could have been left out of the movie and it wouldn't have changed the movie at all ? It was only in the movie for about 15 minutes and was very poorly developed in my opinion . It was like some gimic the artists used to trap people into watching the movie ?
127 4 this movie started off good and got so boring i actually fell asleep and i dont think im alon on this one . it has really good animation , but that's it . i never went back to see it ever again . i still haven't seen the ending and im going to keep it that way .
135 4 I brough this movie because it sounded good but it wasn't . I didn't like the art work . The plan was ok but the movie just wouldn't keep my attention .
094 4 This film , which was done by some of the great anime gods of our time [ including the critically acclaimed Mamoru Oshii , . . . ] , is a groundbreaking tale revolving around the life of a soldier of the Capital Police named Fuse . The animation is beautifully done and fully realized [ the people , as in the classic Akira , actually look more anatomically correct compared to other anime ] , and the story is a very complex and dark tale of the decisions a man must take to live his life . Throughout this film you cannot help but feel depressed , because of the forlorn nature of the city and its inhabitants , but most of all because of the horrors that Fuse must endure to continue his life . The whole film as a piece is brilliant , from its sinister environments to its political conflicts to the ultimate , frighteningly sad climax [ no spoilers here . . . ]
. . .
The direction is magnificent , and akin to the direction of many American films [ something you don't see incredibly often in anime , but a nice touch for us U.S . people ] . The color is somewhat bleak , but that just goes right in with the depressing , bleak mood of the story , so I have no problems there . The occasional torrent of violence pops up , which is the reason the film got a 16 + rating , but nonetheless it is a powerful film for the adult mind .
All in all , this film is nothing short of a landmark achievement in direction and storyline , thanks to those great names mentioned above and elsewhere [ namely on the box ] . Adults can truly appreciate the message and symbolism in this anime [ the wolf is a symbol Oshii stresses in this one ] , but I think kids may just look at the violent parts over and over and over . For the sophisticated viewer , Jin-Roh is a masterpiece in all respects , and I say , Let the watching begin !
002 4 A Masterpiece ! Its hard for some to understand the Genius of Oshii . This man is a visionary . For those who thought Jinroh slow must not understand Oshii's style . Mamoru Oshii weilds morals , and ethics like a master story teller when creating his scripts . Oshii's movies aren't for the action hungry fan boys . Sure , for some jinroh is a slow paced movie with only bits and pieces of intense action , but the subtle moral drama , the build up of his characters , and the technical detail of this movie makes it worth while . Understanding Oshii isn't difficult . All one has to do is give up all preconcieved notions of what Anime is and should be . Anime like Jinroh , Ghost in the Shell , Patlabor I and II , and Akira define themselves as the anime genre . If you're only interested in watching big breasted girls , and giant robots than skip this movie ( don't get me wrong . i enjoy the girls and robots too ! ) . But if you enjoy story and content above action than Jinroh is a must watch .
021 4 This movie i bought a while back , when it was first released i bought it with Akira , both have meanings to them but Jin-Roh really has meaning to it .
its realistic essense to its simplistic outline gives it a touch that really no other DVD has except for some films EX ( Grave of The Fireflies , ) .
The story begins with a little gurl and a massive protest riot going on in the middle of the street , while the riot is going on a little gurl who is a ( Bomber Girl ) she transfers bag bombs to people during protests , shes what you call a runner , anyways shes running under the riot into sewers and a wolf bridgade is patrolling the sewer and shes getting chased , they suddenly corner her and she pulls the bomb but she gets killed before she has the chance to pull it .
Thats how the story begins with a guy whos an ex on the wolf brigade .
I won't tell you anymore , because really you should spend your well earned money on this great title set in the post WW 2 earra im guessing , spend your money on this title , both Grave of the Fire Flies and Jin-Roh are great together .
The only downside is its like a opera with very long sequences , but still give it a chance .
022 4 How anyone could say this movie is boring is beyond me . . Yes its true , don't watch it at 2am lying in your bed in the dark as you will likely fall asleep . . Does that mean anything ? No . . I challenge anyone to stay awake through all of Akira ( best anime ever ) in the same environs .
This movie is a ' what-if ' portrait that shows man's darkest sides . . The characters in the movie are unemotional , as if the cruelty of their world has simply beaten the humanity out of them .
This is a movie that every time you watch , you will notice some new subtlely you hadn't picked up before . . An excellent movie for anyone who is a fan of thought-provoking anime . .
If you want to see things explode and blood everywhere ( which is ok too ) , get Fist of the North Star instead . . : )
049 4 I have been stabed , had open heart surgury , and got hit my a baseball bat on the back end of a ground ball .
This is the only thing since I was 8 to make me cry . The story was so amazingly emotional and sad . I couldn't help myself . I would recommend this to anyone who has ever considered themselves a fan of anime . It has enough action to keep the pace from getting drawn out , yet is story driven enough to keep you captivated until the end . I hope you see this movie , I know it will invoke an emotional response .
050 4 This is my first review , so I'll try to keep it simple . This movie is visually stunning . I myself ( and many of my friends for that matter ) am not a very big fan of digital animation ( I prefer the classic hand-drawn animes like Ninja Scroll and Evangelion as opposed to say Blood The Last Vampire which I own ) , but this movie was absolutely beautiful . This story is not one that you can watch pieces of at a time . You must sit down and watch this movie through - beginning to end , or you will not understand it . Basically , if you saw Akira and loved it , this movie is for you . I would recommend this movie to any true otaku .
052 4 I initially bought the special edition of this movie because of a favorable opinion from a close friend of mine . It was visually stunning and very good storyline . I would say that this piece of work would be best suited for those who like movies such as Akira and Princess Mononoke . Movies that have more storyline than action to them .
I enjoyed this movie , but if you are looking for anime that is all shoot ' em up then this isn't really the movie for you . It foucuses more on characters and the relationship they develop but still gives you several fight sequences that are really well designed .
Rent it first to see if you would like it .
068 4 It is a stunning animation movie . I agree with most of previous reviews , which highly recommended the movie and the CD pack . I feel my money is well spent this time .
The story line is so original and well matches many Hollywood's action / romance movies .
What really stuck me is the superb animation technique . It is not an usual animation product . There is no exaggeration or dispropotion on the characters . At some points , I felt the impressions on faces of characters as if they were on real actors ' faces . I mean sometimes I did not fell it was an animation movie .
By the end of the movie , I wished I would see more adult animation movies such as this one with a good story line and incredible animation technique in a near future .
069 4 The box said it all . This movie will make you question human nature . Whether we are repressed beasts or a more refined creature . I love the animation and the story of this movie . It will keep you guessing all through it . The ending much like Akira will leave you with a several rhetorical questions that are good to ponder every once in a while . It is also a movie to see again to pick up on every thing you might have missed .
P.S . this movie has points of intense violince that I have not seen since Akira and Vampire Hunter D
128 4 This is the most boring anime i have ever seen . I bought this looking for some good action ( based on the cover and back of the dvd ) but i was very disappointed . Its just a whole lotta politcal jibber jabber . Stay away from this unless you like boring stuff !
131 4 with as much hype going for this film , I was excited . . . and
Akira is one of my ALL time favorite movies , I have to say though , the animation is Top Notch in this film ! ! ! ! I wish ALL animated films maintained this high of quality ! !
as for the storyline . . . well , its Way to long and drawn out , and the only action seen here is the first 15 minutes , and the last 20 minutes , I found this film VERY boring , even nodded off a few times , its these types of films that ruin someones first impression of an adult animated film ,
it just seemed to drag , and go on Forever ! ! ! ! and then Finally a tad of action . . . the film is not an Action film . . . . .
but if in the mood for a nihilistic drama , by all means waste your money here . . . . . .
119 4 Jin_roh has to be one of the best anime films I have ever seen it is a masterpiece and belongs in every anime fans collection . First off the most important part the story which was the movies strongest foot . The story revolves around Fuse and Kai Fuse is a memeber of a special police unit that deals with the really dangerous situations . In the begining there's a riot and the police is struggling to contain it . Underneath them within the sewers there is a rebel group that is running bombs through the sewer . Needless to say Fuse encourters one of the runners and it's a small girl and she ends up committing suicide to try and take him out with her but due to Fuse's large amount of body armor he survives with minor bumps and scratches . For the rest of the movie he is plagued by her death and is eventually accused of being part of the rebel faction the Wolf Brigade . Part of the reason is the fact that he is seen hanging around the older sister of the suicide bomber . Through the whole movie you think that everyone is using Fuse and the police force he works for is setting him up and that he's falling into their trap but it turns out that they're doing everything he predicted and was using them . You even think that the one dead girl's sister is using him but it turns out she was just one of his pawns as well .
033 4 I watched this movie on a movie channel , and enjoyed it . It is not something for children to watch . It has a good story and I really enjoy the way the movie plays out . I am always amazed at the scenery that is in the background of the anime movies .
063 4 I will simply put it thus : The best movie I have ever seen .
065 4 This movie is exceptional . I bought it one day when I was at like a borders and they were having a huge sale , and I was like this movie looks cool . I bought it and ever since I think its great . The story is about the main character Fuse and how everyone is playing each other . You may think Fuse is getting . . . but you have to see it to beleive it . Highly entertaining . A must see .
074 4 This was a great anime , I loved the animation and the graphics stunned me . The story was great I can say how the basis was on red riding hood was a great story plot . There is a lot of violence but it shows the full potential of this anime .
084 4 The ending is very , very heavy . I will remember this feature long after the others have vanished from my memories .
102 4 The movie was interesting and had some original ideas . However , I did not think the movie is worthy of a higher review than three stars . It is not in the same level as Akira . The animation was better than average , except for the gun scenes which are first class . Not enough action for my taste .
110 4 After wittness a suicide bombing of a terrorist girl , Constable Kazuki Fuse becomes haunted by her image , and is forced to undergo retrained for his position in the Capital Police's Special Unit . However , unknown to him , he becomes a key player as a dispute between Capital of Local Police forces .
120 4 The story plot is hum drum and geared very much like a movie script written for an actual lifetime channel movie as opposed to a more apropriately written script . Just wasted talent on a drab script . The two main characters being a man and woman roam around town trying to deal with depression they have over the loss of a rebel girl . Dialect is spearce in this movie . At least it has alot of gun fire but even that display is a bit drab . Great animation work which is why I rated it a three .
126 4 I like this film but not overwhelmingly . The animation is top-notch in a realistic style . Unfortunately the story revolves around a special-forces policeman who shows less emotion than a rock . His dead-pan look and slow walk is a complete contrast to the stage where he makes a stealthy entrance into a museum , turning into a metal-gear-solid sort of commando . Yes , he ( Fuse ) is the living personification of a terminator , especially when he dons his armor and heavy gun . Hmm , maybe Arnold the terminator showed more emotion . . . The action parts of the film are cool but the middle of the film is dull and the little red riding hood references are overblown . If you like depressing films then this is right up your alley , otherwise beware .
053 4 I've little to add to the other reviews . This is not only a superb anime , but a classic . The english voice-acting and the subtitles are often quite different as it seems great care was taken to make the english dub match the mouth-movements . I found it interesting to watch the dub with the subtitles running to try to catch every bit of information .
072 4 If you like good anime , if you like good movies that can grab you in the gut , get this film . This is the best drama that I have seen in a long while . The animation is simply stunning and the story blew me away . Like you , I did'nt believe the hype about this work of art ; I took a chance and bought Jin-Roh and I'm glad that I did . I can't wait to see the next Okiura film .
081 4 The animation was pretty good , action was good but the story was a bit slow . I won't disclose the ending , but many Japanese movies , even in animation , seem to carry with them a depressing theme or ending . I've seen other anime that I prefer , but I know many of my friends who swear by this movie . If you're a fan of anime and lots of shooting , I'm sure you'll like this movie .
086 4 This movie is truly beutifull to look at and the voice acting is top notch.I really enjoyed all of the plot twists , they make the movie all the more engrossing but then again that's what Oshi does best.You can see the movie was written by Oshi but director Okiura's subtle influence shows through with the more emotion centered parts of the film and the romance between Fuze Kei ( if you've seen GITS or any film directed by Oshi you know he dosn't really concentrate on the characters emotions or romance ect . ) The sound , everything in the movie is flawless , a must see ( =
130 4 Opened great and then went nowhere . So slow . The animation is quite lovely but there was no real movement to the proceedings . I really hate to say it but most of what I have seen by Mamoru Oshii I haven't liked all that much . He seems to be a guy with some great ideas here and there ( and a few repetitive ones ) who doesn't really know how to make them work as a whole . I absolutely hated that live action film he did Avalon . Ghost in the shell was okay . Haven't seen the new one yet though . Anyway , don't believe the hype where this film is concerned .
104 4 This is a good DVD . I find it to be different from other anime in the fact that it has depth to it's characters . There's only one way I can describe it and that's Literature in Motion rather than the infamous Art in Motion .
113 4 This movie feels like just another tear-jerking American film . And it's from Japan . I really wanted to like it more than I did . The way it was narrorated was cool though ( the story of little red riding hood ) .
133 4 This movie has zero action in it at all . This was a blind buy for me and it was a very big letdown . Don't make the same mistake I did . I thought that the makers of Ghost and a Shell would be a lock for a good movie . This movie is extremely slow and depressing . Don't believe the hype . YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED ! ! !
government factions , terrorists , and common people fighting for control , where the watch phrases are trust no one and nothing is as it seems . With subtle hints , you begin to wonder who is the real hunter ? Is it the girl ? Is it Fuse ? Or is it the government ? The terrorist Sect ? They all are in their own ways . Yet the story is so deep that it invites you to make your own judgments . But it is the wolf who writes the ending to the human tale . See for yourself who is the wolf that haunts dreams .
026 4 Fast , thoughtful , and sad at times , Jin-Roh is another classic , possibly better than Ghost in the Shell and second to Lain or Akira , because it concentrates on an unpredictable , twisting , thrilling original story . When the story begins , a post-war Japan tears itself apart : government factions , terrorists , and common people fighting for control , where the watch phrases are trust no one and nothing is as it seems . With subtle hints , you begin to wonder who is the real hunter ? Is it the girl ? Is it Fuse ? Or is it the government ? The terrorist Sect ? They all are in their own ways . Yet the story is so deep that it invites you to make your own judgments . But it is the wolf who writes the ending to the human tale . See for yourself who is the wolf that haunts dreams .
085 4 Jin-Roh The Wolf Brigade asks one question : Can humans be better than mere beasts ? This movie is great . It has a true , but violent storyline which really gets you to think about the art of war . The animation is the best , from the same animator of Akira . The only MINOR drawback is that the story revolves slowly , but strongly . It is an anime masterpiece , overall . If you enjoyed Akira , Ghost In The Shell , or any good Drama / Action anime , you will love Jin-Roh . It truly makes you wonder , what would you do in a situation as such ?
