054 4 Tekkon Kinkreet
This was based on the Manga Black and White . I have to say I was a little disappointed in this one . I enjoyed in , but it left a gaping whole where I wanted closure . The art style is unique to say the least . The action is brutal , yet subtle . The story is barely even a major factor . This movie is more based off the relationship between Black and White . It obviously is a symbolic representation of Yin and Yang ; you must have both to function correctly .
Black and White are kids known as the Cats on the streets of Treasure Town . Treasure Town is an extremely undeveloped town , run mostly by the Yakuza . Black and White usually cause havoc while trying to protect their territory and there town . Black is a serious warrior . He develops well throughout the course of our story . At first he is fighting to protect White , but soon we see he has his own demons . White is a slow child . White doesn't do much except act weird . For some reason , he has all the screws Black needs . You will find out what that means through the course of the movie .
A new boss takes his place at the top of the Yakuza . He demands that Treasure Town be reborn in his image . He wants amusement parks , casinos , and other moneymaking machines to flood Treasure Town . Obviously , this does not sit well with our ally dwellers , Black and White . Black causes chaos for the Yakuza , which causes them to sent giant super-human type men after them . White is almost killed by one of them and eventually taking away from Black . Black oddly enough , falls to his demons and allows for White to leave . I will leave the rest of the plot to your observational skills .
The plot may sound thick , but it isn't as deep as one might think . There is another whole side-story with a man named Rat , a Yakuza member , being caught up in the new plan for the city . He hates it , but knows he can do nothing about it . That story plays a less significant role though . The main picture is more of a man VS himself type plot . Black needs White to keep him in balance . Can Black defeat his demons and return to White ? That is the basic concept of the entire movie . I like this idea , but a dense story in the background didn't help this movie out .
The art in this movie is great . Everything looks very detailed , except for the actual people . The people have a styles all of their own . They are less detailed , but have a certain appeal to them . This was probably one of my favorite art styles I have seen so far .
The extras on this one are a commentary track and a few other small things . There is nothing that I really felt was worth looking at . The film has a great theme , that you need to keep yourself balanced , but a thin story brings this one down for me . The Yakuza wasn't even really part of the main plot , so their existence felt almost meaningless to me .
001 4 This is the film adaptation of what might be the best graphic novel I ` ve ever read . There are no words to describe how much I love the original comic book so I attended the North American premiere of Tekkon Kinkreet at the Moma in NY with high expectations .
Not only did the movie not fail to meet them but in fact added exciting and unexpected layers to the story . I am an animator ; I ` m rarely satisfied with the technical aspects of most animated features but the production on Tekkon is flawless . The animation , character design , backgrounds and camera work are all top notch . The two main characters are rendered in all their complexity and the movie doesn't shy away from the deep implications that the original story holds within its pages .
The movie is faithful to the comic book and the storyline is basically the same . However , Michael Arias and studio 4C were sometimes inventive , albeit in appropriate and creative ways . The new uniforms of the three warriors that Snake sends to kill Black and White are beautiful and reminiscent of a Moebius illustration - the final confrontation between Black and the two remaining warriors is held in the amusement park instead of the car-shelter site ( which makes room for new dynamic shots ) - but my favorite shift from the original material has to be the minotaur sequence . A lot of people complained that the movie is not as daring as Mind Game ( studio 4C ` s previous adventure into full length features ) but I disagree - the animation gets very experimental during the minotaur scene showing the thin line between reality and Black's violence saturated subconscious . I loved the way they communicated the internal struggle by using the graphic language of animation alone .
Overall , Mind Game's pastiche of animation styles is probably more audacious but Tekkon more than compensates for it's more rigorous style with incredibly strong characters ( MG characters came off as a little wacky at times ) and a story that is so good that it hurts . If your eyes are not wet by the time Black and White get separated you are a soul-less fiend and you may want to consider a career in advertising .
I haven't been so excited about an anime since Ghost in the Shell 2 : Innocence hit the theaters ; it's a shame that while it was one of the most important movies of the year in Japan , Tekkon Kinkreet got very limited distribution in Europe and in the US - so do yourself a favor and buy this DVD !
002 4 If you like
Akira ( Special Edition )
or
Ghost in the Shell
, and thought they were true masterpieces despite their ambiguous style of storytelling , then you'll love Tekkon Kinkreet . It's as true an anime as there ever was : it follows its own style of storytelling , it has interesting , even endearing characters , and the art is just beautiful . It sits comfortably next to some of the best anime ever to come to the States .
Tekkon Kinkreet follows two young boys , known around the city as the Cats , but to each other they are Black and White . Black is a brooding , violent youngster with a gift for taking pain and dishing it out . White is , simply , special ; he's empathic , enjoys life , and has a deep sense of when things aren't right . He also seems to be magically gifted . That gift , however , has left White an innocent boy , incapable of growing up and acting his age ; that's why Black feels obligated to protect the young boy , and the that means eliminating any possible threat to him and White , as well as the city in which they live . Thus , these two have a few enemies , including the Yakuza , some strange and powerful alien assassins , and a mysterious creature known by the youth in the city as the Minotaur . All the while , the two are continually robbing and mugging those within their city so that they can achieve White's dream of living in a house on a beach . . . .
Yeah , interesting , I know . But what makes the story of Tekkon Kinkreet that much better is the surreality of the whole thing . It doesn't try to explain much ; it doesn't have to . White and Black can run at tremendous speeds and leap ten feet into the air ; aliens exist ; and a boy has the power to link himself mentally to his best friend . Why ? Because they do . . . . And all the while , it's as fantastically believable as a well told fantasy novel .
Outside of that , the art and characters of Tekkon Kinkreet helps to drive the story along . The settings contains so much detail that it's impossible to find anything . If this was a Where's Waldo drawing , you'd never find him . The character art is also beautiful , reminiscent of the short sequence in
Kill Bill , Volume 1
.
Now , for the one drawback ( which many older anime fans wouldn't even consider as a drawback ) : this will be a very difficult anime for a new-comer to get into . The story isn't difficult to follow , but it can be confusing and the ending leaves a lot unanswered , as is the wont of anime . Still , though , if you have some experience with anime , then you won't be disappointed . The art is beautiful , the story is engaging , and the characters are endearing . I'd rate it higher if it were possible . Tekkon Kinkreet is definitely one of the best anime ever .
003 4 Animation-phenomenal , Music-mind blowing , Story-interesting , Characters - compelling , Sound quality - excellent . Fans of Le Parkour are gonna love this one . I personally saw this film as a giant leap in Anime . It has unbelievable action and yet it remains a very human story . It is emotional yet gritty and tough . I enjoyed the characters White ( Shiro ) and Black ( Karo ) and their duality . It was a modern tale of taoist wizardry with a street edge that is rarely seen in this type of feature . The backrounds are a primary character as well . I have never seen such attention to detail in any amimation period . Worth every penny .
004 4 I was not familiar with the story behind this anime before watching it , but now I want to locate the manga and delve even more into the story because the world of Tekkon Kinkreet is amazing .
The animators used a combination of digital and hand drawn art to create this wonderful anime . I won't do a plot summary , but the story is engaging . There are portions of the film that are quite slow , but why the story at these parts may be developing there is still so much visually to look at .
This is a beautiful film with a great story . The extras are worth a watch and some are subtitled for those of us who only understand words like Thank you in Japanese .
Well worth a view for anyone who is a fan of more thinking anime such as the Ghibli films and Akira . I would caution parents as there are some mature themes dealing with violence and the reality of good and evil . I would suggest for about 14 and above .
005 4 I'm usually a person that has to see an anime , in any of its forms , before I buy it . I bought Tekkon Knkreet blind , and I am happy with my decision . Going into it , I knew it would be visually amazing from the trailers I saw when it was released in Japan . What I wasnt prepared for was a deep , emotional story that really pulled me in . The story deals with friendship , brotherhood , loss , the inexplicable , insanity , differing visions , and overall fighting for what you love and believe in . Even if you aren't a big fan of Japanese animation , but can take animation , and have an imagination , I definitely recommend checking out this title .
006 4 HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN since your imagination and heart has been captured by a film ? If it's been a while , check out Tekkonkinkreet ( Treasure Town ) from first time director Michael Arias . This is animation for adults at its best . Visuals are striking , the sound dynamic and genuine , characterization is breathtaking - but you will have to bring along your imagination .
Old city citizens , especially those who long to preserve the historic areas of their town , might find a touchstone here . The complex story is based on a manga ( graphic novel series ) from Taiyo Matsumoto that Arias picked up when he moved to Japan some 17 years ago . The central theme deals with change and how a long established city , such as Tokyo , cannot expand except by tearing down its old structures and neighborhoods . As Arias roamed his new city , he would frequently chance onto a beloved building demolished for new construction .
Arias , who has worked in film - primarily creating computer graphics for films like The Abyss , Animatrix and Princess Mononoke - said it was Tekkonkinkreet that moved him to step into the director's position .
The story evolves around the brilliantly colorful ghetto world of two orphaned street brothers , Black and White . Black is the smart , older kid , a survivor intent on taking care of the younger child , White . White is a special charmer , lost in a much younger child's dream world . A developer , Mr . Snake , plans to demolish Treasure Town to build a theme park along the scale of Disneyland or Busch Gardens . He allies with the local yakuza to accomplish this , creating a rift between a profit-loving godfather and a traditional mobster who loves the neighborhood . A pair of sympathetic detectives and other street folk help and hinder as Treasure Town unfolds .
Those used to the superb animation of Miyazaki , will find the Matsumoto's images , handled by animation director Mashiko Kubo , quite different and no less compelling . Tekkonkinkreet is an amazing blend of CGI and traditional hand-drawn art . It's beautifully complex with sharp detail and vibrant color . As for sound , it is simply amazing . The streets are alive , the soundtrack and voices are perfect . Do yourself a favor and watch this in Japanese with English subtitles . This brilliant , beautiful film slipped by us in its theatrical release . Don't miss it in on DVD . - Kay Reynolds , The Virginian-Pilot
007 4 I've seen Tekkonkinkreet three times and I'll tell you why . It successfully captures the essence of the manga it is based on . Character development is in debth . The psychological aspects rival Hitchcock . Yin-Yang symbolisms are woven throughout the story , which seemingly ebs and flows with a superbly written and produced soundtrack . And the animation . . . well , you've got to see it three times to fully capture and appreciate the exquisite breadth , beauty and detail of the art .
If this isn't impressive enough , this is the director's debut . Of course he had the help of some of the very best producers in Japan ; but to successfully convey ideas and orchestrate the hundreds of artists necessary to complete this project under a tight schedule , for even an experienced director , is nothing short of amazing .
For the few who were bored and gave the movie less than 4 stars , it is understandable . Great art is never appreciated by all . But if you are in the mood for something more than just a simple action packed cartoon or cutesie CGI insect story , if you crave visual and mental stimulation with deep and sometimes disturbing subject matter , see Tekkonkinkreet with the original voice and English subtitles . . . more than once .
008 4 Wow !
After this film I literally sat on my couch and contemplated the meaning of life . So thought provoking , so dramatic , easily one of the best animes ever created . This Anime is clearly a milestone not only in animation , but it proves once and for all that animation can be just as thought provoking , just as riveting , just as exciting as live action . Black and white are wonderful characters with a uniqueness unlike anything ever experienced in anime . This anime is not a must have , it is a need . I have watched this anime so many times and like the matrix or ghost in the shell it makes me think of something new . This movie is not on the level of Disney , Miyazaki , or Watanabe . It is on a level all its own . For the anime lover searching for something different take a look at Tekkonkinkreet .
009 4 Firstly , don't be fooled by the lighthearted cover . This isn't a children's movie .
Secondly , it takes a bit of time to get used to . The backgrounds are gorgeous and rivals the detailing of the best of Disney . But the character rendering reminded me of the old Nickelodeon animated series , The Wild Thornberrys which is to say , the character designs are very unique .
Thirdly , the opening 30 minutes is slow going and somewhat confusing .
But give it some time and then the story of Kuro and Shiro starts to really come together .
This is a fable of sorts in which the dark and the light need each other but one doesn't have to get too philosophical to get the message .
I agree with the previous reviewer who mentions the side story of Kimura . That is one of the nice touches . I'd also add the interaction of the cops , Sawada and Fujimura , with Shiro as another nice touch .
I gave it 4 starts because there is a wait time before it gets to the grist of the story and I stopped watching the clock . But once I got past that point , I got into the story and by the end , I'd found that I enjoyed it a lot .
010 4 I bought this for a co-worker after renting it from Blockbuster . If you are an anime lover , you should see this movie . The visuals are stunning ; the story and mythology are very intriguing . I know Paprika got rave reviews , but this anime is so much better ! You'll fall in love with Black and White !
011 4 I am so frequently disappointed by the Anime I purchase that Tekkonkinkreet was a total breath of fresh air . For starters the animation absolutely blew me away . It's a seamless blending of traditional and computer generated animation but you can't really tell where one ends and the other begins . You kinda have to see it to understand but it looks stunning when the camera pans around the city . I might compare the backgrounds to Metropolis released about five years ago . The people are drawn in a very simplistic manner which contrasts in an interesting way with the unbelievably detailed and complex landscapes .
It's in the story where most Anime fall apart . Generally the problem for me isn't so much that the stories are bad but that they are completely forgettable . Even a classic like Akira had a pretty paper thin plot . Tekkonkinkreet , on the other hand , will likely be difficult to forget in fact it's rather haunting . It's the story of two young street kids named Black and White . They are the epitome of Japanese Yin and Yang . Polar opposites who need each other for balance and when events pull them apart the balance is throw off and violence ensues .
What I love about Tekkonkinkreet is how different it is from anything I've seen before and how I felt an actual emotional attachment towards the two boys . I really hoped the movie would give them a happy ending ( I won't reveal the outcome ) . Another cool thing about Anime unlike American animation is the moral ambiguity of the characters . Ironically a movie based on the Manga Black and White isn't so black and white . Even a member of the Yakuza can do something brave , almost heroic . This isn't a movie for children . There is quite a bit of violence which may surprise people given the whimsical cover but it is a great movie and clearly deserving of all the acclaim and film awards it has received .
012 4 How do I put it simply ? WOW ! Anyone with an HDTV aught to experience this piece of thought provocative eye candy .
I broke down this review into two elements : 1 ) Blu-ray and 2 ) the movie .
1 ) Visually speaking this movie is Beautiful and a Must Have if you want to show off your High Definition Entertainment center / system . The video is mastered in 1080p and simply looks beautiful on either LCD or Plasma via HDMI . The special features are also in High Definition . I found the colour qualities to be extremely vibrant . In HD , depth of field is evident , noticeable and welcomed . Audio is 5.1 PCM uncompressed and nicely channelized , anyone with a good receiver and speakers system will , more likely than not , be very pleased . I found visitors , periodically turning their heads to their side expecting something to pop out of the wall .
2 ) I personally felt the story was very riveting . I felt connected to both mains , White and Black . Be warned , the story's presentation , on the surface , is a bit eclectic ( Morphic Gen-X , to make up a term ) but with some thought and explanation the film is extremely accessible , at least to anyone with a pulse . Even without explanation , I found the film thought provocative . Even my guy and gal friends , who aren't really into anime , were left with the proverbial , Huh ? but at the same time were intrigued , Wow ed and couldn't stop talking about the film .
It's a great film , a nice Blu-Ray piece , and great Anime experience . Just my 2¢ .
013 4 Tekkon Kinkreet is a really great movie I enjoyed the story very much . Plus the picture quality in Blu-Ray was amazing . The audio was pretty good . I am not going to try to spoil this movie for viewers but I will say this if you loved movies such as Paprika , Akira , or any other anime movie thats similar to those ones then i highly recommend buying this movie no matter if you have to buy it on dvd , Blu-Ray , or UMD its still a must have .
014 4 My first encounter with the movie was when the cover art grabbed my attention at Wal-mart one day . I picked it up thinking it would be a great flick to watch with my younger nephews , then I noticed it was rated R and put it back on the shelf and forgot about it .
Later , a friend told me I should check out this anime called Tekkokinkreet . So I take it and it sits on my TV for about a week . I don't like anime , More specifically I don't like the cliche dialogue about robots or pre-teens punks having and identity crisis when they realize they can shoot fireballs .
Then I saw this film and it absolutely not that . The story is a coming of age tale but much more existential and meaningful than you would expect from an animated film . The story weaves a character's internal conflict very well into the external . This makes it much more fluid and enjoyable to follow .
To top it off , the animation is rich and most of the shots are directed very well , much like an actual camera crew was shooting it .
A must see for anyone who thought they might like anime if it wasn't so cheesy .
015 4 This movie shows the real potential of anime as an art form . The animation is beautifully detailed and composed and the editing in the action scenes is spectacular , with breathtaking sweeps of viewpoint and visual angle . The story is by turns exciting , tragic , and touching and all of this is backed up by a great musical score . One of my top 3 or 4 anime films .
016 4 Not to reiterate on what was already said about this film , I thought the film on the whole was completely engrossing and one of the few anime films where the metaphysical and surreal merged so effortlessly combined to such awesome effect . The story , the soundmix , the score , were all top notch ! Highly recommended !
019 4 This was the very first anime-style full length movie I ever bought , and when I first got it I watched it once or twice , then shelved it , having enjoyed it but not fully appreciating it as yet .
About 6 months ago , for whatever reason , I watched it again , and with this third viewing I finally realized what a masterpiece Tekkonkinkreet really is.With every viewing since then , I seem to become more and more involved in the story , the characters , and the themes presented throughout.The music by Plaid adds subtlety to some of the most memorable scenes .
Black's struggle between the light and the darkness is made crucial by the development of the two boys and their interactions with each other and their environment-the resolution of that struggle produces , for me , an almost euphoric feeling ; in the moment when the two make contact after having been separated to face their internal realities I invariably tear up and get a chill down my spine . . .
This masterpiece truly gets better with each viewing.For anime fans with appreciation of more than constant action and who possess an inner sense of what really matters in life , this little gem is surely a must-have film .
020 4 This review is from :
Tekkon Kinkreet ( DVD )
This film is wonderful . the animation is beautiful , some of the best I have seen . I love the storyline and the the characters are unique and entertaining . I would and have recommended this to any one .
021 4 This film is wonderful . the animation is beautiful , some of the best I have seen . I love the storyline and the the characters are unique and entertaining . I would and have recommended this to any one .
022 4 This is visually one of my favorite anime films ever . The 3d environments were beautifully created , without that typical CG look and the character animation was excellent . Excellent character design . Everything is very fluid and alive . In terms of the plot , I enjoyed it thoroughly for the first half , until the entire mood took a very dark turn and remained that way until the end . It got to the point where it wasn't enjoyable anymore . Maybe if I was expecting that to happen , I may have taken it better . Overall , a very well-made anime in all respects .
023 4 This review is from :
Tekkon Kinkreet ( DVD )
This movie was so beautifully made and although the character artwork isn't top notch , the environment and surroundings ( ie Treasure Town ) are so detailed .
Our protagonists , Black / Kuro and White / Shiro are so symbolic and the film's bitter-sweet indications of reality and about life are depicted amazingly .
The movie can only be described as one of the absolute best in many years . If I say any more , I may give away parts of the movie .
It's a must see to understand the greatness of the film !
024 4 This movie was so beautifully made and although the character artwork isn't top notch , the environment and surroundings ( ie Treasure Town ) are so detailed .
Our protagonists , Black / Kuro and White / Shiro are so symbolic and the film's bitter-sweet indications of reality and about life are depicted amazingly .
The movie can only be described as one of the absolute best in many years . If I say any more , I may give away parts of the movie .
It's a must see to understand the greatness of the film !
025 4 When I first saw this movie I was like this looks really dumb . Then after I watched it I wanted to watch it over and over again . The plot is deep and the dub is perfect . The graphics are pretty good and the characters all have their own view of the world . I insist that you pick this movie up and watch it for yourself . I loved it .
026 4 and all its typical tired cliches ? then get this . theres nothing like it out there .
027 4 I am a big lover of anime and always looking to improve my collection . This is without a doubt one of the best movies I've ever seen , hands down . Along with the beautiful animation is a story in which you can completely lose your self . I don't want to go into the exact storyline of the movie , but if I had only one movie to own for the rest of my life , this would be it . Enjoy ^ _ o
028 4 Associating this unique bit of animation to Akira or Ghost In The Shell is misleading . While it is made by the same folk who did The Animatrix , Tekkon kinkreet stands alone with it's unique subject matter and presentation . It is akin to a dream . There are elements in the film that suggest this :
1 ) Both Black and White can float ( as well as the Alien Assassins sent to kill them ) .
2 ) Looking through White's eyes , it IS hard to delineate reality , especially near the end .
3 ) Some laws of physics don't seem to apply in Treasure Town .
Within all this IS a good story , however . There seems to be no gray area anywhere in the film . Things are very clear-cut : Good and Bad , Black and White , see where I'm going with this ? The film becomes a bit surreal at times , but there is never a point at which you might say what's happening ? The separation of Black and White also becomes representative of what happens when those two colors are removed from the rainbow .
This film is quite good . It is not made in the fashion of American beat-you-in-the-head-till-you're-numb sort of fare . It's a film to sit back and relax with . It IS R rated , which precludes certain members of the family from seeing it , but it is not a children's film , anyway ( as one may be swayed into thinking , because of it's style of animation ) .
The DVD has the ubiquitous extras , a making of feature , conversations with the Director and the band that contributed some music for the film , and last but not least , film commentary .
029 4 This film was recommended to me , and it took me a while to get to a store where I could rent it for the first time . Then shortly following the rental I felt I needed to buy it and watch it a hundred more times . I sat at my computer paying close attention to even the tiniest details . This film is all about precision ( See the special features - 300 day documentary about the making ) .
First , this film is about two orphan boys living in a crumbling town called Treasure Town . The focus is all about perspective and how one views the world . While Kuro ( Black ) has a very dark possessive view of his home town , one that he thinks should never be changed , while Shiro ( White ) has an imagination and an eye for how the world really should be .
The two are endlessly dogged by the Yakuza who want want to change the town into an amusement park ( among other things ) and make a profit . Kuro fights to preserve My Town and keep it a place that he can always be the top of and see everything from . Like many other people he wants to keep a sense of security . The world turns upside down with its inner workings and everything in the real town seems so superficial that world and dreams of Shiro seem the most logical option for surviving .
The precise colors , time taken for each shot is clearly expressed , nothing in this film is ever missed , all the work is clear cut and every single scene has its meaning .
Kuro and Shiro share a lonely life living in broken down car and living off stolen money and goods . Although Kuro lives to care for his friend , he has his reservations about how care free Shiro is and that Shiro doesn't entirely like the way the town is developing . The conflicting feelings and various lenses that they see this world from is amazing .
I sat back after seeing this and thought it was an intense but completely necessary violent movie about two kids who just don't want their childhood world to be shattered by the adults . So many themes , ideas , and undertones play into this film that it's open to all viewers .
The time , effort , and thought put into this 111 minute film is clear . The sync of the musical score by Plaid and incredible ending sound by Asian Kung Fu Generation and the bizzare world by Mr . Arias makes me want to go be a director , he did an amazing adaptation of Black and White and transformed it into something else entirely with more graphic images and characters that you don't want to ever forget .
If you liked Akira , Steamboy , or like strange , abstract , but intricately woven films , this is the top of the list , and is good for a group of friends or personal viewing . This deserves a 10 out of 5 !
030 4 Its easy to get burnt out on Anime with the same old story told again and again and again . Young pre-teen boy / girl develops mysterious super powers they didn't know they had to fight an evil that happens to show up at the same time their powers . The young hero transforms into their true form at the final scene to vanquish the evil foe . . . boring and very juvenile .
However , every once in a while a true gem will be made that reminds you why you love this genre . Tekkon Kinkreet is such a movie . Its got it all : Incredibly unique storyline , excellent visuals ( backgrounds and city , the characters were drawn simply on purpose ) , characters you truly care about ( I got choked up twice during this movie ) , and voice acting that isn't horrible . Sure it doesn't have giant mecha robots that crash into and blow up a seemingly infinite supply of buildings , but hey , anyone over 15 years old usually considers that a plus .
If you love anime then do yourself a favor and at least rent this movie . I purchased it as a good movie to show people who are new to the genre .
031 4 This review is from :
Tekkon Kinkreet ( DVD )
This is one of the best anime movie ever made , i love the story . I need not say more . The Japanese actors and seiyuu are great , the english adr dubb is awesome.But The dvd itself is rushed.The menu is poorly constructed but I still bought the dvd anyway .
032 4 This is one of the best anime movie ever made , i love the story . I need not say more . The Japanese actors and seiyuu are great , the english adr dubb is awesome.But The dvd itself is rushed.The menu is poorly constructed but I still bought the dvd anyway .
033 4 You wouldn't think just by looking at the cover art of this movie that it would have an R-rating put on it . I was amazed by how deep this movie really goes from its bizzare storyline . It's basically a combination of science-fiction , drama , horror , humor , and yet surprisingly deep emotions are involved between the characters Black and White along with the Yakuza members and aliens . I expected this movie to be good , but it exceeded my expectations by a several miles . The only real downside to this amazing movie for some people would be the fact that they speak Japanese and you have to read subtitles . But if you're a true movie lover you'll check out this astonishing masterpiece . Also worth mentioning , although the character designs aren't the greatest , what will really catch your attention is the surprising detail and artwork that went into creating Treasure Town because of the architecture of buildings in the town .
035 4 This review is from :
Tekkon Kinkreet ( DVD )
Great movie . Just as a warning , it's not for children . Great music by Plaid , too .
036 4 Great movie . Just as a warning , it's not for children . Great music by Plaid , too .
037 4 This review is from :
Tekkon Kinkreet [ Blu-ray ] ( Blu-ray )
really is one of the best anime films i have ever seen . the story is great as well
038 4 really is one of the best anime films i have ever seen . the story is great as well
039 4 I seriously appreciate that this was processed and sent on time . And the product itself is wonderful !
040 4 This review is from :
Tekkon Kinkreet ( DVD )
I gotta say , for a single disc release , it's got loads of useful and interesting information for those interested in animation .
The 300 - day Diary with director Michael Arias was the most interesting of the features , in my opinion . His road to completing this film was such a bumpy one , that one can only appreciate it even more . His struggle with some of the animation sequences , and solutions . . . my only wish was to have dedicated a short period of time on how they went about the work with the voice actors , which I thought was great .
There's also a small sneak peek at how Plaid worked on the music for the film .
Also appreciated , the various tracks of subtitles and audio tracks !
041 4 I gotta say , for a single disc release , it's got loads of useful and interesting information for those interested in animation .
The 300 - day Diary with director Michael Arias was the most interesting of the features , in my opinion . His road to completing this film was such a bumpy one , that one can only appreciate it even more . His struggle with some of the animation sequences , and solutions . . . my only wish was to have dedicated a short period of time on how they went about the work with the voice actors , which I thought was great .
There's also a small sneak peek at how Plaid worked on the music for the film .
Also appreciated , the various tracks of subtitles and audio tracks !
042 4 This review is from :
Tekkon Kinkreet ( DVD )
Based on a Japanese manga and created by a Japanese studio , yet written and directed by Americans , this movie still doesn't lack authenticity like I was worried that it might . The story it tells is fairly universal , focusing on the bond of brotherhood .
The 2 main characters , White and Black ( friendS ? brothers ? the movie never really makes it clear ) live in Treasure Town , a very vibrant city that's easily one of the most amazing things I've seen in animation . Yet this city , despite looking like a huge playground , is actually a bit of a wreck , where gangs fight for control and where crime is rampant . The first half of the story focuses on Black and White's bonds and their life as the Cats , the gang that owns the city . The second half features a new mob boss entering and attempting to gain control with his alien cohorts who seem nearly invincible .
The movie does lose a bit of interest as it beings to verge into the supernatural ( those alien things really didn't fit in at all , I didn't think , ) and the resolution , involving , like many anime's , a trip inside of the head of the main character , may leave mixed feelings on some viewers . The pacing's a little off as well . . . the first half may be too slow for some while the 2nd half doesn't ever really stop with the action and the chase scenes , which may wear some down . Still , we have a great anime here where the city's the star of the show . Somehow my favorite scene in the movie takes place during the second half of the credits , where you simply see shots of the city as a song from the Asian Kung-Fu Generation plays in the background . It's an amazing setting and even though it was only made for 5 million dollars , it looks , to me , much better than most hundred-million + CG movies made today . It's not perfect ( Despite the R-rating it seems to play it a bit safe at times . . . Black never seems to kill his rival gangsters even though the script and direction seems to act like he does , ) but it's definitely a movie worth seeing . The first half hour in particular is just stunning .
Note ; there IS an option for an English dub on the disc . The director ( in interviews ) has actually recommended the English dub , and while I don't agree with him , I will say that it's much better than the dubs you find in most anime . That said , though , a lot of the dialogue ( especially White's ) seems extremely corny when spoken aloud in English . . . and overall it does dampen the story a bit , so I'd recommend the Japanese language with subtitles . If you MUST hear it in English , at least you can be assured that the performances are good and it actually fits fairly well .
043 4 Based on a Japanese manga and created by a Japanese studio , yet written and directed by Americans , this movie still doesn't lack authenticity like I was worried that it might . The story it tells is fairly universal , focusing on the bond of brotherhood .
The 2 main characters , White and Black ( friendS ? brothers ? the movie never really makes it clear ) live in Treasure Town , a very vibrant city that's easily one of the most amazing things I've seen in animation . Yet this city , despite looking like a huge playground , is actually a bit of a wreck , where gangs fight for control and where crime is rampant . The first half of the story focuses on Black and White's bonds and their life as the Cats , the gang that owns the city . The second half features a new mob boss entering and attempting to gain control with his alien cohorts who seem nearly invincible .
The movie does lose a bit of interest as it beings to verge into the supernatural ( those alien things really didn't fit in at all , I didn't think , ) and the resolution , involving , like many anime's , a trip inside of the head of the main character , may leave mixed feelings on some viewers . The pacing's a little off as well . . . the first half may be too slow for some while the 2nd half doesn't ever really stop with the action and the chase scenes , which may wear some down . Still , we have a great anime here where the city's the star of the show . Somehow my favorite scene in the movie takes place during the second half of the credits , where you simply see shots of the city as a song from the Asian Kung-Fu Generation plays in the background . It's an amazing setting and even though it was only made for 5 million dollars , it looks , to me , much better than most hundred-million + CG movies made today . It's not perfect ( Despite the R-rating it seems to play it a bit safe at times . . . Black never seems to kill his rival gangsters even though the script and direction seems to act like he does , ) but it's definitely a movie worth seeing . The first half hour in particular is just stunning .
Note ; there IS an option for an English dub on the disc . The director ( in interviews ) has actually recommended the English dub , and while I don't agree with him , I will say that it's much better than the dubs you find in most anime . That said , though , a lot of the dialogue ( especially White's ) seems extremely corny when spoken aloud in English . . . and overall it does dampen the story a bit , so I'd recommend the Japanese language with subtitles . If you MUST hear it in English , at least you can be assured that the performances are good and it actually fits fairly well .
044 4 I was really surprised how good this anime was . I'm a casual fan of Anime , but liking it more and more .
This story is kind of hard to explain . It's basically of two young boys living by themselves in the big city in the poorest part of town . They are orphans . One older than the other . The older one looking after the young one . It's very depressing and sad through most of the story . Kind of reminds me of the mood in Grave of the Fireflys . A lot of violence as you could imagine .
The art work in this is as good as I've seen . Beautiful coloring . You cannot look away it's so good . And the creativity that went into the story along with the art is the best it can be .
All I can say is you have to see for yourself . Give it a try . I think you'll like it .
Really good music at the end when the credits appear .
Very unusual Anime . Highly recommended . Worth watching many times over .
045 4 I truly enjoyed this film . Tekkon Kinkreet is one of those films that can be watched over and over again and is definitely a lot deeper than first appearances show . Treasure Town is presented as an amalgamation of diverse peoples and ideas , a natural juxtaposition of images and contexts . The subsurface story of the film deals with a base duality of light and dark that is echoed throughout the film , an exploration of ideological contrast and dependency inside of a morally ambiguous surrounding context . The structure of the story is somewhat simple , but thankfully the content is joyfully and cohesively complex .
Saying all that , I do have some reservations about the film . As I mentioned earlier , the story is a bit cut and dry for me , though I do feel that the characters and the complexity of the symbolism make up for that somewhat . The ideological anthropomorphism of the nature of progress subplot was a little simplistic , a possible consequence of the secondary animal identification of certain characters within that particular context . This symbolic layering and its effect on character interaction is a fun thing to watch play out , but sometimes the foreshadowing could get a little bit thick .
Overall , Tekkon Kinkreet was a great watch . I totally recommend it .
046 4 This review is from :
Tekkon Kinkreet ( DVD )
The title of this review is what a friend of mine told me after he watched this little animation masterpiece . I'm not an anime fan , but I developed a certain taste for Japanese movies while I lived in Japan , six years ago . I don't know what to say , except this : You'll enjoy this film even if you watch it with the volume down , because , visually , this is like tapestry . Every inch of the screen will give you something interesting to look at . It's like Hieronymus Bosch in LSD . Now , when it comes to the narrative , it goes from dramatic to fantastic to poetic in seconds . My friend's reference to Kitano has to do with the way this film pays homage even to yakuza movies . And then , the DVD comes with some behind-the-scenes candy . I'd really like to watch this in HD .
047 4 The title of this review is what a friend of mine told me after he watched this little animation masterpiece . I'm not an anime fan , but I developed a certain taste for Japanese movies while I lived in Japan , six years ago . I don't know what to say , except this : You'll enjoy this film even if you watch it with the volume down , because , visually , this is like tapestry . Every inch of the screen will give you something interesting to look at . It's like Hieronymus Bosch in LSD . Now , when it comes to the narrative , it goes from dramatic to fantastic to poetic in seconds . My friend's reference to Kitano has to do with the way this film pays homage even to yakuza movies . And then , the DVD comes with some behind-the-scenes candy . I'd really like to watch this in HD .
048 4 even tho animated japanese movies are already great just because they are , this one seems to have all kinds of extra info that make it a great experience , even if you dont put enough atention , even if you are half asleep , even if you rather bee seen something else , in the end , from the begining this is a great film
049 4 Though this was not the movie that i thought that it was going to be , i still loved watching it . I was lost with some of the progress of the movie , and ending up thinking things were different than they turned out to be . After watching it for a second time , i was able to understand where everyone was coming from and what was ment by comments made throughout the movie . I would also compare this movie to something along the mindset of Ghost in the Shell , just add in some colouring book ha ha .
050 4 When I first saw the cover of the case , I thought this would be a boring , childish anime movie . Yet , when I watched it , I was pleasantly surprised . When it comes to anime movies , I tend to like those visually stunning movies from directors like Satoshi Kon , etc . I must say that this movie took Taiyo Matsumoto's style and made it consistent throughout the whole movie . At first , I was a little lost with where this was going to go . Then after you get involved in the movie to a certain point , you find every moment interesting , amazing , and / or breathtaking . I felt that the story for this movie was random at points , yet still great to watch unfold . I'd definitely recommend it to anyone out there into anime that isn't afraid of a non-mainstream style movie . If you're looking for something more Miyazaki-esque , then I suggest you don't watch this .
055 4 This review is from :
Tekkon Kinkreet [ Blu-ray ] ( Blu-ray )
If you are an anime fan you have to check it out . Definitely having in a HD format would allow you to appreciate the quality of this animation .
056 4 If you are an anime fan you have to check it out . Definitely having in a HD format would allow you to appreciate the quality of this animation .
057 4 You must be a big fan of cartoon with high details if come up to love this one .
The plot is extremely empty and even childish , about 2 adolescent boys , orphans I think , who sleep in the street and make a living from theft . Yet they think they are protectors of the city and the elder one is particularly good in martial art , and both boys can jump up high buildings with bare foot . It's like listening to the story of a kid that makes you laugh .
Yet the artwork is astounding to the effect that I just forget about the characters or what their are doing and focus to appreciate the surrounding artwork , like you enterd an art gallery , you would not mind whether the doorkeeper is decent in look but care about the paintings only . The artwork just make that from Disney or Pixar look pale and poor in details .
One drawback is that all characters are drawn roughly , including the two boys , like blackspots on a perflect painting .
Bravo for who brought us the fantastic artwork !
058 4 Deep Storyline , unique setting , great soundtrack ( by Plaid ) , interesting characters and art style . . . I thoroughly enjoyed this movie .
059 4 This DVD glues you to the screen . I was particularly interested in the character of White and how the child at times seems simple-minded , just being a child , joyful , insane , depressed and near the end during his separation from Black almost has extra-sensory perception to be able to see events happening to Black in a different place . It was most interesting . Black also goes through many emotional phases from warrior , to acrobat , to child protector , to emotionally lost . The character of Kimura also becomes quite moving . The scene where he has to shoot his mentor is touching . The animation goes from making us feel like we're on a Tokyo street to the wildly fantastic . The climactic carnival sequence with fire and blood is breathtaking . This is an engaging story and DVD , well worth viewing . Enjoy !
060 4 I wold recommend reading the full TekkonKinkreet graphic novel before watching the film . I also recommend Blue Spring , a live-action adaptation of Taiyo Matsumoto's work and the best example of a manga adaptation I've encountered .
061 4 * * * 1 / 2
Tekkon Kinkreet is a sporadically engaging , though frequently confusing , anime gangster film from director Michael Arias . The story , based on the comic book by Taiyo Matsumoto , focuses on two homeless orphans , one named Black and the other White , who live on the streets of Treasure Town , a seething cauldron of criminality , vice and corruption . Black fancies himself a superhero crime-fighter , while White , who is given to extrasensory knowledge and visions , dreams of one day moving away from the city and getting a home of their own on the beach . Thanks to Black's insistence on taking on the bad guys , both youngsters get caught up in a turf war between the Yakuza and some robot-like killers who are duking it out for ownership of the city .
Fans of anime will find much to enjoy in this film , which is marked by beautifully detailed urban landscapes , exciting action and chase sequences , occasional lyrical flights into fantasy , and a sometimes touching tale about commitment and friendship centered on the two young boys . On the other hand , the plethora of characters and occasional narrative incoherence can make it difficult at times to understand what exactly is going on , particularly when the story takes a decidedly metaphysical turn ( with imagery taken straight out of Contact ) in the final half hour . Still , the visuals alone make it worth a gander .
062 4 From a technical standpoint I think TK sets a very high standard , however the story and directing dips dangerously close to Animu in a few areas ; unnecessary scenes that feel spliced in just to explain the story , too much time spent developing characters we don't really care about , and characters who occasionally overact . In short , it feels too formulamatic . I blame this largely on the director , Michael Arias ; for the life of me I'll never understand how he came to head a project like this .
Studio4C has , in my opinion , the most talented collection of animators on the planet at it's disposal . Koji Morimoto , Masaaki Yuasa , Shinichiro Watanabe , all fantastic artists with unique visions and talents . This film is definitely worth watching , even owning , if only for the masterful compositing and design . However , I'm disappointed in the way the movie flows and how the story is told ; I expected something more unique from Studio4C .
Though it hasn't been released in the west , try to find Mind Game ( or to a lesser extent Genius Party ) if you want to see what Studio4C is capable of . The beauty of the message of Mind Game moved me to tears , and similarly Yuasa's short in Genius Party said more about human life and death in 15 minutes than most movies accomplish in hours .
063 4 This is a wonderful , wonderful movie . I really hate to give it one star , so to be clear , the one star is to draw attention to the fact that Sony has TOTALLY RUINED this disc . This is a copy-protected DVD and will only play in standard DVD players .
I have tried to play this with a number of DVD programs in Windows and it fails every time . This was confusing to me until I looked at the back of the DVD case and saw the little Sony copy protection logo . Makes sense now . It's truly , truly baffling why Sony does this to legitimate , paid for DVD's . I have a hard time convincing myself not to buy bootleg DVD's that work better , everywhere , at a third of the price .
I have since figured out how to play this movie on my computer and the irony of it will keep me entertained well into my sunset years .
Good job , Sony . Last movie I ever buy from you guys .
065 4 This review is from :
Tekkon Kinkreet ( DVD )
Even though I loved this director first American feature in the Animatrix I have to say I was rather dissapointed with the overall feeling of this movie . Great scenarios and control of the camera but sometimes the overall sluggish look of the characters got annoying . Also , even though this is an anime the movie was moving utterly slow .
066 4 Even though I loved this director first American feature in the Animatrix I have to say I was rather dissapointed with the overall feeling of this movie . Great scenarios and control of the camera but sometimes the overall sluggish look of the characters got annoying . Also , even though this is an anime the movie was moving utterly slow .
067 4 overall its a good buy , even better when its on promotion
the story goes abit out of hand @ the last quarter of the movie , i guess a re watch is needed to understand better
068 4 but it wasn't enormously captivating . it has a good story and good visuals . the amazon review is accurate ( for your information ) , if you have or have not read it . it is worth watching , but it did not thrill me . * shrug *
069 4 Rather than try and write a long review explaining point by point why I thought what I did about this movie I'm going to be short and to the point . TekkonKinkreet was a visually a beautiful movie and also incredibly boring . I sat through the entire thing in hopes that it was going to get better however it never happened . I'm surprised by all the positive buzz surrounding this film . Im sure others will praise it but for me it was a snoozefest .
070 4 Gorgeous production values . Left of the middle character designs . Fantastic music by Plaid .
Sadly , the plot of the movie quickly descends into the same metaphysical-pseudo-spiritual gobbledeegook that so many feature-length Japanese anime films pass off as high art storytelling . The metaphors are contrived , sophomoric and paper thin . Yet , Tekon kinkurîto hammers its underlying themes into over our skull again and again as if it were wielding Black's signature iron pipe .
The movie is not wholly un enjoyable - the story of a down on his luck yakuza , turned expectant father Kimura , is much more compelling than the tale of Black and White and the film's only redeeming quality story and character-wise . Sadly , Kimura is ushered out a good half hour before this mess of a story ends .
I cannot recommend this one , not by a long shot . I'm really surprised at the positive reactions to this film . Visually , it is impressive . I love the music as well . The story is a complete miss . Perhaps others just want the visual entertainment . Maybe they have their anime blinders on . I watch movies for story and this movie doesn't deliver a good one . I'm not alone in this either . Check out the review over at Anime News Network for a review by Justin Sevakis who feels almost exactly the same about the film as myself .
I stand by my review . Your time is better spent elsewhere . Take a pass on Tekkon Kinkreet .
071 4 It was a nicely done anime . But the blur between reality and imagination makes this movie a hard one to follow . I was left wondering , what was the conflict , and did it get resolved ? Or are they day dreaming ? There was nothing finite to it . What made the movie so highly acclaimed is still a mystery .
Tekkon Kinkreet ( DVD )
THIS IS A FIRST-OF-A-KIND MOVIE , A TURNING POINT IN ANIMATION OR ANY FILM . ITS FUSION OF WESTERN AND JAPANESE CREATIVE MINDS HAS PRODUCED A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE . IN ONE VIEWING It HAS BECOME ONE OF MY TOP-TEN MOVIES EVER .
It is many-layered , and each viewing turned up more and more understanding and stronger feelings . I probably have yet to get all its metaphors and references ; but I could feel them . It's the most elegantly-done anime I've ever seen ; the most-sophisticated yet most essential , accessible and memorable .
Viewers of any age or background will enjoy and benefit from it .
It's art , really , perhaps starting a whole new movie genre .
( My appreciation / enthusiasm for this film makes me sound as if I'm raving , high on something ; if so , it's this movie . However , whenever , you can see it , see it .
( Tekkonkinkreet is a classic . 2007 had PAPRIKA , which I think is a fine effort ; but , Tekkonkinreet has a universal sensibility as well as the most well - done graphics . But because of this anime , 2007 will be seen as a turning point .
( When I graduated high school in ( glerk ! ) 1958 , my year-book class prophesy was I'd be seen putting Walt Disney out of business in 20 years . Since then I'd worked in Hollywood in animation among other genre , and it has been a life-long turn-on for me . Tekkonkinkreet has doubled the joy I've found in animation . See it , you'll see . And I have no doubt you'll see it again and again . )
Lastnote : After seeing the movie I zipped back to Amazon and order
the graphic novel from which it came . I'm eagerly awaiting it .
017 4 This review is from :
Tekkon Kinkreet ( DVD )
THIS IS A FIRST-OF-A-KIND MOVIE , A TURNING POINT IN ANIMATION OR ANY FILM . ITS FUSION OF WESTERN AND JAPANESE CREATIVE MINDS HAS PRODUCED A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE . IN ONE VIEWING It HAS BECOME ONE OF MY TOP-TEN MOVIES EVER .
It is many-layered , and each viewing turned up more and more understanding and stronger feelings . I probably have yet to get all its metaphors and references ; but I could feel them . It's the most elegantly-done anime I've ever seen ; the most-sophisticated yet most essential , accessible and memorable .
Viewers of any age or background will enjoy and benefit from it .
It's art , really , perhaps starting a whole new movie genre .
( My appreciation / enthusiasm for this film makes me sound as if I'm raving , high on something ; if so , it's this movie . However , whenever , you can see it , see it .
( Tekkonkinkreet is a classic . 2007 had PAPRIKA , which I think is a fine effort ; but , Tekkonkinreet has a universal sensibility as well as the most well - done graphics . But because of this anime , 2007 will be seen as a turning point .
( When I graduated high school in ( glerk ! ) 1958 , my year-book class prophesy was I'd be seen putting Walt Disney out of business in 20 years . Since then I'd worked in Hollywood in animation among other genre , and it has been a life-long turn-on for me . Tekkonkinkreet has doubled the joy I've found in animation . See it , you'll see . And I have no doubt you'll see it again and again . )
Lastnote : After seeing the movie I zipped back to Amazon and order
the graphic novel from which it came . I'm eagerly awaiting it .
018 4 THIS IS A FIRST-OF-A-KIND MOVIE , A TURNING POINT IN ANIMATION OR ANY FILM . ITS FUSION OF WESTERN AND JAPANESE CREATIVE MINDS HAS PRODUCED A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE . IN ONE VIEWING It HAS BECOME ONE OF MY TOP-TEN MOVIES EVER .
It is many-layered , and each viewing turned up more and more understanding and stronger feelings . I probably have yet to get all its metaphors and references ; but I could feel them . It's the most elegantly-done anime I've ever seen ; the most-sophisticated yet most essential , accessible and memorable .
Viewers of any age or background will enjoy and benefit from it .
It's art , really , perhaps starting a whole new movie genre .
( My appreciation / enthusiasm for this film makes me sound as if I'm raving , high on something ; if so , it's this movie . However , whenever , you can see it , see it .
( Tekkonkinkreet is a classic . 2007 had PAPRIKA , which I think is a fine effort ; but , Tekkonkinreet has a universal sensibility as well as the most well - done graphics . But because of this anime , 2007 will be seen as a turning point .
( When I graduated high school in ( glerk ! ) 1958 , my year-book class prophesy was I'd be seen putting Walt Disney out of business in 20 years . Since then I'd worked in Hollywood in animation among other genre , and it has been a life-long turn-on for me . Tekkonkinkreet has doubled the joy I've found in animation . See it , you'll see . And I have no doubt you'll see it again and again . )
Lastnote : After seeing the movie I zipped back to Amazon and order
the graphic novel from which it came . I'm eagerly awaiting it .
053 4 The film is by the Animation studio that brought us THE ANIMATRIX .
Exquisite Anime with top-notch production value .
The lavish animation , layered with detail and subtext only hints at the complexities and inner character of this bold cartoon epic based on the underground Japanese comic by Taiyo Matsumoto . by Home Theatre Spot .
Blu-ray offers beautiful high AVC bit rate video encoding , frequently even above 30mbs , and many excellent audio tracks , including an English track in 640kbps DD5.1 and also the original Japanese language track in PCM .
This blu-ray release offers lots of special features with Jave-enhanced capability that includes timecode and bookmarking .
EATURES INCLUDE :
- filmmaker commentary
- 11 minute interview with director Michael Arias and British rock duo Plaid
- 43 minute making of / director production diary
- HD trailers for Paprika , Ghost Rider , Final Fantasy , Hostel 2 , Underworld 2 , and Ultraviolet
Highly recommended !
Tekkon Kinkreet [ UMD for PSP ] ( UMD for PSP )
Anime is great and psp's umd's make traveling much better because you can
watch what you want regardless of what's being aired .
The picture's flawless and the sound's really good too .
052 4 Anime is great and psp's umd's make traveling much better because you can
watch what you want regardless of what's being aired .
The picture's flawless and the sound's really good too .
