For those of you who are seasoned anime watchers (I won't force those of you who aren't, there is far too much material that you would find distasteful), Mujun Rasen surpassed my expectations by leaps and bounds. When I opened the video in windows media player classic last night, I noticed that the movie spanned near two hours. I immediately closed the window - I would watch this tomorrow when I was wide awake, to enjoy a true feature-length film (the previous four Kara no Kyoukai movies were always around 50-60 minutes in length). I began the film after I had eaten my fill, and I never, ever hit the pause button. I was so immersed in the story and the suspense that I could do nothing but watch with my jaw wide, wide open.
Kara no Kyoukai 5 (The Garden of Sinners) - Mujun Rasen SYNOPSIS
The premise for this movie relates to the previous four by bringing forth two of Aozaki's old rivals, Souren and Alba. They had collaborated to create a project that would finally allow them to understand the Spiral of Origin (or the spiral that leads to the very truth and history of all life). To do this, they built a large complex shaped in a spiral. What is supposedly an apartment complex then becomes a testing zone for finding deviation in death. The residents are all actually dead and replay their deaths daily. When Shiki meets Tomoe Enjou, a boy who managed to escape from the spiral, she immediately investigates. Fuck spoilers, I'm not even going to finish the story here. I want everyone interested to download it right now. #GG is subbing it, so get on that shit.
A Review
So what exactly makes Mujun Rasen so great? Cohesiveness and conclusiveness. This is truly a cinematic masterpiece. Every nook and cranny is filled, every moment meaningful, an execution that is nearly flawless, animation that is to die for, a soundtrack that makes your blood race, and a story that captivates and never lets go. The movie, much like the series, is shown out of order. When you watch and see all the small details, you begin to put the pieces together and come to realizations all throughout. Symbolism, explanations, and all the clichéness are all there - but it's done in a way that exceeds its predecessors. This movie actually makes you think and ponder as you bring the whole picture into a single cohesive idea.
Even as a stand-alone film, I believe that Mujun Rasen holds its own. As I've said before, this is modern anime at its best.
On another note, I watched CASSHERN, the live-action movie. It wasn't all that great, but it was a worthy effort. The movie felt like all of the necessary elements were there to create a grand film, but it was poorly executed in some parts and the cheesiness/randomness got the best of it. Tomorrow's article (assuming I write it)! "World of Warcraft: A Lifestyle"! Please look forward to it! (and keep Timmy in your prayers)
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