User reviews

"Tekkonkinkreet", literally translated as reinforced concrete, is an hypnotic experience set upon the kaleidoscopic drop of some truly gorgeous drawings which tells the tale of two street urchins as they do battle with an array of colourful characters in order to defend their city from being taken over. Adapted from the three volume manga series by Taiyo Matsumoto, the film doesn't usually carry the infuriating hallmarks of a manga-to-anime switch over, which can often make the film an unenjoyable experience as the viewer struggles to come to terms with the story and characters and in the process miss the film. In this instance, any preconceptions are staved as "Tekkonkinkreet" absorbs the viewer all but instantly in a cacophony of animation, sound and, perhaps surprisingly, emotion.

Tekkonkinkreets original manga form is what is known as a "seinen" manga, which is a subset of the animated genre which targets males, usually, from between the ages of eighteen and thirty, and as a twenty-four year old male myself, I perhaps enjoyed it more than others outside my demographic bracket. Ostensibly, it is a boys film as the premise bases itself on gangster films as our two street urchin protagonists, the aptly named "Black" and "White" find themselves coming into contact with an ever escalating array of Yakuza as they try to take over the ridiculously sublime "Treasure Town". There is a great deal of violence within the film (which while in my eyes completely justifies the progression of the film is incredibly misleading when you look at the UK Film Certificate Branding of a mere 12) as the battles waged become more intense, more bloody and more important to the survival of our two heroes. Tekkonkinkreet also utilises a much more avant-garde style of animation which we are currently beginning to see more of in the western world as an increasing acceptance of things which are outside of the "norm" are filtering through, and it is certainly befitting of the style. Tekkonkinkreet successfully delivers on appeasing any and all who are looking for high quality hand drawn animation which surpasses the eternally vapid conveyor belt of repetitiveness that is Pixar, but it also delivers on being more than just a "fighting" film.

The intrinsic parts of Tekkonkinkreet prove in being the messages the director and original creator are wishing to convey to their audiences, of which there are two major points. Firstly, we have the ying and yang nature of Black and White, how their coexistence is precisely that, how they are mirror images of each other, how in essence they are two parts of the same hole and that you could be forgiven for thinking someone spliced a singular entity at birth to form two. "Black" is the streetwise member of the "Cats", as they are known within the city, as he has a savvy and cunning which has enabled he and white to be high on the Treasure Town food chain. As expected for being orphaned children, each have their issues, and with Black it is the impression that he is only one bad day away from total insanity and mental breakdown, while with "White" the issue is if he were to have a mental breakdown it wouldn't have much to break. White is stated as being eleven within the film yet quite clearly finds it difficult keeping a grasp on reality and his surroundings as his mental age is quite obviously, less than that. However, it is not merely how much White relies on Black for survival with the treacherous confines, but it is also how much Black relies on White, as the director twists the uses of Black and White and indeed Good and Evil as roles interchange in all quarters. Secondly, we have yet again another confrontation, another coming together of two forces yet this time it is more theory based. Treasure Town is a gloriously colourful island sitting sedately in the centre of a river yet its buildings and inhabitants for all their grandeur seem incredibly outdated. Treasure Town isn't exactly a time warp but you could be forgiven for thinking so, it is a place contented in its own time, but for the Yakuza this is not acceptable as they wish to bring Treasure Town forward into the 21st Century, to update the scenery, to turn it into a money making venture of epic proportions . This second theme resonates with a fear of old replacing new, yet the new not being perhaps as grand as everyone believes it to be, it is a fear of traditions being eradicated by a machine which has no need for sentiment, and this feeling, from both points of view, is embedded within characters on all sides of the battle.

Tekkonkinkreet is a highly charged emotional film, which looks at characters interactions and dependence on each other the yings and yangs within the city itself, the coming together of old and new and more evidently, people's desire for power. The phrase "my city" is uttered on numerous occasions as individuals all attempt to lay claim to the treasured turf, yet none truly understanding what the phrase means or why they are saying it. Tekkonkinkreet is a highly successful anime, which blends together elements of crime, violence, humour and fantasy creating a cerebral journey for the senses as director Michael Arias superbly transcribes this moralistic tale with an energetic style of directing which perhaps possesses some of the best and "coolest" "reveal" shots in recent times. Tekkkonkinkreet is an absorbing adventure which transcends genres and blurs styles in a hot pot of beautiful angst and proves itself to be worth a watch for any who allows themselves to be enveloped by a world which is never told in black and white.

Hyperknetic animation helps along a sometimes too sprawling narrative of homeless street kids White and Black who leap from building to building in the neon streets of Treasure Town.

Treasure Town looks like an abandoned psychedelic amusement park that's been over run with urban sprawl (which is pretty much the center theme of the film, the lose of balance, lose of innocence, illustrated through the symbolically named White and Black). Actually almost all of the characters have names reflecting some kind of duality, "Choco" and "Vanilla", "Dusk" and "Dawn" etc.

Black is the muscle, somber and always ready to fight to defend "his town" While White is the more innocent, slightly brain damaged younger of the two who can't dress himself but can leap from the backs of moving cars, like la parkour runners bitten by radioactive spiders. "Chinese Monkeys can ride clouds" White states at the beginning of the film, referencing certain aspects of China's mythic "Journey To The West", before they begin their matrix leaps/gliding across the city. The first ten minutes of which, are the best moments in the movie(and no it is never explained how they can fly, leap, fight as they do, so much so it's easy to forget how vulnerable as children they are, which is used to get effect).

The trouble comes when there's too many Yakuza characters given too much back story, too much over inflated psychodrama with Black attempting to rid himself of his solitary monster like Minetaur persona (this time a Greek myth of the bull monster locked in the labyrinth), and not enough explanation of who the mysterious villain was, who were his henchmen refereed to as both "killing machines" and "aliens" more than once, and what if any connection did he have to re-developing the town, killing the kids, his mission from God, and the mysterious organization who lent him the monsters? That being said, I was emotionally absorbed into the film enough by that point, and satisfied with the unique fluidity and vividness of the color palettes, to ignore the weaker points of plot, til the movie was over. Enjoyable and unique anime, but like so many it reaches for seriousness, when whimsy would be a better fit.

I saw this movie a couple of days ago. I thought this one is one of the best in the recent anime films including Miyazaki's. Even satisfied more than 007.

Based on the comic by Matsumoto Taiyo (also Ping Pong), Michael Arius, who joined Animatrix production, directed the film. As he knows many Japanese old downtowns and landscapes, his way of constructing the imaginary town is so real though many Asian tastes are added, and I believe the town in the film must attract Americans too. The story is basically fights between two boys and intruders, old traditions and new. I also impressed how this Anime can express things which I have not felt in the other Anime films. Michael gathered many best creators in Japan and the world. I really recommend Tekkon to you all.

By the way, MOMA's Artforum picked up this film as #1 in 2006. http://www.artforum.com/inprint/id=12076

A moralistic fairy tale set in modern day. Brothers Black and White are orphans and run the streets of Treasure Town, doing what Cats do best, stealing and running. The Yakuza show up and start causing concern. Leaving little Black and sort out the situation. It is unbelievable how good this film is. Nuanced interesting characters are a vehicle for a over arching moral diatribe on cities, the people in them, and how we all deal with each other. White is purity, he's naive, but has a general sense of good, which is married to his seemingly stunted educational and emotional growth. His older brother, Black, on the other hand, is smart, streetwise, good in a fight, and has lost the innocence that White still possess. And we are able to interpret events that occur during the film through both of their eyes. This film had very interesting art, childish of a sort, but designed for the sake of experimentation, and to remind us that we're in a story that is seen and narrated by children. It used a full palette of colors and symbolism to help extend the story to the viewer and it succeeded masterfully. All said, this film broke my heart in a million different beautiful ways. I loved this film, and not since Hotaru no haka (Grave of the Fireflies) has a film been able to effect me so profoundly. I know I will never forget this film. When this comes out of DVD, rent it, or, if you're lucky, run to the theater and catch this before it disappears.

Tekkon Kinkreet is the most stunning visual anime that I seen since Akira. Director Arias, use of colors and directing style is nothing short of genius. The best part of this movie is its heart felt story between the two brothers Black and White. Black is the older more responsible brother, who is tough and violent, while White is the younger, off beat, childish brother. Black and White watch over the city they live in called Treasure City, in a gang called the cats. But it's the duality of the orphaned brothers that makes this story so touching. The tough older brother, Black, needs his young brother White to remind him of his humanity and White needs his brother to help protect him.

As the two brothers protect Treasure City, the evil developer Snake moves in to take over. As he vows to kill Black and White, the brothers bonds are tested. Black is faced with his dark inner demons of hatred and violence and White must bring him back.

There are no giant robots in Tekkon Kinkreet or magic. Although the brothers Black and White seem to be able to fly on and off rooftops, it seems to be the limit of any type of super powers. This anime is amazing purely for its story and visual look. If you are a fan of anime or cartoons, rent this movie. You will not be disappointed.

Tekkonkinkreet opens this year's Animation Nation festival, running from today until 1 Dec 07, showcasing a selection of animated feature films, shorts and documentaries from around the world. Last year, the festival scored a coup in having Paprika screened just after its Japan premiere I believe, and had the noir styled Renaissance screened too. This year, both Tekkonkinkreet and the highly acclaimed 5 Centimeters Per Second were sold out in days when tickets when on sale, and it's a pity I may not be able to catch the latter due to conflict in schedules.

Nonetheless, Tekkonkinkreet lived up to its hype, although I found the story to be a little too perplexing for my liking. I guess with Japanese anime, some come with a huge dose of the fantastical, and you might not catch all in one screening, leading to longevity as you discover something new each time you view the movie. The story centers on 2 orphans, Black and White, who are essentially the Cat clan, guarding their city Treasure Town from perceived external threats. But they soon find that the big boys such as the Yakuza are slowly muscling their way in to establish money spinning business in the form of theme parks (heh), and inevitably discover they are within the crosshairs of a major turf war.

The attention paid to detail is simply amazing, as it seems like not a pixel on the canvas was wasted. Treasure Town itself is a sight to behold, with its dizzying levels that don't seem to end, and the camera playfully whizzing through buildings, bridges, nooks and crannies giving sense to claustrophobia. It's like Gotham City, only brighter, messier, and of course, without the Dark Knight, now instead, having Black and White play vigilante, Batman and Robin style. Being just boys, they possess (and here's where its fantastical) superhuman skills, putting martial arts swordsman to shame with their ability to scale buildings with the ease of a simple leap.

Yes, our boys have skills like the Yamakasi, only that it's magnified ten thousand times. The set action pieces are excitingly crafted with excellent sound effects and design going into overdrive. The action pieces are spaced out quite well, starting with the satisfying chase sequence with Dusk and Dawn, with the flight-for-your-life battles with robotic assassins, and topped off with the urban legend Minotaur justifying his status. In between the fights are the quieter moments of course, with subplots that put the spotlight on the myriad of Yakuza characters, and the brotherly love shared between Black and White, who share a dream of an idyllic life at the beach house, where they can live in peace from the unnecessary bustle of the city, and from the trouble that comes looking for them.

Based on the manga by Taiyo Matsumoto, I suspect there being a need to read up and do some research in order to appreciate this movie more. Akin to a cyberpunk movie where you can read its multiple layers, Tekkonkinkreet is first and foremost a visual spectacle, hands down, and doesn't fail in providing a Wow factor with its presentation.

Eye-watering Japanimation might not have all the spit-shined polish afforded a Miyazaki production, though any excuse offered from the same studio that provided many eclectic animated thrills with the Animatrix compilation could only be explained by admiring their unabashed passion for detail. Nearly every frame of this marvelous, Manga-adapted feature is littered with an unprecedented level of specific illustrations that really aims to set the bar for sheer artistic commitment. It is the city itself that rules the film, and these passionate animators do not disappoint when it comes to delivering scene after scene showcasing an unfathomable detail rendered in these massive, severely inspired cityscapes.

First time Director Michael Arias does stumble a bit at times, making the episodic material feel that way, but we do see a compelling fusion with CGI effects in many of the action scenes that make this visually stimulating feast rise to fluidly spectacular levels. Despite many pratfalls found in the script, sometimes silly voice acting (common in the genre), and some (at times) counter-intuitive pacing, scene-for-scene Tekon kinkurîto (US title is Tekkonkinkreet) will probably remain the most compulsively rewatchable, primarily hand-drawn work of art to be savored by pencil-aficionados until the next driven team of artists desires even more.

"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.

This will be brief because I'm not sure what to say. I don't mean that in a bad way, its just that trying to describe this film is not at all easy.

Tekkonkinkreet is the story of two kids named Black and White. They are known as the Cats and are considered by some to be the protectors of a part of the city known as Treasure Town. As a year goes by a yakuza captain returns to the city and a man named Snake appears with his eye on turning that part of the city into an amusement park.

I'm explaining it badly, forgive me, since this is a film thats better to experience than to hear about. Using a mix of 2D and 3D cgi this is a film that is vibrantly alive. There is a real sense of place that is missing from many animated films. The world bleeds off the screen. The film rarely sits still its constantly in motion as characters go from place to place or engage in battles for life and death. Its an amazing thing to watch.

The characters are very real. I watched the film with the English dub (I know boo hiss) and the choices of actors was wonderful. The voices of the kids were kids and seemed to perfectly match their personalities. The same goes for the other characters as well. What I liked was that the kids were kids. They seemed to be real kids behaving in the situations presented. Granted the film is wildly fantastical but the personalities and behaviors outside of the running and jumping and beating people up was real.

A word of warning, this is a dark film at times. There is a great deal of violence, which despite being animated is very nasty and bloody. The film also has some dark undertones as some of the characters slip into the darkness of their souls. Its disturbing enough to get an R rating.

On the down side the film takes a while to get going. I was about a third of the way in before it started to click with me. No doubt it was due in part to the very large cast of characters. (I'm certain this is going to play better on a second viewing). My other problem with the film was a shift towards the end which makes me think I may have missed something along the way. I feel as though I missed the climax of somethings. (Again this will probably be better on the next viewing) Over all worth a shot. definitely see this in widescreen since the compositions are geared to that.

If not quite the genius level of Miyazaki, this is still different, thoughtful and original.

It involves two 13 year old boys, Black and White, who live in a run down imaginary city, and who have to fight developers who want to take the city over, and in the process destroy it.

Black is dark and angry and needs White's almost Down's syndrome like simplicity and sweetness to balance him.

Obvious and heavy handed on a symbolic level, ('Black' and 'White' as character names?) some of the animation is breathtakingly beautiful, although the faces of the characters lack a certain expressivity. It's more the backgrounds, the world itself, and the sort of mock stedicam moving shots that are so striking.

See this in a theater, or at least on a great TV via blu-ray if possible. It's such a visual piece, that seeing it in any lesser way makes it likely to miss the film's greatest strengths.

This film is amazing. I can't put it in any words better than that. If you're an anime fan that enjoys a lot of variety you need to see this film, no questions asked. The animation to this movie is bizarre but yet very vivid at the same time to the point of where you're saying exactly what I said in my summary: "Wow!" The storyline is where it continues to get better. It seems like it's an average tale of two brothers who are heroes to a town and do great things but it turns out that there's so much more. The heroes are both good and bad (just as their names describe: Black and White) and the villains are as bad as they come. The only issue is that some of the storyline leaves a couple holes at the end, making you wonder what happened but yet giving you an idea in your head of what you think might've happened. Nevertheless, although Tekkonkinkreet is rated R and very violent, it's still a great movie that I truly believe any anime fan will come to love.

This anime is the directorial debut of Michael Arias, who previously had made a name for himself in the VFX department, working with studio Ghibli to find a good way to combine traditional animation and computer graphics and producing the collection of shorts "Animatrix". A little of all these can be seen here, with a movie that tries to be spectacular and a technical achievement from the first minute and that has amazing animation and isolated sequences, but it's also very pretentious and lacks focus and a solid script.

I saw two films here. One i cared about, and another one that made me bore.

the city:

there are strong visual ideas behind the good Japanese animations. This is a feature that has two sources, according to my interpretation: one is very notion of image int art and Japanese culture. Japanese art produces now and for many centuries before images which are as complex as pleasant, they have abstract concepts, but they are visceral in the way they touch the viewer. So, art in Japan (when really good, and really Japanese) has this double component, of being highly intellectual and highly attached to the public it hits, no matter where that public comes from. That's why it's been relatively easy the process of turning Japanese culture into an universal matter (at least the 'image'(s) of the Japanese culture). The thing that amazes me is how quite different Japanese creators from different areas and different forms of expression tend to be highly coherent between them, even if not directly related. The other source comes from a certain form of expression which, once, cinema explored. i'm talking about expressionism, and the direct influence that the German films from the 20' had in so many creations afterwards. Metropolis might be the most visible face of this influence, but films like Der Golem have today still a strong impact. This film is basically a product of these two (main) influences. We have a city, which is magnificent, coloured but dark (and, as the two main characters, 'black' and 'white'). This city is worth exploring. It's powerful, and it's visual. It's visual in a false two dimensional perspective. That's because the images are more based in texture, color, and framing, than on 3d distances, point of view or perspective. So it has more of Metropolis than of Blade Runner. But it is false because the Japanese are very strong in reducing the means without loosing content. Which is to say, the deepness is all there, even though the image is apparently flat. So, this is a city worth visiting, and, no doubt, the strongest point in this film.

storyline:

this was, on the other hand, quite disappointing. It made me bored to follow the threads here. Black and White, the film revolves around the connection between them, and we have some other lines to follow around. The old moral gangster, his almost-sun who is forced to kill him, and the superior forces (those who live on the sphere above everything. The concept was quite simple, a kind of ying-yang (as in fact is shown along the story in the shirt of our Black), trying to understand how opposites get attracted (and repulsed) and how the bounding between those opposites creates a 'perfect' relation. But there was too much noise. The kind of 'noisy silence', 'dark coloured' city we had, is totally gone in what concerns narrative devices and storyline. There is only one point of interest, because it's visual and worked with the possibilities of the medium. The visions of White, which he draws, become often animations, with a totally different expression from the rest, allowing us to take it as something really drawn by hand. Those were powerful moments. But the rest wasn't pleasing or interesting to follow, and in the final minutes, the whole thing falls apart, precisely when the city is gone of our site, and the whole graphic expression changes into something that doesn't fit.

My opinion: 3/5, check it for the city...

http://www.7eyes.wordpress.com

I wasn't very captured by the movie. The story sounded so promising. I even watched it despite the fact that I hated the art. I am a huge anime fan, and it just didn't do it for me. The relationship between Black and White was awesome, but I fell asleep because I found it so boring. I even watched the rest of it despite already not liking it. Even the art style has it's ups and downs... for something that I hated the art style for, it was animated very well. I did enjoy the colouring, and I loved the backgrounds. I suppose if you were to watch an anime for the colors and backgrounds, this would be a good one to pick.

Oh well. It's not for everybody, or maybe even just me because my friend loved this movie to no end. (It's gonna be his birthday present.. :P )

A few years ago, the Japanese Anime world was considered with contempt by most of the critics and cinema lovers. Miyazaki wasn't well known and "Akira", despite all its qualities, stayed a counterculture product that was only a celebration of teenage sex and violence, without any aesthetically virtues. But when the intellectual occidental world understood that Rintaro, the man who directed "Captain Harlock" was also able to make "Metropolis", or that the Studio Ghibli produced quality Animes since many years, things started to change. Hollywood rapidly incorporated Anime visual grammar in some of its most experimental works (Animatrix – in witch Michael Arias participated - Kill Bill...) and some of the most exigent Anime directors were able to express themselves in the most prestigious world festivals : Satoshi Kon (who's recent "Paprika" has a lot of common points with "Tekkon Kinkreet" and was nominated in the last Venice festival), Hideaki Anno (who directed "Evangelion" but also some experimental movies like "Love and Pop") or Katsuhito Ishii (who's masterpiece, "The Taste of tea" is full of Manga/Anime references and also was in the Cannes film festival). In a few years time, Japanese Anime become one of the most exigent and experimental cinema, and "Tekkon Kinkreet" is another proof of this metamorphosis.

This is not really a critical judgment upon Anime, it's just a observation that, from "Dragon Ball" to "Tekkon", it's not really the quality of Japanime that has changed, but mostly our point of view on it. And if a movie like that can make its way to our occidental screen, it's only because after "Parika", "Ghost in the Shell : Innocence" or "My Neighbors the Yamadas" we're now ready for this kind of experience. We accept the fact that a Cartoon could aim an adult audience and that it could be an interesting intellectual performance, like watching a Tarkovki or a Godard movie, more than just a piece of popular culture.

The visual style of "Tekkon" is already fascinating : the drawings of the manga are perfectly respected and that give on screen a strange mix of cartoonist, almost caricatures, figures and realistic settings, childish drawings and complex camera construction : in its style, the movie already appears like a oxymoron. And the thematic of the movie will develops this original aesthetically style. The story revolves around two kids with powers that fight a yakusa gang who wants to get the control of their city. But that doesn't really matter (and to tell the truth, the story is quite hard to fallow, for the symbolic issues the movie deals with are much more interesting), for the real fight will be within the characters (who are called Black and White), which are themselves metaphors of the childhood and of its contradictions.

There no doubt that all this is really interesting and that the great achievement of the movie is that it always manages to stay at the frontier between a popular entertainment movie (it has a story, some big and impressive fights, it uses some of the classical manga codes) and a experimental film d'auteur (by its original visual style and its strong symbolic). But the funny thing is that the "Auteur" part really comes from the writer Matsumoto Taiyo, and that it's an interesting movie only thanks to its fidelity to the manga's style and thematic.

Why you should see it, in a nutshell: Superb art, superb storytelling and superb message. Will take your tears and give you a new breathe of animation.

From the very first scenes, you will be immediately charmed by the intricacy of the Japan alleyways, outlandish buildings and yes, store signs. Yet contrast with such detailed backdrop is the simplicity of the characters' delineation. But don't be deceived by the seemingly effortless art style, the characters' movements are incredibly vivacious, flexible and spirited. After a while, I was wondering how a few lines could be that animated. Visual theme 10/10

The plot surrounds the battle of two brothers, Black and White (Kuro and Shiro, originally) against the maleficent undercurrent of Yakuzas, aspiring to take over Treasure Town. But the film does not stop simply at being a predictable hero movie. In every flashing image you will see, it will unfold another aspect, another side of a character and raise the question about modern life morals, through a somewhat bizarre and dark storytelling.

Tekkon Kinkreet is, by all means, a beautiful story about love. There are bloodshed fights, disturbing expressions, dark scenes and all, but after all, it will make your faith in humanity restored. The story of our two urchins, it reveals the ongoing battle of one between the good and the dark side. It is a universal inner battle and you have to have something to believe in. In Tekkon Kinkreet, it is love.

Love appears in the benevolent side of Kimura, the just-got-a-pink- slip Yakuza. One of my favorite scenes is in Kimura's house, specifically on his bed. He complains about his wife's smoking habit, with a very caring tone. Then it diverts to the overview of the room. Hanging underwear, worn out furniture, moldy ceiling, you can see them in any tenement in our today world. It makes the story more credible and genuine. And the rest of the characters, each has a unique story to tell.

It is such a shame that Tekkon Kinkreet is rated so low on many sites. But oh well, I like it and sure I did draw something out of it. So maybe you will, too.

It was incredible. its so peaceful, masterful, and calming, with a little bit of spice, of thrill and adventure!!!! If it was up to me I would give this movie the biggest movie award in the world!!! This movie made me cry twice, and I'm not easy to cry during a movie, but I did!!! Although it is rated R I think kids over the age of 13 should be allowed to experience this incredible movie. What makes this movie so incredible is its beautiful art style and storyline, but I will say you do need to have an open mind to fully enjoy this movie. Also be a little bit patient, but don't let that ruin the movie for you. One more thing, when you go see this movie see the original version with subtitles, so you won't have to deal with the horrible English Dubb. I highly recommend this movie!!!!

Black and White live in a clapped out Fiat 500. They are orphans, and White is retarded. Black looks after White in the dangerous Treasure Town, stealing to keep them both alive and eventually escape. When the Yakuza plan to take over the city and rid it of the verminous street-kids, Black must fight to protect White and claim the city as his own.

Imagine my delight at learning of the existence of this film. I read Black and White in the much-missed 'adult manga' magazine Pulp in the late 90s. A touching, stylish and original manga, it sat well in Pulp, and well on my bookshelf.

This adaptation has a lot to offer as well. Overall I don't think it was quite as powerful as the manga, but it certainly has visual flair in surplus. Michael Arias' use of computer graphics is second to none. The beautiful, even romantic cityscapes revolve in glorious vibrancy. Like Katsuhiro Ōtomo's, Taiyo Matsumoto's designs turn mundane concrete and metalwork into true spectacles; bathed in colour, intricacy and poetry. For me, that is surely the essence of anime; one which is often spoiled by splicing-in out of place CGI (Ghost in the Shell: SAC take note) or relying solely on it (Final Fantasy, Appleseed etc). Arias succeeds with his own programming, created specifically for such a task. The result is not a video game, nor a collage of unrelated media: it is simply a 3D anime.

The story is Matsumoto's, and is interesting and charming though perhaps not fantastically original. The conveyance of emotion is strong; Black's emotional breakdown is touching.

Character designs are fabulous and original, though their animated versions remind me Belleville Rendez-Vous (The Triplets of Belleville in the US), released three years previously. In itself that would be a bad thing, in my view, but in reality the quirky designs contribute towards the charm of the film; and the costume design builds upon that very well.

It gets a bit odd towards the end, and the ability for the children to perform fantastic acrobatics throughout is a little strange. But anime can take such liberties. However, what's the deal with the line "I gotta say I never met a tall guy worth a shít"?

Black and White, two brothers, claim to own Treasure Town, the city where they live. Life is both peaceful and violent here, ruled by the stray Cats who act as they please. But things spiral out of control for Black and White when they are forced to defend themselves (and their city) from not only the Yakuza but a dark, more sinister and supernatural evil.

A lot was said about 'Tekkonkinkreet', which is why I thought it would be a good movie to see. My knowledge of Japanese animation is limited (Studio Ghibli is as far as it stretches, really), so this was meant to be an opportunity to expand my horizons.

So I was a little let down. I was really wanting this film to blow my mind; instead, it was somewhat average and nothing else. It's not a bad film by any means. The story is a strong one, and I liked how the supernatural elements of the film were integrated with the gritty reality. That was never jarring and, frankly, animated films allow you to suspend disbelief with so much more ease. My problem was with the story – I was just never that engaged. I liked the dynamic between the two central characters (even with their ridiculously obvious names), but not enough to carry me through the two hours. By the end, I was just waiting for it to end. Which isn't good.

But here's why the film is still worth watching – the animation. The art is spectacular, with a superb attention to detail in everything, from wrinkled faces to individual faces in crowds. I watched it in Blu-Ray too, so it was that much more sharper and the colours were so striking and beautiful. It had the same effect on me that Avatar did – I was in awe of the visuals, but fell asleep once the novelty wore off. Yep, I ended up having to watch the second half the next day, simply because I just couldn't enjoy the movie enough to stay awake.

'Tekkonkinkreet' suffers from a story that maybe can't be condensed into a screenplay, and I will safely presume that the original comic is probably fantastic. But as a film, it just doesn't work. Try and see it for the sheer brilliance of the animation but, personally, not much else is must-see here.

The aesthetic and the dynamic of emotions you get from this film is unforgettable. The words "Be happy, Be happy" and "Talking bad about people makes your heart dry" moved me. It's stuck in my head, moving all around. The characters are unique, lively, left me in tears and changed the whole perspective of how I take things in life. This film will make you more kind-hearted and will show you the significance of life <3.