Quartile rating: 8/10 · 1 rating
Two penniless orphans, Black and White, struggle to survive on the mean streets of Treasure Town. When a megacorporation threatens to tear down the town to build an amusement park, Black and White engage in the fight of their life.
Tekkonkinkreet is a visually stunning and tonally singular anime film directed by Michael Arias — the first non-Japanese director of a major Japanese animated feature. Its hand-painted aesthetic, chaotic urban geography of Treasure Town, and the psychedelic, surreal sequences exploring Black's fractured psyche set it apart visually from almost anything in animation. The film's Novelty is exceptionally high: its visual conception, the blending of childlike wonder with brutal violence and existential dread, and its wholly distinctive voice make it one-of-a-kind. Cinematography earns a 4 for its kinetic camerawork, layered background art, and the way it renders a living, breathing city unlike any other animated environment. The plot, while compelling in premise and mood, loses some coherence in its third act as the psychological and mythological threads tangle. Acting (voice work) is solid but not exceptional. The ending, while emotionally resonant in theme, feels somewhat rushed and abstract, not fully resolving the narrative strands it sets up.