Anime Review Roundup

Straight into the reviews this week, of which there were just two. First up is Studio Ghibli’s latest feature to come to the UK, From Up On Poppy Hill. For this film, Ghibli took a step back from the path they’ve been following in recent years, and instead of another fantasy, they created a period romance. It’s also the second film to be directed by Hayao’s son, Goro Miyazaki. Set in Yokohama just prior to the Tokyo Olympics of 1964, From Up On Poppy Hill follows the lives of two young high school students, Umi and Shun, who come together while trying to save their school clubhouse from demolition. But the path of love is far from smooth from these two young people.

I rounded off the week with Red Garden: The Complete Series. It’s an unconventional anime from the height of the last anime boom, back when Gonzo felt free to experiment with what they created. Red Garden is probably the world’s only horror/action/sci-fi/soap opera/drama/musical. It’s been described as Gantz with high school girls, but what it delivers is a lot more unexpected than that. Click on the review to see if that bizarre melding of genres actually works.