hopeful_monster
Thousand Master
There are several ways of looking at this movie, one is as a stand-alone movie, as an add-on to the series or finally as introduction to the series then going to watch the series. While there are lots of other plot elements in there the story simply put is star-crossed lovers and giant death robots.
As a Stand-alone movie is a sweet story of boy meets girl, gets separated by a huge war which wipes out everything except Tokyo (makes a change from Tokyo being the 1st place to get wiped off the map). Few years later still hung up on her only to be kidnapped and find out that the world that had been ‘wiped out’ was still there. Tokyo was shut up in a weird time bubble where time was slower than out side, and Ayato also manages to get a giant death robot as part of his break out. Hilarity ensues (not really). It stands up fairly well by itself, it can feel a little rushed at times and some characters seem a little under developed while hinting at deeper complexity. The animation is also on the whole very good, but at times somewhat wobbly due to what appears to be cut and paste animation from the original series.
If you have watched and liked the series the movie will seem at first to be shamelessly cashing in, viciously hacking the series into 2hrs. Several characters have had their roles reduced too little more than cameo’s (Megumi, Elvy, Itsuki), others have been entirely removed (Kim, Nanamori). Some have been subtly or less than subtly changed, for example Kunigi from cold git to someone doing something he doesn’t want to but for good reasons, while Isshiki has been changed from the white snake to a overzealous military commander. Quon has been entirely changed and is little more that a ‘sleeping beauty’ for most of the movie. Other differences include the Mu, Maya especially, which are painted in a much better light, and some of the details of the Rahxephon system and Babbem’s involvement are explained differently, and of course the ending. While the movie does not tie in exactly with the series there are several things that do cross over very well, like some of Babbem’s role, explanations of the Mu, and the early years of Ayato’s life before TJ with Mishima and Hiroko. 1st time I watched it I was not enamoured of it in the least, but subsequently re-watching it a few weeks later it was a lot better as I stopped looking for the new bits, and mourning some of the missing bits, and enjoyed it for what it was.
I think that what the movie was supposed to be was an introduction to the series. It gives the broad idea of the plot, without giving away any major plot twists or details. It shows off the two main characters, but leaves out a lot of the character progression of the two major characters as well as almost all of the secondary characters. It also cuts down on the action with the Dolem fights barely lasting a minute each, but hinting at so much more.
All in all it is a solid, if somewhat unspectacular, movie skilled at summoning warm fuzzy feelings. 7.5 stars, 8 if it catches you in the right mood.
As a Stand-alone movie is a sweet story of boy meets girl, gets separated by a huge war which wipes out everything except Tokyo (makes a change from Tokyo being the 1st place to get wiped off the map). Few years later still hung up on her only to be kidnapped and find out that the world that had been ‘wiped out’ was still there. Tokyo was shut up in a weird time bubble where time was slower than out side, and Ayato also manages to get a giant death robot as part of his break out. Hilarity ensues (not really). It stands up fairly well by itself, it can feel a little rushed at times and some characters seem a little under developed while hinting at deeper complexity. The animation is also on the whole very good, but at times somewhat wobbly due to what appears to be cut and paste animation from the original series.
If you have watched and liked the series the movie will seem at first to be shamelessly cashing in, viciously hacking the series into 2hrs. Several characters have had their roles reduced too little more than cameo’s (Megumi, Elvy, Itsuki), others have been entirely removed (Kim, Nanamori). Some have been subtly or less than subtly changed, for example Kunigi from cold git to someone doing something he doesn’t want to but for good reasons, while Isshiki has been changed from the white snake to a overzealous military commander. Quon has been entirely changed and is little more that a ‘sleeping beauty’ for most of the movie. Other differences include the Mu, Maya especially, which are painted in a much better light, and some of the details of the Rahxephon system and Babbem’s involvement are explained differently, and of course the ending. While the movie does not tie in exactly with the series there are several things that do cross over very well, like some of Babbem’s role, explanations of the Mu, and the early years of Ayato’s life before TJ with Mishima and Hiroko. 1st time I watched it I was not enamoured of it in the least, but subsequently re-watching it a few weeks later it was a lot better as I stopped looking for the new bits, and mourning some of the missing bits, and enjoyed it for what it was.
I think that what the movie was supposed to be was an introduction to the series. It gives the broad idea of the plot, without giving away any major plot twists or details. It shows off the two main characters, but leaves out a lot of the character progression of the two major characters as well as almost all of the secondary characters. It also cuts down on the action with the Dolem fights barely lasting a minute each, but hinting at so much more.
All in all it is a solid, if somewhat unspectacular, movie skilled at summoning warm fuzzy feelings. 7.5 stars, 8 if it catches you in the right mood.