Mamoru Hosoda is back! Belle came out in 2021, so it has been a while since we’ve had something from the mind that made Summer Wars and Wolf Children. Hosoda brings us a fantastical and periodic tale that transcends time in true Hosoda fashion. Scarlet will be available to watch exclusively in select cinemas on March 13th.
Synopsis
From visionary Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda (MIRAI) comes a powerful, timebending animated adventure. SCARLET, a sword-wielding princess from a war-torn medieval kingdom, sets to avenge her father’s death – but fails, awakening in a mysterious afterlife. There, she meets an idealistic young man from our present day whose compassion challenges her thirst for vengeance. When Scarlet is confronted once more by her father’s killer, she must decide: cling to hatred, or discover a life beyond revenge.
Review
As a huge fan of Mamoru Hosoda, with Summer Wars and Belle being among the top of my list, there was very little doubt that I wouldn’t enjoy Scarlet. A anime adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet with a Joan of Arc type figure in a gorgeous and mysterious fantasy setting… What’s not to love.
Scarlet‘s biggest strength is the wonderful and intuitive use of animation. The entire film is stunning from start to finish with mesmerising landscapes, powerful character designs that really give the main cast a presence that is felt throughout the entire film, and incredibly cool fight scenes that are beyond fluid. It is such a big step up from Belle in so many ways, especially in regards to its approach to facial animation and expression. While the settings and fantastical elements are indeed a highlight, it’s the emotional depth that is displayed through these characters that sets this film apart. The facial animation, created by Studio Chizu, is absolutely outstanding. Each emotional beat is emphasised and dramatised through the attention paid to small subtleties often lost in traditional 2D animation. With the film focusing primarily on a handful of characters, this really allowed the animators to pour all of their effort into the main leads and it certainly shows.
Another benefit of maintaining a small cast is that the film allows each character to flourish and evolve. Scarlet’s story is by no means new at all, but this grey area between past and present adds a lovely twist that shakes the foundation and actually forces Scarlet herself to open her heart to other possibilities beside revenge. Her journey seems very set in stone, but the introduction of Hijiri adds a lot fun, perspective and gives the audience the chance to see that young princess so full of life and love once again. In many ways, Hijiri becomes Scarlet’s moral compass. However, it would have been great to have seen more from Hijiri. While he is indeed a catalyst in this movie, it would have been great to have seen more of his life before meeting Scarlet- a small window into his life outside of his occupation. It wouldn’t have improved my experience by a substantial amount, but it may have just added a bit more to Hijiri’s character rather than his purpose being solely to serve Scarlet’s evolution- That way it doesn’t feel so one sided.
In regards to the story, there’s a really cool blend of medieval fantasy, Shakespearean tragedy and a hint of time distortion. It’s a great concoction that works really well and leans into what Hosoda truly excels at. He’s crafted an awesome world that is both beautiful and bleak, and through Scarlet we’re able to traverse through it while still enjoying the unraveling nature of this chaotic blend of tropes. In true Hosoda fashion, Scarlet takes the familiar story of Hamlet and morphs it into something completely different, similarly to Beauty and the Beast in Belle. That twist and reliance on this limbo afterlife gives the story its hook and changes the trajectory.
The only thing that felt like a missed opportunity was the world itself. There are some really interesting and visually stunning concepts introduced, yet they don’t really get explained or explored. Obviously, the focus remains on Scarlet’s endeavour, but just a little exploration would have really helped contextualised this fantasty world as well as explain some of the significant elements such as the giant dragon which appears repeatedly- its presence seems important, yet it’s never quite addressed. Once again, it doesn’t subtract anything away, but it feels as though there was definitely and opportunity to further immerse the audience and really bring the world to life with more detail and clarity.
Fans who watch Scarlet will have the option to watch it in sub or English dub. There’s still a lot of scrutiny within the anime fandom regarding English dubs, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The entire voice cast is excellent with each actor providing a very believable and raw performance. The more intense scenes push the actors to sell those emotional beats and they really do nail them, while the softer and quieter scenes give us those moments of respite and reveal a different side to these characters, particularly Scarlet who is so absorbed by anger and revenge.
Verdict
Scarlet is a timebendingly spectacular epic that allows the audience to fully explore the beauty of this world as well as the darkness within whilst keeping the characters in the spotlight. Watching Scarlet evolve throughout the film is an absolute delight as you watch her transform and soften with Hijiri’s help. Full of beautiful and animation that really emphasises facial expression and fluid movement, as well as some awesome short action sequences, this latest hit from Hosoda is an asbolute feast. Unfortunately, it does get a bit lost in terms of its worldbuilding, but it doesn’t distract too massively. If you’re a fan of previous works like Belle and Summer Wars, Scarlet is a really good in between that borrows highlights from both.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Will you be watching Scarlet on the big screen? Let us know in the comments and don’t forget to check out more anime news and reviews right here.
