There must be a lot of people like me. Older, turned off by Anime's deliberately juvenile Manga artwork, Disney Channel level plots, and voices completely obnoxious to anyone over the age of nineteen. I have enjoyed Cowboy Bebop and Tactics, but that is about it. Tactics at least has a genuine sense of humor that is not completely juvenile, and at least a hint of a thoughtful darker side that is not lifted from cheap scare films.
With Flag, the basic artwork is for grownups. Not a triangle mouth or Keane painting set of eyes to be found. Beyond that, the 100% camera, photographic print and web cam viewpoint, with selective focus and hand held movement, is groundbreaking, done to perfection and generally brilliant. The music employed is moving and appropriate, and also very grown up.
The narrative content is WAY past anything I have ever seen in Anime. Serious drama, intelligently portrayed. The major themes encompass pretty much everything that is actually important to the life of human beings. I can't recount very many narrative films that covered this much serious ground. The web of life, death, religion, politics, war, ethics, bravery, power, nature, faith, love and the big picture is all woven convincingly into a really first rate film experience. It is very compact for a serially presented film, having been envisioned from the beginning as a limited series. While there is much action, it is presented realistically. No animated recycled Power Rangers rip-offs here.
Kids' stuff is fine, but fantasy has its limitations as a story telling medium. This is much deeper and ultimately more rewarding and satisfying. Anime has been giving us The Three Stooges and Star Wars. Now I realize it could also give us Wild Strawberries, Pather Panchali and Cross Of Iron.
The details are outstanding. Just one example, I had no idea that the camera at the end of the credits in each episode was setting up for the final resolution.
I am going beyond recommending Flag as Anime, I am giving it a top rating as a movie.
With Flag, the basic artwork is for grownups. Not a triangle mouth or Keane painting set of eyes to be found. Beyond that, the 100% camera, photographic print and web cam viewpoint, with selective focus and hand held movement, is groundbreaking, done to perfection and generally brilliant. The music employed is moving and appropriate, and also very grown up.
The narrative content is WAY past anything I have ever seen in Anime. Serious drama, intelligently portrayed. The major themes encompass pretty much everything that is actually important to the life of human beings. I can't recount very many narrative films that covered this much serious ground. The web of life, death, religion, politics, war, ethics, bravery, power, nature, faith, love and the big picture is all woven convincingly into a really first rate film experience. It is very compact for a serially presented film, having been envisioned from the beginning as a limited series. While there is much action, it is presented realistically. No animated recycled Power Rangers rip-offs here.
Kids' stuff is fine, but fantasy has its limitations as a story telling medium. This is much deeper and ultimately more rewarding and satisfying. Anime has been giving us The Three Stooges and Star Wars. Now I realize it could also give us Wild Strawberries, Pather Panchali and Cross Of Iron.
The details are outstanding. Just one example, I had no idea that the camera at the end of the credits in each episode was setting up for the final resolution.
I am going beyond recommending Flag as Anime, I am giving it a top rating as a movie.