SURPRISE! You thought that Library Loot was solely going to be anime and manga didn’t you? Being 100% actual, I assumed so too. I had some critical disconnect between my very early days of running a blog, a lot of these movies had been additionally library loot, and now. With some good quaint arduous work, and a whole lot of search time period optimization – right here we’re!
I’m fairly enthusiastic about this one as properly. I’ve been an enormous fan of Murakami Takashi since about 2015. You wager the minute I came upon he had directed, and wrote the story for a characteristic size movie – it was on my plan to look at listing. I’m simply fortunate that The Criterion Assortment, additionally believes his work is as impactful and vital so it obtained a DVD and Bly-ray launch with English subtitles. Yay!
That’s sufficient chit-chat in regards to the how’s and why’s, so let’s dive right into a synopsis and see what Jellyfish Eyes is all about.
Elementary college pupil Masashi (Sueoka Takuto), after transferring into his new condominium along with his mom finds an misplaced cardboard field. Throughout the field is an odd jellyfish-like creature that’s been snacking on his favourite cheese sticks. Charmed by the odd creature, Masashi names the creature “Kurage-Bo” or Jellyfish Boy, they usually turn out to be quick associates. Masashi finally ends up taking Kurage-Bo to high school, and rapidly realizes that every one the opposite college students have related associates too, that surprisingly the adults don’t see. There’s much more to unravel with these “associates” and their function then meets the attention.
After I inform you that may be a spoiler-free synopsis, you gotta imagine me. There’s a lot extra when it comes to motion, storyline, and path that Jellyfish Eyes stuffs in. Truthfully reflecting on it a bit my head continues to be swirling a bit. It was arduous for me to imagine that the opening of the movie, truly cohesively result in the ending of the movie. There’s a whole lot of actually related social commentary about Japanese tradition post-2011, that was properly built-in to the extra whimsical premise. It’s one thing I’d love to speak about extensively right here, however to take action can be spoilers. So I’ll simply hold it transferring for now.
For a primary time director, Murakami Takashi did a fairly stable job. He genuinely has a whole lot of love for movie, and for his personal venture. I can’t heap all my reward on him although, movies have extra then a director to make them good. He was sensible to herald extra expertise by way of producers and screenwriters to deliver his imaginative and prescient to life. Everybody who he introduced on, actually appeared to know the core qualities of the work. Collaboratively, they actually made positive Jellyfish Eyes can be the perfect it might be, with out dampening Murakami’s stylistic signatures. For this alone, the movie is already a powerful feat.
There’s additionally simply the right combination of actually new expertise (on the time) and established actors on display. Fundamental character Masashi is performed by Sueoka Takuto, who gave a extremely stable efficiency. I actually preferred his mannerisms and his reactions. There’s one or two moments the place it’s a little bit amateurish, but it surely’s a part of the venture’s attraction. Asami Himeka, who performed Saki additionally performed off him extremely properly. The duo particularly on the closing climax of the story even obtained me to tear up fairly a bit.
The extra established expertise, Kubota Masataka and Saitoh Takumi particularly helped spherical out the rougher edges of story. I used to be significantly tickled to see Kubota in a considerably comical antagonist position. That’s a personality I haven’t seen him do earlier than, nor do I imagine he’s achieved since. Saitoh Takumi actually is virtually a chameleon right here. I knew who he was immediately, however nonetheless I nonetheless purchased that he was Masashi’s uncle first, and a scientist second.
I additionally simply loved seeing all of the totally different “associates” on display as properly. The CGI associates had been lovable in their very own rights. Their designs had been diversified however cohesive. Every one in every of them has a definite persona that performed off their proprietor very well. I additionally was utterly charmed by the non-CGI associates within the combine. The smaller “associates” had been extra akin to a puppet or possibly one thing near a fur-real pal. The most important non-CGI “pal”, Luxor, Saki’s pal was a go well with actor, and by far my favourite of the “associates” to see on display.
I’m looking for much more to say about this collection, however every thing else that involves thoughts is spoilers once more. I’m going to wind this down, and simply actually encourage everybody to look at this! Jellyfish Eyes is an extremely charming, and in addition tremendous participating movie to look at. It’s most generally obtainable to look at by way of The Criterion Channel a streaming service. However it’s value checking your library to see if it’s on shelf in fact.
If there’s different watcher’s of this on the market, drop me a remark beneath, I’d love to listen to extra of your ideas on this! Make sure to point out in case your remark has spoilers although!
Submit Script: It’s additionally deeply fascinating to me that Jellyfish Eyes 2, was already filmed earlier than Jellyfish Eyes had launched. There was fairly a number of snags relating to this sequel, which you’ll be able to examine right here. Although as of 2022, it looks as if Jellyfish Eyes 2 hasn’t been utterly deserted. Curious if it should ever make it on display, and the way the solid feels about it.
