Tekkon Kinkreet
Alternate Titles: 鉄コン筋クリート
Original Japanese Release Date: 2006
Episode Length/Run-time: 111 minutes
Summary:
Black and White are two orphans who live like street urchins protecting their home as they see fit from various people and “bad guys” like Yakuza. Where Black has physical strength White has the emotional strength which he can depend on. One day new entrepreneurs show up saying they’re going to destroy Treasure Town for a new amusement park. It falls on the shoulders of Black and White to save their home.
Review:
Like Tekkon Kinkreet, or hate it, it’s an interesting piece of anime history. This was the first time an American director (Michael Arias) has gone to Japan and directed an animated feature entirely within Japan. This means the entire process of drafting, funding and production was done entirely within the Japanese system.
Based off a three volume manga the title is a play on words for “Steel and Concrete.” Upon watching the show the setting “treasure town” lives up to this name and creates a world that is both engaging, dimensional, and interesting while still having a desolate feeling of isolation and removal. It is an ideal animated depiction of urban decay.
The story at it’s core is about human connection, necessity, and abandonment and how much the two children need each other to fill these basic needs. The problem with the anime lies in it’s execution. Points which could’ve been particularly poignant to the viewer fall flat because it’s like a speed trip through this urban wonderland. At important parts of the movie it felt like the director was more focused at showing the viewer what he could do with the animation rather than letting the characters speak for themselves and allowing the viewer to sit with them.
Overall, it’s an above-average film. But knowing what I’ve heard of the manga (even though I’ve not read it myself) it sounds like that may be better if you’re more interested in story than a whirlwind of pretty pictures.
[starrater]