Genre: Animation, Crime, Drama, Mystery
Actor: Hidenobu Kiuchi, Hideyuki Tanaka, Hisayoshi Suganuma, Ichirō Nagai, Junko Takeuchi, Kazuo Kumakura, Kyoko Hikami, Mami Koyama, Mamiko Noto, Nobuo Tanaka, Nozomu Sasaki, Ryusuke Obayashi, Shuichi Ikeda, Takayuki Sugo, Tomokazu Seki, Tsutomu Isobe
Surreal, strange, yet wondrous, Penguin Highway never takes a straightforward approach to its story. Penguins pop up out of nowhere, leading the nerdy and precocious Aoyama to study them via empirical observation and logical deduction. These studies don’t end up with a feasible explanation– in fact, by the final act, the film abandons all laws of physics. But the journey to that act feels intuitively right. This journey feels like an indescribable formative experience. Aoyama may be obsessed with growing up and committing to the reasonable adult mindset, but he is still a child. From fending off bullies to forming connections with others, his childhood imagination served him better than science could. The film reveres this discovery as well as it should.
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Actor: Hidetoshi Nishijima, Kana Kita, Landen Beattie, Mamiko Noto, Megumi Han, Miki Fukui, Misaki Kuno, Naoto Takenaka, Rie Kugimiya, Winston Bromhead, Yu Aoi
Director: Hiroyasu Ishida
With teenage insomnia rates increasing worldwide, it’s a wonder how a story like this hasn’t been made until now. Insomniacs After School takes a charming approach to this issue– viewing it not as a reason to shame the youth over but just as an unfortunate circumstance that requires support. In this case, it's heartwarming to see how support comes from the school community. While restarting the astronomy club may not be sound medical advice, it's clear how valuable the school observatory is as a safe space for Nakami and Magari. It's uplifting to see the school nurse, alumni, student council, and fellow classmates root for the club and their events. Most of all, it's comforting to see Nakami and Magari help each other with their insomnia. Their shared comfort and support, along with the backdrop of Japan's most photographable night skies, make this slow-burn romance anime incredible.
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama
Actor: Gen Sato, Haruka Tomatsu, Konomi Tamura, Lynn, Mamiko Noto, Natsumi Fujiwara, Seiichiro Yamashita, Sho Karino, Sumire Morohoshi
Fantasy shows usually follow one hero into their quest, but the newest isekai anime on Hulu has plenty of them, and instead of straightforward awe, the people they save hold unexpected emotions to the power they wield. Ishura starts with this– its first few episodes are dedicated to introducing each hero, or Shura, that would fight against each other, and possibly take over the world. Through this approach, Ishura has plenty of spectacular action, as each of the heroes have to prove themselves somehow, and has plenty of fantastical powers that look great on-screen, even when the CGI sometimes falters in certain moments. It’s a wild ride, and some deaths can certainly be brutal for some viewers, but it’s an interesting approach in building a fantasy world that values strength above all else. Ishura is a great start to fantasy anime this year, if you can stomach the gore.
Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Actor: Aoi Yuki, Koichi Yamadera, Mamiko Noto, Reina Ueda, Rie Takahashi, Romi Park, Showtaro Morikubo, Soichiro Hoshi, Sora Amamiya, Yuki Kaji
Genre: Animation, Comedy
Actor: Mamiko Noto, Nao Toyama, Shin-ichiro Miki, Shiori Mikami
This is a great movie to watch on say a Sunday. The story of three homeless people who find a newborn baby while foraging through trash on Christmas eve and decide to care for the baby and track down its parents. Middle-aged Gin, aging Hana and teenage runaway Miyuki form a makeshift family haunted by its members’ past and troubled by their present. As expected, Satoshi Kon (who also directed Paprika) delivers a beautifully animated story with unique characters and unique dynamics. The result is a very humane and moving animation, not to be missed by both Kon fans and those willing to be introduced to his style.
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama
Actor: Akio Otsuka, Aya Okamoto, Chiyako Shibahara, Hidenari Ugaki, Hiroya Ishimaru, Koichi Yamadera, Kouichi Yamadera, Kyoko Terase, Mamiko Noto, Mitsuru Ogata, Rikiya Koyama, Ryuji Saikachi, Satomi Korogi, Satomi Kourogi, Seizo Kato, Shozo Iizuka, Tohru Emori, Tôru Emori, Yoshiaki Umegaki, Yūsaku Yara, 冈本绫
Director: Satoshi Kon, Shougo Furuya