GEDO SENKI ( Tales From Earthsea , 2006) *** Sometimes it's ok to note the obvious: it seems that in Japan a rather more intellectual set is drawn to the art of animated cinema, than in the Western world: this , it appears to be, is something quite different from Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound or even-dare I say it?-The Simpsons. Goro Miyazaki and Takeshi Imamura work a visual yin/yang off a base that reminds you of the old Captain America cartoons where only one thing moves at a time. But here this is an artistry of movement; of shadows, and sea, and wind...an elemental counterpoint to stasis. I'm not a real big fan of fantasy novels, but Ursula K. Le Guin's tale has in it (or at least Miyazaki finds them there) the perfect sweeping metaphysical metaphors to be complemented by so many little things...the sound of a sword scraping a wall, a song that springs suddenly from the script, the connections stemming from an act of simple kindness. For all of that I have to admit that I'm more impressed than enjoyed it. Anime fantasy's just not my thing, but I'm really glad that it's gained such astounding and critical mass in Japan because they clearly have a lot of important things to say and point to (just explaining the concept of dragons is a great start), and this medium serves us as well as they serve it.
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