Tekkonkinkreet

Last night, the Japan Information and Culture Center hosted the DC premiere of "Tekkon Kinkreet", an anime film based on the manga, "Black and White." Animated by Studio 4C, "Tekkon Kinkreet" follows two street kids named Kuro (Black) and Shiro (White) that run the city Takara Machi (or Treasure Town) under the gang name "Cat." A new enemy known as "Rat" threatens to take over Treasure Town to destroy the old in order to build anew. Kuro and Shiro are faced with their toughest enemies yet as they try to defend their town and prevent annihilation.

Far within the surface of this plot, deep and hidden intracacies are revealed as the movie delves in the inner sanctions of both Black and White. This surprising twist is one of the many elements that set "Tekkon Kinkreet" apart from other titles. Black must save the city and White must save Black from the "screws" hidden within himself. Do you choose the purity of darkness or the truth that lies in fire?

The town's construction and backdrop are rare, dynamic, and colorful -- kind of a mixture of Hayao Miyazaki, Satoshi Kon, and a "Je ne sais quoi" (you'll get the pun if you've seen the movie). I wouldn't recommend the movie for younger children as it is based on a seinen manga, and the atmosphere definitely matched that. "Tekkon Kinkreet" is not for everyone. The full house consisted of mainly 20 to 40 year olds and many Japanese-speaking individuals. The screening was followed by discussions from director Michael Arias ("Animatrix") and screenwriter Anthony Weinl.

I was particularly impressed with the camera views employed in the animation, but was disappointed with the lack of a soundtrack to match the genius of the movie. However, the hybrid of 3D CGI and traditional animation was flawless, as expected. In fact, the word "hybrid" couldn't be more perfect to describe the movie - a mixture of corruption, violence, tragedy, and even comedy, "Tekkon Kinkreet" is sure to please hardcore fans.

On a side note, I was able to check out JICC's current exhibition, "Tokyo Girls" before the actual screening. Each artwork, by Naondo Masuda, interacts with every other piece "to form a cohesive portrait of Tokyo through the faces of its young women." If you are in the area, I'd recommend stopping by. This exhibit is running from now until July 31st (closed on July 4th). Overall, it was a great night indeed.