NeoAkiba

This has to be a joke.

Surely they were aware of how bad this is.

This show is like what a mid-90s gay stereotype would see in their head as they fell down the stairs after a visit to the beauty salon.

Instead of this being an essay let's just break down the core issues this vomit exhibits:

• The show looks cheaper than a late 70s episode of the Price is Right.

• The canned crowd noise is embarrassing.

• The attempts at making this clearly scripted dreck seem live are hilarious like randomly cutting to people with enormous, wide-open mouths or Joker laughter.

• There is a disclaimer at the end specifying this is all fake.

• This is a giant ad for Ru and Ruco Products. Not a feel good gay love in it's just an ad like anything else Ru does.

• The same 3 sex jokes are made repeatedly and screamed obnoxiously over the fake laughing and cheering.

• Seriously nearly all of the jokes are just dick or jizz jokes. Great "comedians" here when they basically can't think outside the of "penis lmao jizz lol".

• There is a bit in every episode where they talk about choking chickens like a 5 year old.

• There are "phone in" questions which are ads for other drag queens / salons / misc businesses. This is an ad. Stop falling for these ads.

• This is the level of humor:

"If I went to a Korean laundry I would get my vajajay steam cleaned" Ha ha like your vagina wow whoa calm down haven't heard that joke 900 times in the last 5 minutes. Vajajay? Cutting edge. Makes George Carlin look like a hack.

• I cannot keep writing this or I am going to have a stroke.

I have a theory this is an elaborate scam. I mean it obviously is. RuPaul is rolling around in a pile of money because this feces keeps getting greenlit, he knows it and is laughing all of the way to the bank. RuPaul is the Adam Sandler of the LGBT community. Make anything and it will inexplicable make money.

RuPaul could release a video of himself laughing at how dumb you are for 25 minutes and he would sell 2 seasons of it somehow.

Enjoy Ad...I mean, Dragcon.

Judging by the trailer alone, Violence Voyager gives the impression of a flashy puppet show. However, seeing the film in action proves what a unique and diligently crafted piece of cinema it is.

Taking place late in summer, two boys (Bobby and Akkun) stumble across a mysterious theme park known as Violence Voyager; which paints itself as a participatory attraction, in which you must fight robots to save humanity. After finding the more nefarious meaning of the park, the film transitions into a majestic and beautifully presented motion horror comic that completely defies expectation.

The aesthetics of the film are beyond reproach, with lovingly crafted characters dangling in front of the camera against rich backgrounds of varying complexity and thematic significance. It's difficult to really describe the style of the cinematography beyond saying that if you can imagine a puppet show shot and edited together like a motion picture then you might be somewhat close to describing it.

The fluidity of the film is startling, and is a testament to Uchija's talent. Although the mouths of the characters don't move and their range of spatial movement is limited the sense of emotion and the use of exaggerated facial expressions really bridges the gap where actual characterization would normally be found.

This characterization plays into the tone of the film that feels like a horror comic or science fiction/horror anime from the 80s or 90s. This is further bolstered by a whimsical sense of humor that permeates the entire film. You need not consider Violence Voyager to be a dramatic masterpiece, there is no pretense that it is one, but the deft blending of body horror, comedy and suspense is remarkably palpable through the entire 120 minute run time of the film. There is an undercurrent of humor running throughout Violence Voyager that is almost like a life line; cutting through any treacle and weaving together disparate shots into something that is constantly moving and entertaining. An example of this is a bat that is saved early in the film, who we learn later is an incredibly hungry boy, but that is best saved for you to see. This running joke is indicative of the sense of identity the film possesses; a loving poise that is truly appreciative of its audiences wish to be entertained while not distracting from the events at hand. It's all incredibly cohesive.

Beyond the arresting visuals and spirited action of the narrative is a measured, punchy soundtrack that evokes a real sense of horror films from the 1980s. This plays exceptionally well into the unfolding narrative and further smooths out the incredible sense of progression the film possesses. The voice acting in the Japanese dub is also extremely entertaining and has a lot in common with the tropes of "Coming of Age" anime and Japanese dramas of the late 80s and early 90s.

The action only stumbles when Uchija forgets, or doesn't bother to elaborate on certain elements of the story which seem significant. Some of these elements are paramount to the plot and are quite literally just vomited out near the end of the film. It's disappointing as if he had paced the drip feed of information surrounding the mythos of the Violence Voyager theme park and its unhinged caretaker a little bit better it would have made an already highly enjoyable narrative even more cohesive. The film almost doesn't seem long enough. An extra 10 minutes would have provided ample opportunity to give more context to some of the more bizarre body horror and strengthened its impact beyond a simple explanation that: "this thing is necessary for this thing to do this".

Above all else, however, Violence Voyager is bordering on being a masterpiece of modern animation. The adroit blending of mixed media to create a traditional cinematic experience that completely defies audience expectation coupled with a refreshingly original story and some excellent humor tucked into an already satisfying narrative makes for an unmissable film. Small missteps in the pacing and content of the narrative hold the experience back just enough for it to miss the mark of perfection, but being this close is an extraordinary achievement and one Uchija should be very proud of.

Violence Voyager is an utterly unmissable film. If you consider yourself to be a fan of experimental animation, animation in general or just science fiction or body horror, then you absolutely must see it. Highly recommended.

Dario Argento may have been the master of beautiful imagery but this film is incredibly poorly composed.

While stylish, it lacks a coherent plot to the point that the entire film is explained in the last 10 minutes of its run time, making the previous lack of immersion in any kind of plot negate any satisfaction you get from finding out why events have played out as they have.

The acting is adequate and the use of heavy metal in the soundtrack is something I enjoy, but I know is divisive.

Opera is a poor film, only saved by the excellent imagery.