Midori

I want to start off by saying I respect the hustle of the director being that he single handedly composed, drew, and animated this film over a course of five long years. It also apparently took over 5,000 individual sheets of paper to complete and that's no easy feat. However, this film was extremely difficult to follow. Was there a story? Yes. Could I tell you what happens in the end? Nope. It's a roller coaster of confusion and gore without real meaning. I honestly don't know how there are people giving this film such high ratings, they must be able to appreciate something in it that I cannot.

Everyone judges this movie by being gore, horrifying and scary, but they don't realize that that's exactly the point of it. The movie isn't bad, it's incredibly well done (considering also the fact that Hiroshi Harada spend five years to make it), and if you're going to rate this movie, rate it for what it is, not what you think it's supposed to be.

One of the things that most people comment on when reading on Midori is that it was actually banned originally for depicting graphic violence to animals. Now, what is on display here is rather shocking but certainly not enough to be considered obscene, especially considering the psychopathic nature of the character which performs the act. If anything, the act featured is only detrimental to children and as anyone with a brain has figured out, this isn't for children at all.

Personally, I was quite surprised by Midori. It was mostly animated and directed by the one man and it shows: mouths don't move often, backgrounds suddenly disappear, zooming in of a single picture is common etc. If anything, these shortcuts only add to the charm of the movie and how intricately personal it is to it's creator. There was apparently 5000 paintings handpainted by Hiroshi Harada to complete the film over a course of 5 years. It was also funded by Hiroshi's life savings; if that's not dedication to a piece of art then I don't know what is.

So the animation is charming, the characters are gut wrenching and the script is full of profound reflections. Another point is the music; most of the soundtrack is created by a keyboard and the dark melancholy keyboard noodlings really add to the circus freakshow setting in the movie.

This is a very dark and unsettling anime movie, so it's only best to watch this if you're looking for something that's profound and will make you think. It will hurt you emotionally and upset you but it will stick in your mind for days on end.

There isn't much to be said about Midori that hasn't already been said about it. We know what happens in this film. Sure, there isn't a sea of blood, and the Kill count is low so the surface level gore hounds will scoff, but that's not why this film is disturbing. Midori's reputation comes from its completely un-restrained misanthropy. This film will make you loathe your humanity. It takes real life horror and does what anime on celluloid does best, elevates it and shoves it right in your face. You can hate it and turn your face away from it but these things ARE real. They exist in humanity. I'm glad this never was funded and that it was made the way it was. It's brutal and the low budget makes it feel personal Like Harada would stab you with his paint brush if he could. For 90s anime and it being of the horror genre It's about as challenging of a thing an artist can make and it is Art for better or worse. Take it or leave it.

I loved the art style used though the content was a bit depressing. But I've got to admit that this work is a masterpiece in its own ways given that the director/animator, Hiroshi Harada had to work on it for five years and alone. I am happy I learned something from it, that we can find solace even in a place similar to hell.