Ni no Kuni

Watched this on Netflix earlier and overall it's just kinda okay. Very very ... okay. It is visually pretty and well done with bright colors and fluid animation overall. However it's plot sags in a bunch of places and feels rushed. Characters often come up with conclusions out of nowhere and there are moments where the characters exposit important information out of their ass that was never established anywhere in the plot. Also of note, I watched the English dub. And it is pretty subpar tbh. I'd put this on for your older kids as there is a bit of violence and some suggestive content (impalement, pole dancing with no nudity) but I think anyone over 14 might be left unsatisfied.

I love the games, I love studio ghibli art, but this movie was pretty boring.. the very ending was interesting, but not enough to be worth the watch. It fell flat unfortunately..

High schooler Yuu and his friend Haru get involved in a case involving his childhood friend Kotona, which forces them to go back and forth between another world that is different but is somewhat similar to their world, Ni no Kuni. The real world and Ni no Kuni, when Kotona's life is in danger, what's the ultimate choice the three of them have to make in Ni no Kuni?

I have no exactly played any of the games so I have zero clue what this movie was about outside of 3 kids going to a different world. After a hooded figure comes to the real world. So the whole thing was new to me.

I found this movie overall pretty decent.

This is a decent anime movie for young and old. Based on some ideas of the 2 video Games "Nino Kuni". Although with some tweaks it could have a lower age rating and could have been enjoyed by even younger audiance aswell. But there is some war and blood so the 12 rating is understandable.

Story and Characters As I didn't play the 2 Video Games I can't tell if it's something from the games. The Story feels standalone but based on some ideas from the Nino Kuni Video Games. Love, Magic, Fantasy; although that most things aren't really explained it feels structurated like a game. Bit by bit you learn more about the world after the characters did something. But other then in a game you can't question more you are stuck by the "main story" which somewhat annoyed me from time to time. You get confronted with many questions about things you want to explore but can't as it's a movie and you have to follow with the story. The given plot twists are well done and understandable. Some you can forsee a little but nothing bad spoilers by the movie itself. The happy end of the movie ist enjoyable and doesn't leave one wondering why. It's a good end without a cliffhanger or anything.

Animation Effects, Characters, Backgrounds and all is pretty good. An up to date look which is fitting with the video games.

Music The music pieces are mostly matching scenes but I'm missing Ghibli feeling here (Joe Hisaishi) it is not the best of the best and I after watching it once can't really remember any song of the movie.

The anime movie Ni no Kuni, now out on Netflix, is based on the video games of the same name. It isn't based on the story of the first one but takes place within the games' chronology. In it, two high school friends find themselves transported from our world into the magical world of Ni no Kuni.

Admittedly, this is kind of a basic fantasy story structure in sort of a basic fantasy land, but it is a well handled film. Everything about this is generally fun. I rather liked the mechanics of the connections between our world and Ni no Kuni. The dynamic between and motivations behind the two leads are strong. I particularly liked Yuu, the wheelchair-bound one who is brave, intelligent, and cool headed.

If you're familiar, the first Ni no Kuni game included animation from Studio Ghibli. In fact, the director Yoshiyuki Momose was animator for the studio. Now, this doesn't have quite the level of detail of Ghibli or the games, but it still all looks pretty nice.

Be forewarned that there is a moment with an adult character talking about a seventeen year-old's attractiveness that gets uncomfortable. It is over and done with very quickly.

Overall, I'm glad I saw this on a whim. It's a nice little time waster and a bit of a feel good film.