Darkside Blues

This is a tough one to review. There are bits and pieces that are really striking and a dreamlike quality to the whole proceeding. Actually the film resembles a bizarre dream one might wake from and go, "what was that about?" and then when you try to remember it later you can't.

A strange futuristic city not unlike other anime future cities. Weird mutant humans who can shoot rays from their hands. Mysterious moody strangers with super-powers. Cute teenage girls with mega-fighting abilities. Sound familiar? Well it is but it's not as derivative as it could have been. The design is very good and the characters are all fascinating but...

I watched it with the hope that it would all somehow come together but it never did. A number of important plot points are hidden in vague dialog references. As other reviewers have mentioned, it's like we are in the middle of some larger story. It's an interesting world that deserved better treatment. However it's not as bad as a number of other pretentious animes and you might enjoy it, just expect a disappointing ending.

Oh my God.

What a pile of unexplained crap.

This movie is one of those where I'm sure the creator knows the secrets and meanings behind everything...and he think he can get away with leaving the unexplained to people and that maintaining their interest...but he's wrong.

Darkside Blues begins in a state of confusion and while you expect an answer, it ends in exactly the same point.

It's like watching the middle of a movie. You get the meat...but you never know how it started or what ends up happening.

Maybe the MANGA is better. I'd try that.

Avoid this movie. It is a waste and just utterly useless.

This anime has a lot going for itself. Great character design(darkside is uber cool), atmosphere and it's pretty stylish altogether. There is only one problem. It isn't finished. Yes the main characters awaken to their part/role in the world but they should have expanded on that and finished the whole Persona Century story. Now we see great revolutionaries awaken to their task yet there it ends.

I liked this movie a lot. I honestly did but I just wish that they would tell a more complete story and not a small section of it.

This is going on my list of movies that I want people to avoid. No way am I ever going to recommend it.

Basically, this character called Darkside comes in to a 1984-style Tokyo through a hole in the ground, causing...umm...errm.....ahh...ummm....some things to happen. None of it is fully explained. However, unlike 2001 and Blair Witch 2, where some of the appeal comes from the unexplained, this movie is a confusing waste of time.

We are given potentially interesting stuff that just sits there inert for the whole movie. Never once do we hear a basic explanation of the impact that bad dreams have on our life. And we'd like to. And what on earth does it have to do with the movie? Nobody knows, and by the end of the movie, nobody cares.

Watch Evangelion instead. At least that can be explained.

Viewers preferring a straightforward story and/or closure may find this movie tough to take. Conversely, those who dig hidden meanings and symbolism might enjoy rooting through this film's convoluted nature.

Being a lover of both when done well I found Darkside Blues yo-yoed from obvious imagery to ridiculous obscurity. One viewing was enough to tell me I lacked the patience to sit through another attempt to clear up some minor confusion. This film tries hard to be profound and almost hits, but something within the deliberate obscurity falls short. The one saving grace to this film is its support characters. While protagonist Darkside is an empty focal point who is easily disregarded following his first few lines, the growth and depth of Mai, Selia, and Tatsuya is relatively decent given the plot's short time span and this almost balances the story's lackluster qualities.

In the end many plot holes are evident. Most questions are left unanswered. And, there's no true conclusion in sight. What one is offered is the turning point for a new era, not a resolution.