Jin-Roh - Uomini e lupi

"Jin-Roh" or "The Wolf Brigade" is an amazing anime film. I had seen the 3-disc special edition DVD at a video store, and having never seen this movie before, I took a chance and bought it. I had heard nothing but good things about "Jin-Roh" and I was very pleased when I saw it.

The film is set in what it calls "an alternate Japan" and a special police force has been formed to defend the capital. It seems that the government is under constant threat from an underground terrorist organization that uses "Red Riding Hoods" (teenage girls) to deliver powerful explosives to the authorities. One of these "hoods" is cornered by Fuse in the sewers and in a grim act of suicide, blows herself up. Fuse who was right there, is instantly traumatized by the event, and is forced to undergo re-training at his academy. Seeking to gather information on her, he runs into the dead girl's older sister, who he befriends and eventually begins a romance with her. Soon forces in the government, as well as Fuse's own police unit, threaten to tear them apart and it becomes evident that the girl herself may or may not be all that she seems.

This is one of the most devastating films I've ever seen. They certainly picked the right actor to voice the gravely Fuse, who I don't think ever fully recovers from what happens. The soundtrack to this movie is one of the best I have ever heard. There are constant allusions to "Little Red Riding Hood" and excerpts from the story are read throughout the film, as it details with a lot of government conspiracy theory stuff.

The films ending, which I will not describe, is the saddest part of the film. Yet, movies, especially animated ones like "Jin-Roh", are rare. A film that focuses more on the emotions of the characters, much rather action and graphic bloodshed, like most anime films tend to do, is what "Jin-Roh" is. Though I won't let that discourage gore fans, as they will certainly get their fair share of blood and violent action when they watch "Jin-Roh", but be prepared to wait a while for any action.

As I stated earlier, this is one of the most depressing films I've ever seen. To say that Fuse's romance is doomed to end tragically is not saying much, as I expected that would happen. There is a lot of intrigue and conspiracy-like things going on in this movie and that sometimes tends to get in the way of the characters, but nonetheless I still awarded the film a 10 out of 10, and "Jin-Roh" is still a moving experience and it is one of the best anime films I have ever seen.

Whoa. Everything seems to click in the right place with Jin-Rô. Awfully tragic and cold story of a man with the nature of beast trying to interact with an ordinary girl. Of course it's all wrapped around political conspiracy plots and lots of references to fairy tale "Little Red Riding Hood", but I think most of the time the movie still works quite nice as it is.

Animation is fluid and smooth, soundtrack is beautiful and the few action sequences the movie provides simply kick ass. But the main thing in Jin-Rô is the impossible and tragic relationship between a beast and a man. This aspect is done extremely well in the movie, thanks to supporting soundtrack, great voice actors and painfully emotional and touching end. I dare not to spoil it, but these kind of endings are rare in the movies, animated or real. Bold move, and it works like a dynamite.

Jin-Rô exceeded all my expectations, although they were quite high before I ever saw it.

'Jin-Roh' is quiet possibly the best animated film to have come out in the 1990's. Sticking with the classical animation style, the creators of 'Jin-Roh' concocted one of the most impactful stories that I have ever seen on celluloid. Even though the plot is somewhat complex and the pacing of it slow-moving, I found myself drawn into the story of a hesistant storm trooper who falls for a bomb-carrying terrorist in a post-war Japan. As it progresses forth, we eventually see how more and more cold-blooded the film becomes. What really unnerved me was the interweaving of the real (uncut and uncensored) version of "Red Riding Hood". By the end of 'Jin-Roh', you can really feel as if you had your soul run over by a bus. The film's scathing look cruelty and depravity of human nature is unapologetic and unnerving. It will hit home in ways that some people may not fathom. To me, the message is that humanity should take a logical look at it's cruel side and try to find some way to keep it check. I loved this movie and I give it a 10 out of 10.

'Jin-Roh' is the best anime film of the 1990's and the second best anime all time.

Jin-Roh is one of those few animated films that not only transcends the boundaries of it's medium, but also displays more emotion, heart and depth than most live-action dramas. It is a film that destroys any preconceived notions any audience might have about the true power of animation and how much emotion "mere" drawings can convey. Upon viewing this great film one might ask why it was even animated in the first place. It probably would have been cheaper and easier to produce as a live-action feature, but herein lays the beauty of this sublime film: it is the strength and integrity of its animation that emphasize the dark, mysterious and surreal themes of the picture.

Jin-Roh was written by legendary Japanese director/writer/producer/animator Mamoru Oshii and directed by the freshman Hiroyuki Okiura. However, make no mistake about it, Jin-Roh looks, feels and IS an Oshii film, even having its gorgeous score written by long time Oshii partner Kenji Kawai. Jin-Roh explores the themes often touched upon by Oshii. Themes of human beings becoming detached alienated and threatened by the very technologies and societies they themselves have created.

Jin-Roh is, quite loosely, based upon the childhood story of Little Red Riding hood. It is set in an alternate reality where after WWII, Japan is under complete Martial Law becoming little more than a police-society upset by constant social unrest, political terrorism, and near civil war. The government set up the ultimate police force, the Wolf Brigade to combat the thousands of citizens fighting for economic stability, social justice and their identity as a nation ravaged by warfare. The revolutionaries have a special "unit" of terrorists that resemble Little Red Riding Hood. These girls dressed in red cloaks deliver baskets, baskets full of bombs, to their evil wolf-like Grandmother, the Wolf Brigade.

Although this story could have easily set itself up to be a military action-thriller, what transpires is nothing short of a harsh, tragic love story between one of the "hoods" and the very "wolf" she so desperately wants to kill. With that being said, Jin-Roh is, with out doubt, one of the most depressing journeys into the psyche of a soldier blinded by his idealistic, oppressive leaders, and a social revolutionist numb to life after years of civil and social unrest.

While watching live-action films it is easy to forget about all the craftsmanship that went into creating the final picture: it easier to view the film as an entity within itself. This is not the case with well-crafted animation. The viewer is constantly aware of the vast amounts of detail, heart and soul that were poured into each and every frame. Animation should be regarded as the pan-ultimate art form. Animated features are the only form of art to incorporate all of the major media: Film, acting, painting, writing and music. And Jin-Roh is a work of fine art when it comes to all of these aspects. The animation is smooth and natural, almost having a roto-scoped feel to it, the music is as moody, beautiful and moving as any soundtrack ever recorded, the director and layout artists worked together to craft each shot with the utmost care, and the script and it's delivery are near flawless.

If there is anyone out there who doubts the emotional power of mature, adult animation, then I challenge you to view Jin-Roh and not walk away marked by its brilliance. Once again Oshii has proved that animation, when done correctly, is not only beautiful, but it can also strengthen an already strong story and theme.

The plot of Jin-Roh is set in a fictitious Tokyo, several years after the second World War. Violent combats between an anti-administration terrorist organization and the capital's para-military police rock the city over and over again. When Fuse, a member of the capital's police force, gets suspended after a young terrorist messenger blows herself up in front of his eyes, he tries to search for more information about her but gets mired in a secret power struggle between the administration and the capital's police force.

The plot of "Jin-Roh" is so sophisticated, it can hardly be described without spoiling some very important facts. The movie then comes up with several stunningly surprising twists that one would hardly have anticipated. But despite, respectively, due to the movie's complexity, it is sometimes hard to follow properly the events and incidents. There are so many different organizations interacting and intriguing, which shall not mean, that the story is inconsistent. Rather are all relationships and hierarchies between the organizations (police, administration, ministries) brilliantly thought-out, but the fact that everybody seems to play off against one another, doesn't make it clear who belongs to whom until the end. I had to watch the movie twice, before realizing every aspect of the story.

All this may sound like an ordinary political crime plot, but let me tell you, it is something totally unique. The plot's obscurity perfectly fits its grim atmosphere. The idea of a fictitious past is excellently illustrated by the streets and locations, that seem familiar, but at the same time totally strange.

The movie's subjects about guilt, atonement and living with burden make it also pretty depressing, but at the same time, a special cinematic experience, due to its unique stylistic features, such as narrating the story of "Little Red Riding Hood and the evil wolf" during several scenes, which accurately fits the events in the movie itself.

All in all, one of the greatest and most unique movies, that I have seen, Mamoru Oshii, once again, created a brilliant and intelligent plot, whose complexity sometimes really reminds oneself of Oshii's "Ghost in the shell". The movie's overwhelming picture language and music contribute to its excellence.