Deddo ribusu

If Madhouse's Redline is a "flashy action ride", then Dead Leaves is a "nuts-to-the-wall flashy tripped-out action ride on speed". The movie's high-contrast comic book-like visuals had me expecting something unique, but I don't think I could properly have prepared myself for just how unique Dead Leaves turns out to be. The comic book style applies not only to the frequently grotesque characters and outlandish scenery, but also to the cinematography itself with several "panels" often being shown on screen at the same time, sound effects appearing as actual floating words, and unusual framing used to emphasize certain parts of the scenes. The narrative begins with the protagonists, Retro (a TV-headed man) and Pandy (a woman with a mysterious red spot over her right eye) waking up naked and without their memories only to go on a crime spree which gets them sent for life to a prison on the moon called Dead Leaves. Not for the straitlaced or faint of heart, Dead Leaves' mere 52 minutes zoom by at break-neck speed in a flurry of explosions, gore, sex and nudity, but if you can stomach the off-the-wall content you're in for a very enjoyable if lamentably brief anime experience.

This is what happens when some of the most talented and creative people in japanimation get really drunk. A vulgar, violent, sexy caleidoscope of an acid trip that is simultaneously a love letter to japanimation and a parody of all its cliches, set to driving Yoko Kanno beats. In short it's plain freakin' awesome.

This came out around the same time as Masaaki Yuasa's mindgame and even almost 20 years later both still feel like the future of animation. Yuasa with his sketchy lines and paintbrush beauty, Imaishi with his vector-like graphical clarity and excess.

The story of Dead Leaves is simple. Two convicts from a lunar prison facility, Pandy and Retro, awaken on earth with no memory of their past and immediately get pursued by the cops. Wickedness and shenanigans ensue.

It's definitely a unique trip and a good introduction to Hiroyuki Imaishi's aesthetic that continues to evolve and refine, as evidenced in the recent opus Promare which managed to gain a more mainstream audience than Dead Leaves will ever have. Which is by design mind you.

It's beautiful madness from beginning to end, gleefully indulgent in sex and violence which are both played for laughs and can be exhausting if you don't know what you're in for. That is not to say it's ever just random. Every frame despite the excess is drawn with a level of taste, purpose and clarity that is rather unique to this day. It's basically the visualization of a great electro punk album and a testament to the creativity of Japanese animators. A promise to the future by Imaishi that he continues to keep.

Makes for a great double feature with his more recent short "Sex and violence with mach speed".

I'm not an anime fan. I started to go in to why, but deleted it and decided to write about why I like Dead Leaves. How I am going to do that is by saying that even though I am not a fan of the genre, FLCL is one of my all time favorite viewing experiences. I fell in love with it the moment I saw it, and have owned various DVD releases of it and watched them many times, each viewing finding something new. Until tonight, I was disconsolate that no other anime would ever make me sit up and take notice.

Now, Dead Leaves is not quite to FLCL's level, IMO; however, they are kindred spirits. First of all, it's a short, just over 3/4 of an hour, so it didn't have the time to develop its characters or plot as well, neither does it have the bittersweet, weird love story of FLCL, nor the coming of age subtext rife with adolescent realizations that makes FLCL so special, but then again, it doesn't want or need any of these. What it does have are tons of LOL, WTF and "AWESOME!" moments, packed in so tightly, this is something that will need to be watched again and again. It also shares FLCL's humor, twisted sensibility and style.

Another comment indicates that the director of Dead Leaves also worked on FLCL, but I can't find confirmation of that here on IMDb; however, I would not be surprised in the slightest that that was the case.

This short has given me hope that Japan hasn't only made one anime that I can appreciate. It is confirmed that it has now made at least two.

I thought I had seen it all, then I saw Dead Leaves.

Preface:

From the mind of Hiroyuki Imaishi (director of FLCL and Gurren Lagann) comes this cracktastic adventure of the bizarre and insane. Get ready for a 45m long wild ride on ludicrous speed. It goes full plaid.

Story: 8

Retro- a guy with a TV for a head, and Pandy- a woman with an enormous red eye wake up in the middle of nowhere with no recollection as to how they got there, or what the heck they were doing in the first place. Their inhibitions flung to the wind, they take up arms and go buck wild on the city, only to be rounded up and sent to the prison Dead Leaves, which is located on the half munched-off remainder of the moon. Hilarity, violence, and madness ensue.

Art: 10

Everything about this OVA screams Hiroyuki Imaishi. I loved seeing his unique art style on display- Everything in this looked like the bumper slides from Gurren Lagann for reference, and I thought it was awesome. Crisply animated, and so so so many quick cuts, flashing lights, and fast, fluidly moving action pieces. Vibrant colors, and those glorious stars.

Sound: 8

I watched this in sub, and the voice acting was appropriately outrageous and manic. The energetic music pumped along to the explosions, gunfire, and general mayhem going on screen. Great stuff.

Characters: 8

Okay, so, Pandy the Red-eyed leading lady, and Retro, the deranged TV head team up to figure out just exactly what the heck is going on, along with a skeevy doctor that looks like Zoidberg, but swap the tentacles for bad teeth, some dudes with some not-so-subtle reproductive organ parts for heads, and Mr. Chinko Drill, who has an enormous golden drill for a penis. That's right, a drill, and he's not afraid to use it.

They all play their parts with equal bits psychosis and thirst for violence, and it couldn't be much more entertaining to watch.

Enjoyment: 9

What a rush. Nonstop, quick cut, over the top, sheer craziness from start to finish. It never lets up. Blink, and you might as well be watching something else- it goes FAST. Story on hyperdrive, action on lightspeed- I had to rewind several times after trying to find my jaw to put it back on. The absurd situations, the crude jokes, loved all of it. Couldn't stop laughing the whole time.

Overall: 8.8 (rounding this one up, because it was too much fun) - 9

In typical, addictive Imaishi style, it is extremely irreverent, edgy, and a bit crass, but when combined with his incredible art, a tasty soundtrack, and more gonzo than you've seen since Inferno Cop, and we have a formula for success.

Note: I see this as a sort of spiritual predecessor to Gurren Lagann. The art style definitely was inspired by this, and no-one can deny the introduction of the awesomeness of Spiral Power that we have Dead Leaves to thank for

Normally I ask for a plot in my movies, but when this was movie was finished I realize that you can still have a great movie with practically no plot. This movie gets this score for its amazing animation style, its no bars held style of action, its tongue in cheek humor, and style dripping out of every poor. Some of the humor was a bit low (I'm look at you Drill!) and the story was really confusing, but overall I thought that this movie was one of the most memorable pieces of work I have ever seen. If you come into this movie expecting a deep tapestry, you will be shocked and appalled, but if you liked Kill Bill and movies that are as fast as an fighter jet, rent or buy this movie now!