My Oni Girl

"My Oni Girl" plays with fire, in it utilizes a lot of story tropes that drive me crazy in less talented hands. I typically hate stories where misunderstandings lead to people running away. I hate vague world building with unclear consequences. And I hate when stories take an extreme tonal shift part way through the story. But, in this film, these things didn't bother me as much. The secret to that success comes down to the likability of our main characters.

The animation and voice acting are both really good. I want to give a special shoutout to Victoria Washington who plays Tsumugi in the English Dub, she does a great job conveying all the emotions this character goes on.

The first half of the movie is almost formatted like it could be episodes in an anime series. The two leads come across various characters on their adventure and help them out in some way. This isn't a format I typically enjoy. But in this one we get to see how kind and thoughtful our main character Hiigari is. Hiigari is just the nicest guy, the type of guy that would give you the shirt off his back.

The worldbuilding might be vague, but the audience is given just enough information to keep things grounded yet mysterious.

The movie takes a drastic turn in tone about halfway through. Always refreshing when a movie keeps you on your toes.

Much like the Tsumugi, the movie might be a little demon, but it so cute and likable I can't help but enjoy it.

This movie started with promise and held interest until the last 20 minutes or so. At that point very strange things started happening with no rational explanation or relation to the plot (such as people suddenly falling through the air for no reason... and without dying, as a start). There was such an extreme amount in this movie that is totally left unexplained:

Why the mother left in the first place.

What are Oni? (The girl and her village definitely doesn't fit traditional explanation.)

What are the Snow Gods and why are they attacking Oni?

I would go on with several more items but that would get into spoilers... if it's possible to spoil a movie with no actual plot.

There are so very many strings left dangling at the end of this movie, and it is so disappointing after a promising start. I don't really understand why anyone would like this movie, nor why anyone would think it has exceptional animation, because the animation is merely average.

I would have to call the concept uninspired, the story-line unfulfilling and lazy, and the overall movie a waste of viewer time. I will never understand how scripts like this ever make it to production. Evidently the writers/director had something they saw in their mind and just took it for granted the audience would "get it". But there's not enough substance to this movie to even call it a story. It's pointless and without satisfying explanation of mysteries presented throughout-- with the audience left hanging at the end.

Although all the characters are written fine, I do have an issue with Tsumugi. She's not badly written but can act stubbornly stupid at times. She does not seem to know what she wants. Kind of person who will ask for your help one minute, but then later tell you to get away, she doesn't need your help. She is a very cliche "I need to do this myself" sort of character. At the same time, it makes absolutely no sense, as what is going on really does have an impact on others, and this is not all about her. It's a character that thinks she's being brave but is truly being selfish.

Another disappointment is the onis themselves; they did not carry anything interesting but their horns, no difference in culture or language, they even wear the same clothes as humans, yet live away from them just because. This is pretty much like a Studio Ghibli movie, kinda like Spirited Away, minus the magic. The animation does all right, but nothing visually spectacular here. And it lacks that interesting relationship between the main characters that you get in a Ghibli film. Sometimes the story feels like it doesn't make a lick of sense, and sometimes it feels like something's happening simply because. That being said, the story wasn't written in an interesting enough manner where you really cared about the stakes by the end.

Of course they are high schoolers, of course there are fireworks, of course parents have little to no effect on their children at all, of course it's full of supernatural stuff going on, of course they shower after rain but this time, it's not rain, it's snow.

Characters have no personality, you don't get what this movie is about. What's the message? What is the point? Why are we watching? NOTHING EXPLAINED! Just like most animes, you just have to accept whatever you see i guess.

The only ok part was the few 20 mins which was relaxing. But then as soon as supernatural things start, it becomes unbearable.

SKIP IT, WATCH SOMETHING WORTHY.

It's a beautiful animation, but personally I found it limp and empty. Can be a good choice for children's maybe, but don't watch it to have a good time or good thinking.

I was really bored, there were terrible lengths and poorly managed pacing for my taste. There's some unexplained mysteries, normaly I don't like stories that leave mysteries open and without explanation, but they were so little captivating that I didn't even tried to think about them.

I nosedived several times and sped through the end... Nothing special about it, it left me with a kind of time lost feeling.

Probably not my style.