Shôjo tsubaki

Anime to film are always a bit rough. Especially trying to translate some of the weirdo stories, like this one per say. For the most part it's a very faithful retelling for better or worse. And for the most part it is for worse. Some the ideas just don't work in a live action movie. And this movie definitely test those limits coming off looking goofy then dark and adult as the original material was. I will say the costume and set designer did an amazing job matching the aesthetic of the manga. And for the most part this movie is shot beautifully. Incredible colors all though the film. And I think for the most part the actors did justice for their parts. And I like the animated segments. But over all this whole film is just so unnecessary. It's mediocre affair all around it just comes off as a little more then some soft core, modestly budgeted, cosplay centric version of the anime. But I will say you have to watch the big scene and if you seen the anime or read manga you know what I'm talking about. It's not great but I applaud what they tried to do.

I had very low hopes for this after seeing the original, and was expecting to be traumatised all over again. Considering the difficult subject matter and the fact they had an incomplete piece to work from, it's very well done. Yes, some parts are low budget and wouldn't stand up against Hollywood's greats. But it stays very faithful to the original animation, and the changes that were made take it from the gratuitous torture p*rn it was and gives it back some humanity. I actually came away having enjoyed it, instead of feeling traumatised like I did from the from the anime.

Props to them for making Midori's character a more ambiguous age. We all know what she was intended to be, but the actress cast made it morally watchable. Finally, the costumes were brilliant and the additions of the animated scenes to show, not tell are perfectly used.