Ningyo no mori

I love Takahashi's Mermaid Saga and the two OAVs, they have a certain sense of morality that reminds of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and other gothic works. What I don't understand, though is why the original storyline, "A Mermaid Never Smiles," was never animated. It not only introduces Mana's predicament, but also the entire concept of the Mermaids being truly monstrous in a classical sense, not just victims fighting back as in the Mermaid Forest OAV. Mana, for those who haven't read the stories, was kidnapped at birth by a band of earthbound mermaids to be slaughtered at the age of 15 to regenerate their youth. Losing that somehow takes the bite out of Yuta's rage against all things Mermaid.

There isn't so much to say about this OVA but it depicts the relationship of a girl and a boy who have attained eternal life by consuming the flesh of a mermaid. It seems simple and vague but delves into the difficulties and intricacies of the desire to live forever versus the reality of doing so. A simple story but nevertheless beautifully animated and entertaining.

This is a fine piece of work by any measure: even though the animation looks old now, and was not dazzling even in its day, it is well suited to the story: dark but stately, intense at points without letting the gore get out of hand or using it for simple shock value, and aptly conveying the tension as the story of the secluded mansion's residents unfolds. Fans of the manga(comic) will find it a special treat, with faithful renderings of many of the original's most memorable imagery.

But this serves only to frame the story itself, a tale of greed, love, obsession, and the perils of trying to change one's destiny. The mansion's residents and regular guest are portrayed simply but more than adequately, each coming to life as a real and sympathetic character in even their darkest moments. Yuta and Mana, as the protagonists and in many ways observers, are at least not bland in their role, but in their portrayal lies one problem that leaves the whole somewhat unbalanced. As mentioned this work is based upon the comic of the same name, which is part of an ongoing series. Yuta's background, explained earlier in the story, was included as a well-placed flashback as well as mentions in other places, but Mana's, the subject of the first story in the series, is never touched upon. To one who does not know the reasons for her personality and reactions, they can be confusing and even nonsensical: while some attempt was made to portray her more "normally" in order to sidestep the issue, it does not solve it.

All in all, it is a good film, but only an excellent one to those who have read the earlier stories of the series.

The story concerns the struggle between a woman's self-preservation and ethics. What Mermaid Forest lacks visually is made up by its ability to convey a strong message. The fact that this film teaches is more apparent than most other animes I've seen. Whether you agree or not it shows how simple humans cannot escape their fate, the attempt to do so results in consequences for those around him or her. It's doubtful that watching Mermaid Forest will alter one's life forever but I appraise it for succeeding in what it tried to do. I'm only bothered by how Mana, the most obvious victim, cares very little about what happens to her. I find that unrealistic and somewhat annoying.