Summer Wars

'Summer Wars' is another excellent exponent of the Japanese anime genre, directed by Mamoru Hosoda, whose modest (so far) directorial cannon includes 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time' (not to be mistaken for one of the Stieg Larsson trilogy!), which is also highly enjoyable. This film is a lively and colourful affair, nicely evoking the optimism and energy of the season, and its large cast of characters is well drawn in both senses, each one sketched with enough care and detail to be believable and interesting, and to make their own distinct contribution to the story, despite there being some twenty family members or so to deal with, no mean feat. The plot is bedded in the technology of future, an almost ubiquitous theme for the genre, but the story’s posit of a worldwide virtual network to which every financial institution, emergency service and government agency links, and indeed some cedes control of its systems, is hardly Science Fiction! Events take a turn for the worst of course, but despite the action being centred on a bright and colourful online world, and a plethora of cuddly personal avatars, Hosoda invests the conflict with a dark malevolence that is convincing, and delivers a real sense of threat. ‘Summer Wars’ may look at first glance like a kid’s film, but don’t dismiss it as ‘some kind of Pokémon’, the film delivers some emotional passages and a sweet central relationship that you will root for. All in all very satisfying for fans of the genre, and has something to offer those who are not. For me, the final note strays from the tone of the piece, but that is a minor quibble. Treat yourself to a dose of optimism.

Summer Wars seems to be aimed at the keyboard jockeys who spend there lives in cyber-space. This is definitely their film; essentially they're the hero's - who save the day. It's all a bit nerdy but at the same time brilliant. The unity of family here is strongly voiced. As it should be.

Having watched one of the brightest and most inventive one-off Japanese anime’s for some time I must say I am very impressed by this multi-character, multi-plotted story of young love, technology and most important of all family. There are not many live action films that manage to cross thread a multitude of feasible on-going plots, yet this film appears to seamlessly transition micro-real world, macro-real world and alternative reality contexts as if it was an everyday affair. The use of anime as SUMMER WARS crosses between drama, action and hyper real action is very well accomplished and not at all jarring (as some action or techno-centric anime can tend to be). For anyone looking for a reference point for this anime world it is not simply another GHOST IN THE SHELL, but you may enjoy it if you have heard of PAPRIKA. Even if you have no anime point of reference then you will be well advised and in a good position to appreciate this film from a place of discovery and as a template for everything that you should expect from a subtitled anime that you are trying out. If you can stand to watch this without a further reference point then I say go ahead and do it, otherwise (DO NOT READ ON…), but you could say that the live action equivalent of this film would look like THE ROYAL TENNEBAUMS having a get together inside the story of GHOST IN THE SHELL 2: INNCOCENCE…make of that what you will!

It was an unusual film and not what I was expecting from the trailer. It has loads of interesting characters and lots of different sub plots. I really enjoyed it as a one off watch. Doesn't compare to Studio Ghibli produced anime though.

Quite memorable, definitely something to put on your to-watch list! I was sceptical at first, but the story and the animation won me over - the animation in particular was very eye pleasing! Not necessarily one of the classics, but still a must.