Tekkonkinkreet. A rather unusual movie about a rather unusual story. Being directed by the first non-Japanese director of a major anime film, it has a lot to prove. While the cover can be misleading, the content is even more disguised and covered with many shadows. What is going on with the film? I hope I can answer that by the end of this review.

Details

• Directed by: Michael Arias
• Produced by: Eiko Tanaka, Naoki Kitagawa, Yasushi Shiina, Masao Teshima
• Written by: Anthony Weintraub
• Music by: Plaid Studio, Studio 4°C
• Licensed by: Sony Pictures
• Released: December 22, 2006
• Runtime: 110 minutes

Synopsis

From MyAnimeList:

Black and White are two orphans who roam the streets of Treasure Town, beating down any thug or yakuza who gets in their way. When mysterious foreign entrepreneurs appear with the intention of tearing down Treasure Town and replacing it with an amusement park, Black and White face their greatest adversaries yet. It is up to the destructive Black to save the fate of the city and up to the gentle White to save Black from his own dark nature. 

Story

I watched it with little to no expectations, but it absolutely blew my mind. Tekkonkinkreet has multilayered themes yet at the same time it serves a very simple cast of characters. Fast and gritty action scenes are combined with slow and relaxing shots when both protagonists show us their daily routines.

Tekkonkinkreet takes place in an amalgation of many cultures such as Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and European. With the fact that the film itself seems so vibrant and lively, it hold darker undertones. In a world where everything is corrupt yet everyone seems to think that it's the norm, Tekkonkinkreet presents us with many dualities and half-truth. All the supposedly "bad guys" who act cruelly are shown to be loving and endearing to their loved ones. Yet at the same time, the supposedly "good guys" who act innocently are hiding their darker sides. While the old love and cherish the town, the young seem to hate it. Even the protagonists are shown to be morally ambiguous.

Power struggle seems to be the main theme here along with friendship. This "struggle" can take place either in the real world or in one's internal psyche. Over the course of the film, many factions and sides try to gain control of Treasure Town, exerting their influence through pure violence or political moves. The inner conflict of Kuro who is rapidly descending to madness is also the major driving force of plot progression.

Even though the pacing can be unstable from time to time, I thoroughly enjoy watching how each characters seems to have side plots. I mean, while there are only two main protagonists, I get the feeling where there are more. It's also interesting to note that the ending is very heartwarming, even though it's quite predictable and no remarkable plot twists.

Visual

Tekkonkinkreet has many to offer in case of visual style. Its unique and distinct character style combined with fluid fighting scenes make the whole experience entertaining even though there are scenes that seem unnecessary. Surreal imagery, symbols, and graphical motifs help Arias to achieve the one-of-a-kind visual art that it has. Strange, it's not quite often I see anime which tries break the norm.

I think it's safe to say, the level of proficiency in the film is quite high. It is so high that you can even feel yourself jumping from the building when the characters do it, you can feel the pain when the characters are hit, and you can feel the heat when the characters are walking along the street.

Audio

While the soundtrack doesn't really strike me as remarkable, the acting and voice cast impress me. The raw emotions emanating from Shiro and Kuro are tremendously powerful. From their voice, you can tell the real struggle and conflict. Not else much to say though other than the quality acting. Well, I think the soundtrack does its job properly.

Characters

Interesting and unusual characters exist in the film. They are from a wide range of political and social spectrum. Even the antagonists are not really clear all the time, changing from one scene to another. With that being said, Tekkonkinkreet really did something wonderful, which is creating one of superb cast of characters.

Shiro and Kuro truly show what children do when there are no adults around. Throughout the film, Shiro is in reality just wants to be a normal kid. Kuro on the other hand sees that it is his duty to protect his partner from the cruel and harsh life. That's why they are such a deadly and powerful combination. I am quite amazed to see the other side of Shiro when he feels that Kuro is threatened that results in him resorting to inhumane ways.

Other characters such as Nezumi and Kimura, like I said before have their own little side plots. That what makes Tekkonkinkreet shines from other animes in its own circle.

Conclusion

Tekkonkinkreet is one of those films that is more than meets the eye. It started with a slow-paced introduction and exploded to a griping fast-paced action. The dynamic duo of Shiro and Kuro is very entertaining. Many deep and dark themes lurk in its wake, yet at the same time there heartfelt and precious scenes where our heroes are together.