Two orphans, named Black and White, fight for control of Treasure Town, a fictional, decaying city in Japan. These juvenile delinquents do what they must to survive.
At first, the art style isn’t much to look at. However, the characters designs are interesting, and the detailed backgrounds pull you into this barbaric dystopia. The action scenes are well-done, and the dream-like sequences help to set forth the mystical feel of the film. The voices and music are nicely done as well.
The story itself is rather simplistic; the film’s charm lies in its atmosphere, mood, and symbolism. The underbelly of a decaying city, stuck in a power struggle between street thugs and Yakuza. Color, astrology, religion, mythological figures, and animals all play an important role, but how they are interpreted is up to the viewer. Myself? I would say it’s about moral descent in society and how balance is needed. Lots of yin & yang ideas floating around in this film.
Despite clocking in at about two hours, I never felt bored and was invested with what happened next. If you’re an anime fan, check it out. The movie has an interesting(if not very realistic) world with many layers to it. It does get violent at times, so I can’t recommend it for kids.
Animation 4.2/5
Sound 4.0/5
Story 4.3/5
Characters 4.5/5
Overall 4.3/5
Trailer: