REVIEW: Hotarubi no Mori e

There are no spoilers in this review.

PLOT: Hotaru is rescued by a spirit named Gin when she gets lost in a forest as a child. The two become friends, despite the spirit revealing that he will disappear if he is ever touched by a human.


THE GOOD: Story. Hotarubi no Mori e is adapted from a manga by Yuki Midorikawa, which was published in 2003. Japanese animation studio Brain's Base decided to make an anime film based on the story. It's their first film, but at 45 minutes in length, that's debatable. Still, I will treat this like a film review since it did get a theatrical release in Japan. Some of the more popular anime series that Brain's Base has worked on are Baccano, Spice and Wolf II, and Durarara. With Hotarubi no Mori e, story is more important than style. There's not much to the story as it can be seen as a rather simple fairy tale. But it's capturing and really gets you hoping and rooting for something to happen. This is not the action-oriented or violent stuff that we always see ported over to the States. This is mellow and heartwarming anime and something that would even be appropriate for kids (my 4-year-old watch it).

This is where I would run away if I were a little kid.

THE BAD: Animation. Hotarubi no Mori e is missing that slick, smooth, and shiny cinematic quality when it comes to the animation. The animation is good, but looks about the same as any of Brain's Base's regular series work. There is a rather beautiful climax to the film, but it would have been nice to have seen that quality throughout. Still, don't let this deter you from seeing this great little movie.

Bondage can be so funny.

THE END: As someone who continues to watch anime on a weekly basis, I can tell you that Hotarubi no mori e is a movie worth checking out for any anime fan. This is especially so if you are tired of the action-oriented anime films that have been reaching our shores. Its short running time can be seen as a benefit, especially if you end up not caring much for the movie. I recommend checking this one out.


DISCUSS: What did you think of Hotarubi no mori e? Do you watch anime? What has been your favorite anime film from the last few years? Did you read the manga?

GIN: *whispers* If I farted really loud, would you tell anyone?