Aug 9, 2021
[Warning! This Review contains story/symbolism spoilers!]
To the average watcher, Taku Boda may initially appear as nothing more than a short simple animation project, with no deeper meaning than a showcase of colorful boxes with a hint of music. I'm happy to tell you, average watcher, that you have missed the forest for the trees, as Taku Boda is a masterful commentary and warning of totalitarianism and its consequences.
Taku Boda begins of an ominous message of "nice to see you". Before we are able to understand or contemplate, the audience is introduced to a world of colorful blocks in different patterns, an appealing individualist utopia.
...
It wastes no time in shattering its false idealistic state by revealing its true face of its blocks moving in lockstep with one another, reminiscent of the goose steps of 20th century dictatorships. The colorful facades of individuality each block once represented change with the shifting patterns the blocks form on demand from a ever going and demanding puppeteer aided with the rhythmic tune. To the audience horror the blocks once so appealing and magical have been turned into obedient slaves ever turning and changing on demand with no resistance to offer.
For 2 minutes we are shown the frightening sequence of machine like behavior, with little understanding of the goal of such movement is, before they finally all come to the same shade of blue and combine together. With the final goal complete, we are shown the final horrible sight of an unblinking staring eye. Reminiscent of 1984's 'Big Brother', the eye represents the never ending gaze of the totalitarian state on its subjugated populace of blocks, and now, you the viewer who has earned its attention. A scary reminder that if we are not careful, we may very well become the ever obedient ever marching boxes, fooled into thinking we our individuals when really we are just gears in the machine.
Truly a master stroke of animation, music, and symbolism. A must-see for dystopia enthusiasts and for future generations as an ever-present warning.
5/10.
Reviewer’s Rating: 5
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