Aug 2, 2016
In Hana’s first face-to-face encounter with US military she is forced to shoot and kill a soldier. As the soldiers body slumps to the floor we are presented with a brief shot of her hands, still griping the gun, trembling violently. The orchestration quiets briefly. The heavy breathing and the poignant earnest in Hana’s voice as she yells at Shunichi to stay close to her communicates her distress. All of this happens over the course of a few seconds as she only has a moment to lament before pursuers force the pair to keep moving. This is what great storytelling looks like. This is character
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development through visual narrative. Scenes like this (and there are quite a few in this short OVA) speak volumes about the directing talents behind this anime.
The art and sound in Under the Dog is beyond reproach. The choreography for the action sequences is absolutely amazing and the music is emotive and made to fit each scene.
I shed a tear of joy when I realized the bane of anime - the plague of long, contrived verbal exposition to communicate every single happening - hadn’t spread here. Few lines of dialogue are wasted and bits of dialogue that were a bit unclear came full circle in ways that were satisfying. There’s even a [i]Lost in Translation[/i] moment for good measure. It is true however, that while half the English voice acting is passable the other half is absolute garbage.
The pacing is great and amidst chaos, the sense of urgency and scale grows right up until the credits roll.
Let’s also remember this was a Kickstarter project and that chief among the intentions of the team that produced this OVA was to create a pilot episode to generate enough interest to advance future Under the Dog projects. That being said, prepare to be blue-balled. There is a conclusion to a parallel narrative that is the main focus of this OVA but as intended, you will be left with quite a few questions about the overarching story and the characters; maybe too many questions.
The atypical way in which this OVA concludes leaves viewers with the realization that this was just another day in dystopia. The Under the Dog pilot is an example of what Jiro Ishii, Masahiro Ando, and the Under the Dog team at Kinema Studios can do with a tight budget, small staff, and an unstable working environment.
Overall, I really enjoyed the Under the Dog pilot. Apparent in this anime is the power of creative freedom Kickstarter provided but also the burden of autonomous project management. The team behind Under the Dog showcased their talent and the potential of the concept amidst a symphony of blood and explosions. 9/10
Remember, if you want more spread the hype.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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