Jul 10, 2014
While I haven't reviewed the Blood-C anime prior to speaking my piece on the film, I just want to say that I have too many mixed feelings about the aforementioned to do so properly. Still, those are only attributed to the storyline. I believe that I may have been in a small percentage of people who eagerly awaited the movie after seeing the brief PV shortly after the 12th episode.
I mean, this is the studio Production I.G.! If anything, you'd be willing to watch for the superb animation quality alone. That was definitely a positive aspect of the Blood-C movie experience and quite a step
...
up from the anime which never failed to deliver on that premise.
Let's jump into the details!
Story (8): Dear readers, I'm pretty sure you've already scanned through the synopsis on My Anime List or Anime News Network, so I won't disappoint you with cited copy pasta. Blood-C: The Last Dark is a continuation of the anime story line and introduces a gathering of new characters as well as bringing back a few familiar faces from the series.
Main protagonist Saya Kisaragi (更衣 小夜 Kisaragi Saya) voiced by Mizuki Nana, finds herself involved with an organization rebeling against internet censorship that goes by the name of SIRRUT. With their assistance, Saya finds herself closer to locating the whereabouts of Fumito. The movie is honestly very straightforward from Point A to B, with few side quests or distractions along the way. Nothing complex. There is character interaction, don't get me wrong, but for a movie the overall plot did feel a bit rushed. If you're watching mainly for the animation, then this won't matter too much.
Animation (10): Once again, we are being treated a la Production I.G. If you're a serious anime fan or have followed their productions, you probably already know of their most famous works (ie: Ghost in the Shell).
Blood-C: The Last Dark had consistent, fluid animation from the intro to the final scene before the credits. The colors were vibrant, the cars were beautifully rendered, backgrounds were well-detailed, heck there was barely an idle person on screen in the train station who wasn't brought to life instead of being grayed out. Since most of the film took place in Tokyo, the art was very representational of the bustling city itself.
The characters, while still designed by CLAMP, were lovely and more proportional body wise this time around (for those put off by their signature art style). I LOVED Saya's eyes in the film. They gave her such a breath of realism and it really made her stand out among the others. The fight scenes weren't out of this world insane but maybe that's simply because Saya barely broke a sweat while bringing her foes to their demise.
There are moments where you might be on the edge of your seat, rooting for our main heroine to deliver the final blow. Kill 'em Saya! The blood was excessive, rightfully so given the name of the movie but in my opinion not as overdone as in the anime series.
Sound & Music (8): The soundtrack was composed by Naoki Sato (Eureka Seven and the recent Ruroni Kenshin film), complemented by the ending theme "Metro Baroque" by Mizuki Nana. The BGM never failed to deliver during action scenes or key points but none of the tracks stayed with me hours after the movie. The seiyuu cast was on point, with my personal favorite Kana Hanazawa as Hiro Tsukiyama (月山 比呂 Tsukiyama Hiro), definitely-not-out-of-place moe character (a.k.a. 13 year old hacker). Each represented their character types perfectly.
Final Impression: Blood-C: The Last Dark is a good movie to kick back and watch if you've got an hour to chill and don't want to fall asleep halfway through the middle of what you're watching. It won't always have you hanging on the edge of your seat in suspense but it will dazzle you with its gorgeous animation. For any fans of the Blood-C series, The Last Dark gives some answers but not complete closure. It may leave you with some sense of astonishment towards the end. Whether this alludes to another film or series, no one knows. For CLAMP fans, expect some cameos from their other works. I'll admit I was surprised at who showed up.
My overall rating for the film is a score of 8. I would recommend this to fans of the anime and people looking for a movie that is purely plot driven and not too heavily dependent on filler. And last but not least, it's a totally awesome watch with friends!
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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