Tekkon Kinkreet

Based on the popular manga by Taiyo Matsumoto, Black and White

I was knee deep in the discount bin of my local GameStop when I first came into contact with Tekkon Kinkreet. I glanced at the cover and immediately fell in love with the artwork (reminded me of Paranoia Agent) then read the synopsis and decided against spinning my money on a used copy of Final Fantasy X-2 and bought the movie. For two weeks  it sat on my bookshelf with other unwatched dvd's. Christmas Eve came, I didn't have anything to do so I decided to watch it.  

Turns out that I was all wrong about this movie. Please don't misunderstand me - Tekkon Kinreet is one of my favorite animated films but the misleading synopsis clearly states that the movie is about "two orphaned street children who attempt to prevent a Yakuza plot to turn their town into an amusement park", so of course I was expecting a happy film about two orphans on a life-changing adventure. 

Yeah....this was not a happy movie about two orphans on a life changing adventure. It's definitely a movie about two orphans and the events that take place are indeed life changing....but not in the happy context that I believed it to be. That has to be the MOST misleading plot synopsis I have ever read in my life. And i'm not even exaggerating.  Sure the main characters Black and White look pretty damn happy on that cover but don't be fooled this isn't a happy-go-lucky family oriented Disney film. There are some particularly disturbing scenes in this film. To be perfectly blunt, this shit is real.

The two main characters are very well developed (as they should have been the plot did focus on them 99% of the movie). Although they share a deep bond the contrast between the characters is established right from the very beginning. Black is a survivalist. He's canny, brutal, and much more clever than the innocent and dreamy White who wants nothing more than to keep the peace and be near Black always. Much of the film focuses on Black's battle with his internal demons. When Black is apart from White the darkness in his soul slowly begins to take him over.  Don't let the plot synopsis fool you. This movie isn't about Yakuza turning a city into an amusement park. This movie is about Black struggling to do what he believes is right for White.  

Top notch artwork, great characterization, and amazing plot. No complaints here.