Anime Films Review: Kurayukaba & Kuramerukagari
- Very Average Joe
- 20 hours ago
- 3 min read
English Title: Kurayukaba
Japanese Title: クラユカバ
Runtime: 1h 3m
Starring: Kanda Hakuzan, Kurosawa Tomoyo
English Title: Kuramerukagari
Japanese Title: クラメルカガリ
Runtime: 1h
Starring: Sakura Ayane, Sakakihara Yuuki, Ootsuka Takeo
Director(s): Tsukahara Shigeyoshi
Screenwriter(s): Tsukahara Shigeyoshi
Studio: Team OneOne
Released: 2024
Kurayukaba and Kuramerukagari are two films set in the same world.
In Kurayukaba, Soutarou is a private detective without work, at least none that pays enough. He is approached by an acquaintance regarding mass disappearances which happens to include one of his clients.
These disappearances are suspected to be linked to the “Dark”, the vast subway and underground city built with little organization. Although people work and live down there, no one knows its layout beyond the parts close to the surface or how vast it truly is, and people have been known to never surface again.
Soutarou is understandably skeptical that the mass disappearances are even real—that is his job—except he also whines and is dismissive. For a guy who needs work, he seems to be a fusspot and is therefore not particularly likeable initially.
Eventually, he does go down to the Dark and the plot follows him as he tries to solve the mystery. He also comes across an armored police train led by a young woman named Takinogawa Tanne—somewhat like a gangster squad. She’s cool but is perhaps too much of the “cool and highly capable anime chick”.
In Kuramerukagari, the city or the mining section of the city has plenty of “Mushikui Cavities” underneath and, whatever the cause, sinkholes are common. As a result, the city changes often, both on the surface and underground. Mapmakers go around, sometimes at great risk, to gather information and draw maps to sell.
The plot follows a young girl named Kagari trying to make a living as a mapmaker in the middle of a conflict between the union and gangs.
Both films are visually brilliant. The design is a mixture of mild steampunk with the aesthetics of the 1940s seen in the West. The rendering is deliberately a little rough, with textures resembling paint daubs and/or conte pastels. The characters are a little too simple in their graduations but that is the style.
There are at times rapid cutting between still shots of objects as well as heavy use of steep camera angles to convey the fantastical but not too surreal world. This really enhances the worldbuilding and atmosphere. The music, which makes use of funky improv jazz, also adds to it.
The main weak point for both films is that the plotting needs to be more refined. In Kurayukaba, Soutarou is not particularly likeable, which is fine, but it takes a little too long for him to get into it. And then the police enter, in some ways “saving the day”. There is nothing wrong with involving the police, but the story fails to make full use of the creative premise and worldbuilding. Even this special police squad, particularly Tanne, can be elaborated on but it doesn’t.
Kagari in Kuramerukagari is much more likable and perhaps is a fuller character. The premise and story are more straightforward and given its nature, she doesn’t have that much agency. This is not a problem in itself if the plotting is better. As a token character to give relief to Kagari’s arc is a detective investigating the intrigue behind the sinkholes, but this arc lacks substance. Otherwise, it is a not-so-subtle commentary on corporate power and its impact on the little people.
For films at one hour in length, even if their opening acts can be quicker, both narratives are still tight, which is appreciated. The problem is that the later key events progress too conveniently. The endings are not deus ex machina, for there is signposting but there is insufficient clarity and it lacks a satisfying denouement.
On balance, both films are not bad. They are worth viewing just for the excellent visuals and worldbuilding.
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