More Than Miss Hokusai: Director Keiichi Hara’s Fantastical Movies
A few months ago, I wrote a few articles about the films of Keiichi Hara, an anime director I believe to be criminally ignored in the West. Anime News Network have since posted an article from me that is an overview of Hara’s career and movies. Feel free to read it at the following link:
If you’re interested in reading my individual reviews of his films, you can find them here:
Summer Days With Coo
This is his first anime movie, and a heartwarming, if odd family/fantasy drama. It’s easily available on blu-ray.
Colorful
A fairly intense examination of teenage depression and suicide, this is a fantastic film, but really uncomfortable to watch at times. Unfortunately the blu-ray for this is out-of-print.
Miss Hokusai
By far his most famous work (in the West, anyway), this historical biopic is full of strange anachronisms and fantastical touches.
Birthday Wonderland (also known as The Wonderland)
His most recent, most family-friendly, and most traditional fantasy film, very Ghibli-esque in presentation, heavily inspired by Lewis Carroll.
I’ve written several more pieces for Anime News Network, and I’ll post links to them here whenever they’re posted.
Thanks for reading!
