What if I told you… that this was the best of the bunch? What if I told you that this film is not only the best in the series thus far, but the best it will ever be? The quality equivalent of the Mona Lisa, The Godfather, Tom Brady; the best of its time and the objective masterpiece that exceeds all others. What if I told you that it not only deserves a perfect 10/10 rating, but exceeds that into a realm never once even conceived, something within the range of 10/-10 or 101/010. What if I told you that the film doesn’t deserve any of this?
Creating a sense of self is important for any and all works, something that distinguishes it from the masses and gives it a flavor that can be enjoyed not just by anybody, but nobody. Kara no Kyoukai 5 has a repertoire of dazzling phenomenons that give it a desirable emptiness that helps establish a line of structure within the madness. Think to a series such as Steins;Gate or The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, series that take advantage of hasty logical prompts through use of time travel and alternate realities. Think to what these series accomplish with their winding stories, constantly looping within themselves to create absurd resolutions and harrowing character experiences. Part 5 has a defensive mechanism to use this as a crutch.
It’s high time the films within this series take advantage of the situation and reveal what’s important and worth watching about their cast of faces. Not only is there above average development for key characters, it even manages to make new characters tolerable. The third member of the main group whom I left unnamed in past reviews (Sorry), Aozaki, becomes vital to the explanation of the confusion that takes place, and masterfully gives her a lot of credibility on top of her absurdity. The world that Kara no Kyoukai creates and leads up to ’till this point becomes far more clear than in past presentations, giving firm realization to the audience that they have been watching for a reason.
What a confusing story. One that takes up so much time and tries to overcomplicate itself for the sake of appearing well-developed and deeply insightful. Plenty of development around the characters and the story are presented in a fulfilling way, almost as if the director decided to unleash their creative monsters. Previous films lacked effort in presentation, whether through story, character interaction, or action. Blending this all makes a frivolous monotony present that tarnishes the films’ ability to remain entertaining. Part 5 makes up for this tremendously with erratic camera movements, abrupt scene transitions, and a controlled chaos that usually works in the film’s favor from an artistic viewpoint. In layman’s terms, the film puts a lot more effort into making itself feel enthusiastic for what it’s doing compared to its previous line-up.
Darkness and gore always play an unnecessary factor in this series thus far, as little about this changes here. Constant reminders of despairing details haunt the characters and their dilemmas, giving emphasis on the humanity of the cast and, pray tell, THE POWER OF EMOTIONS!!! Imagery has a wonderful way of distorting one’s expectations, especially when concerning the fragility of people, whether physically or emotionally. Many times I prayed that characters were down and out for good, only to become mocked as they revert back to a comfortable state. One thing that can be said is the film doesn’t know what to tell you and it adores it.
Another step up is the art and animation direction. No, really. The amount of dark detail shown makes for an engrossing experience on top of an already ecstatic style of presentation. Scenes are given more importance through manner of specific details—whether through words or certain objects, and are animated in a crazy slideshow similar to that of the Monogatari series. Fluidity improves, gore is more obscene, spectacles are more intriguing, and abject magic gives meaningful allure. One could very well pass off the tale and the characters just to sit in awe of the twists and turns of the impressive detail.
It is the best of its kind. Not that that matters. It has style, precision, and a controlled mess that somehow becomes engaging enough to follow through with, better established by the developments shown in previous films. With the foundations in place, Part 5 becomes more important to the establishing of characters and the chaotic muscles of the symbolic, psychological plotline. Through the lens of the big picture, it may not prove very important, as it’s simply an isolated incident with more promised in the end. However, what it does show is an impressive amount of detail the series has been hesitant to reveal in pictures past. Characters feel sparsely real, with a story that tries very, very hard to be evoking of a multitude of emotions, effort that doesn’t go unnoticed. A wild ride at its core, though perhaps not one that many of a more experienced palette will find very fulfilling.
Final Score: 7.5/10
The rating for this title and all others can be found on MyAnimeList.
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