Genji Monogatari

As I have not read the Genji Monogatari, I thought I should give my view on this. I'm not really familiar with Heian period, even though I like stories that take place in ancient Japan. The only thing I knew of Genji Monogatari was that it revolved around a man named Genji and his love life. Story: 3 I think the story would have been more enjoyable was it not sooooo sloooow. I almost fell asleep at one point, which I rarely do. This anime has not utilized the time they got efficiently enough. It could have either reduced the time for the plot, or madethe plot more complex. Trying to keep up with the plot was difficult, because the characters were too similar with each other (both visually and characteristically). Also I think the focus was too much in Genji, because I couldn't really grasp what the other characters' personalities were. Art: 7 The art was refreshing, as if watching woodblock prints. I had to take some time to adjust myself with all the lipstick though. I didn't like it how every woman looked so similar, because it made it difficult to recognize them from one another. Animation pacing was slow, which was sometimes good, and sometimes painful to watch. I wish they had used more angles and movement for the camera, because I think it was too static and straightforward. Sound: 8 I actually liked the music that was used. It was a nice blend of old and new, which didn't bother me, and actually fit the atmosphere. Characters: 2 As mentioned, the women were difficult to tell apart, and Genji gave me an impression of a boy who didn't know what he wanted, swore his loyalty to his lovers, but ran off to another's arms when things got difficult. Enjoyment: 2 For a person who didn't know anything about the story beforehand, this was terrible to watch. I did like it visually though, but the plot was impossible to follow because of the pace. Overall: 3

Genji Monogatari is the type of film that will only be enjoyable to certain types of people. It seems to be the type of film that you either find brilliant or a waste of time, no in between. If you are patient and can enjoy a film for more than just its story, then I think you will find Genji Monogatari to be a valuable cinematic experience. I came across this film randomly one night in my YouTube recommended. I thought the thumbnail picture was interesting, so I clicked it and only planned to watch the first five minutes to see what it was like soI could decide if I wanted to watch it some other time. (This was at midnight as I was scrolling my phone before bed.) Instead, I ended up watching the entire movie right then, staying up way later than I usually do just because I was too fascinated to pause it til tomorrow. Sound 10/10 First and foremost, this movie is defined by its music. I am a huge fan of soundtracks and always take care to pay attention to the sound of a movie, and I promise that this soundtrack by Haruomi Hosono has to be the best film score I've ever heard -- American, Japanese, or otherwise. The mixture of natural ambience, Japanese folk instruments, and melancholy chord progressions manifests a unique vibe that defines the movie. At times the music feels almost vaporwave with its slow, moody '80s synths (such as the song "Kechigan"), and at other times it feels ethereal and heavenly beyond human capability (the song "Wakamurasaki" is particularly striking). If nothing else, this soundtrack demands admiration. Art 10/10 The other major strength of this movie is its lovely art style. Faces, clothing, scenery, etc. are all drawn in such an interesting way. The color choice is also excellent. You can also notice the attention to detail in the artwork. For example, in the Heian Period, it was considered inappropriate for the inside of your mouth to be visible, so people would speak with their lips as closed as possible -- which you can see in how they drew their speaking, the lips barely move. The layers of beautiful clothing -- so much so that they are a burden to walk -- are also historically accurate of Heian aristocracy. There are parts of the film that are experimental, such as the strange opening credits and the ending. The visuals are really such a treat. Story 6/10 Truth be told, the story itself is not that thrilling. I had never heard of Genji Monogatari before watching, so I couldn't figure out what was happening for a lot of the movie. The plot is best enjoyed if you read what it's about beforehand (like I send, I jumped right in without even reading the description) and I know some other reviewers said its not entirely loyal to the ancient classic. On the other hand, I understood what was going on well enough for the ending to have an emotional tug on me, so if you really pay attention you'll be fine. Characters 6/10 While Genji isn't exactly likable, he does perfectly capture the quintessential "handsome prince" of the Heian Period -- angsty, reserved, polyamorous, and beautiful. If you ever read up on the Heian Period (or watch the Crash Course on YouTube) the aristocracy really behaved like this. They spoke in poems and slept around and acted sad all the time -- that was the culture. To that effect, the movie captured Heian life well. However, beyond the historical accuracy, most of the characters are pretty flat. I had trouble telling the various women apart because they were drawn very similarly (except their hair, I realized) and all acted basically exactly the same. No one had any flavor to them -- each character was interchangeable with all the others, personality wise. Overall, Genji Monogatari is movie best enjoyed alone, in the dark, with the best speaker system and biggest screen you can access. Resist the urge to check your phone during the slow parts, don't pause it to go get food or finish a different time. I highly recommend watching John Green's Crash Course on the Heian Period prior to watching the movie so that you can appreciate (and understand) what you're seeing.

Beautifull art revealing a romantical story under the mystical sound splendid aisian music... Art and music - pure 10. This movie has its own unique style and approach to the Tale of Genji. The storyline is not my favorite cupó'tea but the historical set compensates greatly. My overall enjoyment - 8, as it lacks dynamics, which i love in anime ( not being very patient lol) 100% Must watch old school classic for everyone who treasure rare gems, like this one.

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