Hashire Melos (Movie)

Hashire Melos is one of the good ones. I don’t remember how to write, so I’ll use MyAnimeList’s comical segment ratings: story, art, sound, character, and enjoyment will be self evident. The story of of Hashire Melos is based on a book by Osamu Dazai. Despite being anime and Japan-written, this Greek legend captures the style and telling techniques of mythology, sans the tragic ending(this is not a spoiler because the beginning of the movie shows that they’re alive in the end). For example, Hashire Melos features a flawed protagonist who faces a tragic fate out of his control. It seems like the city ofSyracuse really takes advantage of Melos in the beginning. In Homeric fashion, a series of trials presents themselves to Melos, whether predetermined or driven by the fates themselves. Man, I don’t remember Greek literature. I read Homer’s Odyssey in 12th grade. I took Latin. I know things. The sound design is pretty good, dude. I’m a sucker for good footstep sound effects such as Ocarina of Time and Mario 64, and let me tell you: the sandals slap in this one. People got swords and junk, and they swing them, and these swords sound so distinct, especially for anime. The swords sound heavy and blunt and inelegant, which is what swords were like back then. Swords in the BC era, yeah, they’re sharp, but they resembled big, metal sticks, and their bluntness was just as likely to strike down armored foes than cut them. But, yeah, the sword swings were good. The soundtrack is very understated but effective. In the 1990s, midi became a potentially cheap replacement for full-blown orchestra. This gives a certain gravitas to the story’s emotional framework while retaining a certain degree of nostalgic, endearing educational tape vibe. There are leitmotifs at play that accent the scene’s themes well and are so subtle that it’s entirely possible you’ll miss the recurring theme on your first viewing. Aforementioned weightiness of the swords is courtesy of Iso Mitsuo and Utsunomiya Satoru. Iso is famously responsible for the End of Evangelion fight in which Asuka lumberingly swung a huge, blunt weapon. It seems to be a subject Iso returned to often in his career. Utsunomiya is from a similarly weighty, realistic, and detailed school of movement, a legend in his own right as well. Years before Kon Satoshi, of Perfect Blue and Paprika fame, would bloom as a director, he was credited along with many other talents as a key animator on this film. From Inoue Toshiyuki, to Takahashi Shinya, and Itou Kouji, there’s a real wealth of unique talent brought to this film. Oono Hiroshi brings a pleasantly soft background art direction that evokes the beauty of the Grecian landscapes, sunsets whose warmth bursts from the screen, moody rains, and cool, shady forests with beautiful lighting. This movie exudes emotions of melancholy and hope visually through effective color use, lighting, and texture. All backed by the shot compositions of the rarely appreciated but extraordinarily talented director Oosumi Masaaki. Reportedly, he approached the film by verbally describing the scenes to his storyboard artists. Masaaki’s method allows for a beautifully ornate look bound together by an experienced sense of editing flow and punctual portrayal of its emotional highs. I love how dusty and brown everything was, yet the city is still lively. The environments looked very lived in. I really liked the character designs in this movie, as well as the way faces were drawn. Careful attention to angle and definition were considered in shots of a character’s reflection. I like how a lot of characters have big, round noses; they really anchor their faces in the lineart. My friend used the words “character acting” to describe the Emperor, and I strongly agree, his face is well sculpted to be old and slightly drooping, yet with a solid jawline and very readable, complex emotional expression. There’s also a moment in the beginning, when two characters back-and-forth without words but with gestures, which is great characterization for both main characters and throwaways. Character is basically the same section as story, but here I’ll write about how the characters tie into the story and the self-declared theme of trust. Selinuntius trusts Melos, and despite the emperor’s efforts to instil doubt in him, he remains calmly confident in Melos’ follow-through. Selinuntius is inspired to feel trust again due to something in his past, which I won’t spoil. Dionysius, the emperor, wishes to teach his people a lesson about the dangers of trust, as the safety of his city is kept by caution toward strangers. Melos himself doesn’t earn much trust in his life due to his clumsiness, but he craves it and strives to nurture his sudden hope from Selinuntius. Melos is very naturally trusting, himself, which is what throws him into this scenario in the first place, getting tricked by slick city salesmen into entering a big, bad misunderstanding. It’s a heartwarming sentimentality, which the movie earns through trials which Melos endures. I do an all-or-nothing review structure, of “smell my Gak! Is it good, or is it gross??”, and this movie is good. Hashire Melos is a good movie, and I like it.

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