Japanese animation films aren't usually the kind of thing I watch - I think some bozo at my rental firm must have confused this with the 2009 live-action version - but I decided to give it a go anyway. While I can't say I was pleasantly surprised by this film, I had no problem sitting through its brief running time.
Apparently, this film was intended to be the second in a trilogy. Why they made the second film first God only knows, but presumably shortage of funds was the reason why this is the only film out of the three to be made. Because of this the film starts a little abruptly because it's assumed the audience are familiar with the central characters. Apparently Saya, a schoolgirl, is a one-of-a-kind demon hunter who is having a few issues with her taskmasters and rather reluctantly chases demons to a school on an American military airbase.
The animation is a strange hybrid of CGI and hand-drawn that doesn't really work, although having said that, some scenes stand out for their impact, and there are some decent attempts at making this more than just another animation. The direction is quite imaginative - if derivative - but the basic weakness of the plot ultimately lets the film down.
Apparently, this film was intended to be the second in a trilogy. Why they made the second film first God only knows, but presumably shortage of funds was the reason why this is the only film out of the three to be made. Because of this the film starts a little abruptly because it's assumed the audience are familiar with the central characters. Apparently Saya, a schoolgirl, is a one-of-a-kind demon hunter who is having a few issues with her taskmasters and rather reluctantly chases demons to a school on an American military airbase.
The animation is a strange hybrid of CGI and hand-drawn that doesn't really work, although having said that, some scenes stand out for their impact, and there are some decent attempts at making this more than just another animation. The direction is quite imaginative - if derivative - but the basic weakness of the plot ultimately lets the film down.