Those who are familiar with Takashi Murakami's work will instantly recognize the elements that are the essentials of his art in Jellyfish Eyes, which goes beyond the instantly recognizable creatures (F.R.I.E.N.D.s). There is the plot line, which is classic melodramatic anime plot that has elements of family life, school life, and supernatural science fiction stuff. The "good" characters are interested, and at times conflicted, but the "bad" characters (there really is only one outwardly and consistently super bad guy with an evil laugh) lack dimension. The dialog (in Japanese) sounds just like the overwrought dialog of an epic anime series; you could close your eyes and swear this is an anime show! And then there is the real stuff, which may not be too obvious to the Western audience, but all too familiar to the Japanese, I imagine: the dad who died in the national disaster, the stay in the evacuation center that is mentioned twice, the religious cults that found an increasing number of followers after the recent events in Japan, the age-old idea that war and destruction is cleansing and required for a new beginning... The negative energy cloud that looks a lot like an inverted atom bomb mushroom...
All in all, highly recommended for people who like Japanese anime, epic stories, and weird science. Not recommended for anyone who is not open to the anime tradition, as expecting something different will cause disappointment. Also, recommended for Godzilla and cheekama fans!
