What did we think of “Bubble”, the new Netflix original anime, from Tetsurō Araki, the director of the first seasons of the “Attack on Titan” series?
What is that talking about?
The story takes place in Tokyo, in a world flooded with bubbles that have changed the laws of gravity. Cut off from the rest of the world, Tokyo has become the playground for a group of young parkour enthusiasts deprived of their families, whose teams compete from building to building. One day, after a dangerous stunt, Hibiki, a young prodigy known for his risky style of play, is thrown into the gravity-free ocean surrounding the city. He is saved by the sudden intervention of Uta, a young girl with mysterious powers. Both will then hear a sound that only they can perceive. Why did Uta join Hibiki in this way? Their meeting will lead to a revelation that will change the world.
Bubble directed by Tetsurō Araki (81 minutes) – Available on Netflix
Is it worth taking a look?
Produced with the Japanese studio Wit, the new original anime bubble makes its big debut on Netflix this Thursday, April 28. Pre-premiered at the Berlin Film Festival last February, the feature film follows the adventures of young teenagers left to their own devices, in a future apocalypse in Tokyo, followers of a new extreme sport: Battlekour, halfway between street fighting and parkour.
A true shock team has been assembled to bring the project to life. bubble : director Tetsurō Araki (the first few seasons of Attack on Titan), writer Gen Urobuchi (author of the Fate/Zero light novels in particular), composer Hiroyuki Sawano (kill kill, The attack of the Titans). Note also that the character design of the characters is signed by Takeshi Obata, the designer of the manga Death Note and Platinum End.
The composition of this Dream team ensures visual and aesthetic quality bubble simply amazing. We immediately drift into this poetic universe, interspersed with numerous breathless chase scenes; It must be said that in terms of action, Tetsurō Araki is anything but a rookie, as evidenced by his remarkable work in the series. The attack of the Titans (seasons 1 to 3).
ingenuity studies
However, the visual qualities of the film are insufficient to compensate for the weakness of the story. Not being able to offer a really exciting plot, and let’s say too conventional and not original enough, bubble gets bored pretty quickly. Despite the desire to give depth to the characters, the setting is lost quite quickly in a succession of silly and topical scenes, which do not arouse in the viewer any other emotion than that of indifference.
attractive shape, bubble it is therefore basically a semi-disappointment. Neither very bad nor very successful, the feature film just lacked a more successful plot, and surely the audacity to transcend its theme to offer something more original, or at least more surprising.