Today I’m excited to bring you my review of Summer Wars, which I finally picked up on Blu-ray yesterday. Please note: though a bit lengthy, this review does not contain spoilers. Enjoy!
Summer Wars first premiered in Japan in 2009, and was an overnight success. Since its Japanese premier, it has won several awards including the coveted 2010 Japan Academy Prize for Animation of the Year. The film is directed by Mamoru Hosoda, who is well known from his prior award-winning film “The Girl Who Leapt through Time.”
The story centers around mathematical genius Kenji and his geeky friend Takashi, who spend their time working as the maintenance “code monkeys” for the OZ virtual realm. Their friend Natsuki comes into the story when she asks Kenji if he wants a job, and subsequently drags him off to her home in Ueda (near Nagano) to pretend to be her fiancé. Once there, Kenji solves a mega math problem on his cell phone that frames him as a criminal hacker who brings chaos to the virtual space known as OZ.
There are two worlds in this film: that of the Jinnouchi clan’s homestead and greater Japan, and the virtual world known as OZ. The animation in this film is groundbreaking – and effectively transports the viewer through OZ’s explosions of brilliant color and stylized characters, to stunning portrayals of Japan’s countryside. Images of Japan’s shinkansen, train stations, city-scapes, and countryside are spot on (and give you a realistic picture of the beauty of Japan…even though this story and the virtual realm that is OZ are fiction).
Natsuki’s family live in a clan home that dates back to beyond the Tokugawa era, and this film does a great job portraying the historic Japanese homestead. When Kenji enters across the delicate tatami floors, you can see Samurai armor ceremoniously displayed in the background. There are classic hardwood and panel walls, and rooms that are open to inner baths and zen gardens. The Jinnouchi family is also a romanticized portrayal of the very close bonds that many large and traditional Japanese families possess.
In the virtual world of OZ, people sign on with ultra-colorful and unique 3D avatars. This world is one of the most fun and unique portrayals of the internet and virtual community that I’ve ever seen. All speech in OZ is universal, and people speaking any language can communicate with others through the internal translator (which automatically converts text to the native language of the user). Virtual sports and games supply endless hours of entertainment (including the ultra-cool lightsaber, lazer beam filled battle arena that holds the OZ martial arts championships.). Administrative agencies, businesses, video, the news, fun, relaxation, research – everyone and everything are online and rely upon OZ to keep life going. Imagine all the media you get in your life being delivered in an ultra-colorful, 3D virtual realm. I for one think it’s stunning and imaginative, and wouldn’t mind being planted into OZ for a day or two!
The plot isn’t just cutting-edge, it’s truly immersive – it really manages to plant you into a place where virtual reality can ultimately change our lives forever (and perhaps this future is not unlike our own). The social commentary that serves as the backdrop to this film really does speak to our over-reliance on technology. We also see the conflict and struggle to maintain balance between two worlds – one driven by the connectivity we get through the internet and one that values traditional networking, family ties, and friendly alliances.
When the cyber terrorism A.I. takes over OZ, it threatens the world by shutting down everything we rely on. Imagine everything that supports society suddenly going haywire – traffic lights, GPS, water mains, electricity, gas lines, power lines, emergency services, fire alarms, train systems, bank accounts, walk signals, cell phones, television, satellites, nuclear missiles – anything and everything that is linked to the internet! If anyone has seen Live Free or Die Hard, you’ll note that this collapse is a lot like the “Fire Sail” they discuss in that movie. This artificial intelligence, programmed to learn and seemingly unstoppable, manages to crash the entire infrastructure of Japan, and the world, in a matter of minutes.
Summer Wars should be a must-see for anime fans and for those who aren’t even really that much into anime. It has a wide appeal like many Ghibli films and I feel it could be enjoyed by just as wide an audience. With DVD and Blu-ray versions widely available now in the States (and available for rent through Netflix), I definitely suggest giving it a watch. Can Kenji, his friends, and the Jinnouchi clan stop the A.I. from destroying everything around them? Watch the movie and find out!
Enjoy this theatrical trailer from Warner Brothers and look for the DVD and Blu-ray versions on Amazon and Netflix.