Review of Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade (1999) by Jason J — 15 Feb 2011

It's hard to begin describing this, but I can only recommend it. Taking place in a bleak alternate version of post-WW2 Tokyo, Jin-Roh accomplishes all the things that other anime cinema movies which were hailed as the holy grail of anime didn't accomplish, or at least never accomplished so well. And Jin-Roh does it with style.

The animation is very impressive, without even really trying. The story, at it's most basic is a doomed lovers tale. Jin-Roh doesn't try to shock or disgust (though there are a few very frightening violent scenes in there), but wants to make you cry genuine tears of sorrow, and succeeds in every way.

The movie's approach is subtle, slow and delicate, and leaves a huge impact, exactly because it plays on a smaller scale. The fairy tale of the Little Red Riding Hood, and the image of the wolf are used throughout the movie. Apart from the main doomed lovers theme, there's also a very impressive story of betrayal and political intrigue in there, which adds a dash of suspense.

In short, Jin-Roh is a wonderful piece of work, full of beauty and intelligence. It's not quite possible to make clear how strong this movie is on paper, but watching it will leave an unforgettable impression. It's a stylish tragedy that makes you think as well as makes you cry. Don't hesitate to seek this out.