Kakurenbo: Hide & Seek
(2004)
I'm fan of both horror and anime so I will always enjoy when the two cross over and this little gem was very pleasing. I found it by chance trying to find another horror related anime. This is a short movie, about 25 mins running time but without the end credits it's more like 23.
It's a CGI but still anime styled movie that has a crisp animation which is nicely done but also keeps within the anime style.
The plot is kids play this game called 'Otokoyo' which is hide and seek in an old and forgotten town and it's rumoured that children go missing, they get taken away by demons and monsters. One boy 'Hikora' is trying to find his sister who he believes was taken by demons while playing this game.
Two twins, our main guy and his friend, a gang of three and one girl all join the game. For some reason they must wear fox masks though it's not really explained why, something to do with one of the demons I think.
The movie is short but all the way through it gives each small group it's own few moments of focus and to be honest other then a few glimpses into personality's such as the middle guy in this picture is a selfish fat asshole and the main guy Hikora is looking for his sister not much is known about the others.
And you don't really connect with anyone but that doesn't matter, the pacing isn't rushed and you don't feel like you don't know anything.
As the groups go around this dark and eerie city you start to see the demons coming alive and coming after the children. There are five [six if you want to count the twin demons as two] and they each pick off the children.
There is no gore in this but the atmosphere is still chilling and being abit on the creepy side for something animated is fantastic. I was really looking forward to seeing all the demons introduced as how they acted and the ways they moved were creepy and off putting but where the animation flowed so smoothly it was also enjoyable.
As the children run away from these demons and get caught one by one it comes about that the main boy who is looking for his sister was right in his feelings that the lone girl in their group looked alot like his missing sister.. turned out his sister who was taken over by the main demon.
Whoever wins/the last person the demons catch becomes the 'Oni' which means both demon and 'It' like tag! your it! and is taken over by the demon.
Our character is the last to win and there for becomes the new 'oni' as he realises that every child that is captured is turned into a human battery that lights the mighty ghost city and fuels the demons who live in it.
I love how old school and traditional the game is and also the designs of their clothes, the masks, the city and also the demons. I think it's in those details that draw you into this super natural world and you fully enjoy it.
It's a shame it's so short as you get so drawn into the story and the design.
Animation: 4/5
Gore: 0/5
Scares: 3.5/5
Pacing: 4/5
Plot: 5/5
Over all enjoyment: 5/5
XJigsawX
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