Saturday, December 17, 2016

Yokai Watch Soratobu Kujira to Double Sekai no Daibouken da Nyan!

For the first time in Yokai Watch history, the third film based on the hit TV series sees a mix of anime and live action elements, giving viewers a more intriguing but enjoyable feast for the holiday season while introducing new Yokais on the film. This third film will be the biggest for Keita Amano (Nate Adams), Whisper, Jibanyan, and the rest!

Yokai Watch
Soratobu Kujira to Double Sekai no
Daibouken da Nyan!

So, what's going to be on the third Yokai Watch movie? Well, a mysterious giant whale-like Yokai has emerged from the shadows following series of unexplained events spiraling through the peaceful Sakura New Town (Springdale). With the new Yokai Koalanyan emerged, things get even ugly for Keita (Nate) and the gang and they'll have to team up to save the world before it gets worse.

The live action parts of this latest Yokai Watch film stars Ryouka Minamide as Keita (Nate), Kento Yamazaki as King Enma, Takumi Saito as Nurarihyon, Minami Hamabe as Kanami Minami, Yuina Kuroshima as Emi-chan (Amy), Yuu Sawabe as Kuma (Bear), Kenichi Endo as Jinmenken (Manjimutt) and many others. Almost all of your favorite human characters got live-actionized while your favorite Yokais get CGI animated, giving a more lively appearance for Whisper, Jibanyan, Komasan, Komajirou, USApyon, and your favorite Yokais, especially the brand new Yokai Koalanyan, who can be playable on the new Yokai Watch 3 games, currently on sale for the Nintendo 3DS. A live-action/anime hybrid film. Sounds common but flattering for a long-time Yokai Watch fan.

Because this is labeled as a family film, this latest Yokai Watch film is supposed to be a family friendly movie because it has all the regular Yokai Watch stuff as expected from the anime but when the live-action parts kicked in, the crowd's better start talking because in case of King Enma and Nurarihyon appeared in those live-action segments, it's no longer a family film at all. It's becoming a chick flick because teenage girls and YA women, due to their tendency over good looking men, got their main reason why they love this latest Yokai Watch film not because of the whole of it but because of the men who played King Enma and Nurarihyon in the live-action parts of the film. If you are under ten and if you bring your big teenage sister along on a movie trip, chances are your sister's ruining your Yokai Watch movie-viewing pleasure. Sigh.

If you didn't care about the live-action parts of the film, this film is beyond regular compared to the previous two films based on the hit franchise. It maybe odd, it maybe shabby, it maybe dirty on the jokes, but for a family-friendly anime film fit for the Christmas season, it's not really half-bad as long as no young women and teenage girls ruining the film because of the EnmaNura appearances. Otherwise, heaven forbid, they should get a taste of Jibanyan's Paws of Fury after this. At least it's not as pathetic as a single Manjimutt at both sides. Pun intended.

My rating: 3.4 out of 5

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