ANI-MOVIES, *The Red Turtle

Those who frequently favor the works of Studio Ghibli were probably unaware of this joint project between them and several French production companies. The Red Turtle is almost completely void of any dialogue making it appear like an animated short stretched out to feature length which does work against it as some points do appear strung out. Former Disney animator Michael Dudok De Wit had directed this with Ghibl productions headed by their regular member Toshio Suzuki. Considering the talent behind this, you might envision the film as being a detailed epic but instead is a extended approach to minimalistic storytelling.

An unnamed man is treading water in the middle of the ocean with no given reason as to how he got there. The man washes up on a tropical island where all his attempts to build a raft and escape are thwarted by a large red sea turtle. The turtle shows up on shore and turns itself over supposedly to end its life, but the man builds a shelter for the dying creature which eventually transforms into a human woman. The man and woman mate and have a son together who grows up with his parents, but still feels a kinship to the sea, and when he grows older, he migrates off the island with some other red turtles. The boy's parents stay on the island and live out their lives until the man dies of old age with the woman turning back into a turtle and returning to the water.

The Red Turtle might seem like one of those old silent films that makes modern viewers want to fast forward through parts where it just shows characters walking around the island. This isn't accurate though as its a visually pleasant film that manages to hold your interest upon first watch. French company Wild Bunch handled a large portion of the production along with what Ghibli contributed, but this is considered a Studio Ghibli film as it bares their Totoro logo at the beginning. The story itself is similar to plenty of Japanese folklore where animals take on the form of a human woman to express their love for a human which is normally highlighted in English-speaking countries in tales like The Little Mermaid. It is good enough for children to watch since the plot is easy to follow even though there is an absence of narration, plus otaku and animation fans alike should partake in this rich dreamlike experience.