ANI-MOVIES, *Origin: Spirits Of The Past

Origins: Spirits Of The Past was an original story written by former Ghibli animator Umanosuke Iida a few years before he died which was animated into an anime movie by Gonzo in 2006. Similar to numerous Ghibli projects, this film has an environmental theme to it that harkens back to Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind as well as Castle In The Sky. It's another post-apocalyptic epic, although not the bleak type you find in Fist Of The North Star or Mad Max. Gonzo executed this splendidly with their 3D animation with 2D artwork, even though some of the mechanics look somewhat shotty.

Set in the 24th Century, an experiment on the moon caused the entire surface to burst which showers the Earth with lunar debris, so now the surviving civilizations get by using a water bartering system in a world covered with the ever-growing Forest. Agito is a young citizen in Neutral City who spends his days collecting water and caring for his father Agashi who is slowly turning into a tree because he became enhanced by a strange race known as the Druids who imbued Agashi with super-strength to help settle their town. Agito finds a girl named Toola in a cryogenic pod who was placed there before the cataclysm, and she is welcomed into Neutral City. The neighboring nation of Ragna is an industrious country run by its military which their commander Shunack learns that Toola has been released and has the key to a special apparatus called the ESTOC that can supposedly help restore the world. Toola goes with Shunack to help them in their efforts, but Agito doesn't trust them, so he makes a detour to the heart of the Forest where the Druids dwell. Agito is quickly enhanced by the Druid spirits, and then the narrative skips over a sequence where he was captured by the Ragna forces to awaken with his hair now silver and with super-strength and endurance. Agito makes his way to the Ragna city to bring Toola back to Neutral City, but Shunack is having none of that and incapacitates Agito as he takes Toola to the ESTOC while the greedy enhanced commander also betrays the Ragna military. Shunack activates the ESTOC which is an entire mobile volcano which will in reality wipe out all life on Earth, although Agito stops the process by freeing Toola and Shunack accepts his fate.

Origin: Spirits Of The Past is an altogether rushed production with entire scenes left on the cutting room floor as the story shifts from one scene to another with no transition or explanation. The film should have been longer in order to fill in the deleted footage. Aside from the ecological metaphor, the movie carries a message of generational discrimination for those who want things to be they were in the past instead of working towards the future. The CGI effects are commendable, especially for the early 2000s, but Gonzo needed to liven up the character designs as you can see that they are reused models from other anime titles. The soundtrack is equally memorable with a mildly acceptable dub. As a thinly veiled tagalong to some earlier Ghibli films, it does make for a praiseworthy feature.