JIN-ROH review: A fusion of profound themes and visuals

The Depths of Jin-Roh: Mamoru Oshii's Worldview and Hiroyuki Okiura's Vision

"JIN-ROH" is an anime film released in 2000, a masterpiece created by Mamoru Oshii and directed by Hiroyuki Okiura. The film is set in postwar Japan and depicts the struggles and growth of Kazuki Fuse, a member of the Metropolitan Police Special Machine Unit. Below, we will provide a detailed review and recommendation of this film.

■Overview of the work

JIN-ROH is set against the backdrop of a fictional history set in Japan in the 1950s. As Japan was recovering from the chaos of the post-war period, rapid economic growth was promoted, but violent crimes caused by unemployment and slums were on the rise. To address this situation, the government established the Metropolitan Police Organization (commonly known as the Shuto Keizai). The protagonist, Fuse Kazuki, is a member of the Shuto Keizai Special Machine Unit, and the story unfolds from his perspective.

■ Story

A decade or so after the decisive defeat -- the story is about the 1950s as a possible postwar history

Having finally emerged from the chaos under the occupying forces' rule and in an attempt to return to the international community, the rapid economic restructuring that was forced through in the name of "high economic growth" was beginning to bear fruit, but the country was plagued by many underlying ills...

Aggressive economic policies created masses of unemployed people, and their influx into cities created slums that became breeding grounds for a sharp rise in violent crime. In particular, the rapid rise of anti-government forces calling for armed struggle was creating serious social unrest that exceeded the capacity of the local police to deal with it.

In order to avoid deploying the Self-Defense Forces in public security situations and to check the efforts within the local police forces to be upgraded to national police, the government chose a third path: the creation of a Metropolitan Public Safety Police Organization, commonly known as the Shuto Keizai (Metropolitan Police), a task force directly under the National Public Safety Commission that would have its own authority and powerful fighting power while limiting its scope of activity to the Tokyo metropolitan area.

With its swift mobility and powerful striking power, the Metropolitan Police monopolized the honor of being the guardian of public order and rapidly expanded its influence as the third largest armed group. However, the situation took a major turn when the anti-government forces, which were their immediate enemies, were disintegrated by various legislative measures, including illegalization, and after fragmentation and reunification, they gave birth to urban guerrillas known as "sects."

The armed clashes between the Special Equipment Unit, which formed the core of the Metropolitan Police, and the Sect were extremely fierce, and at times resembled urban warfare, drawing strong public criticism.

In a world where the expectations of economic prosperity were beginning to flow, the Special Machine Corps, along with its arch enemy, "Sect," was rapidly becoming increasingly isolated. The elite members of the Special Machine Corps, who had continued to pursue a path of combat armed with reinforced suits and heavy weapons and nicknamed "Cerberus," had also completed their historical mission, and the times were about to give them a new and final role...

■Cast

・Fushigi Kazutaka/Fujiki Yoshikatsu/Amemiya Kei/Muto Sumi/Hemmi Atsushi/Kinoshita Hiroyuki/Muroto Fumiaki/Hirota Yukio/Handa Gen/Yoshida Yukihiro/Tatsumi Shiro/Horibe Ryuichi/Agawa Nanami/Sendai Eri/Aniya Isao/Nakagawa Kenji/Senior police officers/Oki Tamio/Tobe Hachiro, narration/Sakaguchi Yoshisada

■ Main staff

・Original story, scriptwriter: Mamoru Oshii・Director: Hiroyuki Okiura・Director of production: Kenji Kamiyama・Character design: Hiroyuki Okiura, Tetsuya Nishio・Animation director: Tetsuya Nishio・Assistant animation director: Toshiyuki Inoue・Art director: Hiromasa Ogura・Art setting: Takashi Watanabe・Firearm setting: Kazuya Kise・Vehicle setting: Yoshifumi Hiramatsu・Color setting: Yumiko Katayama・Director of photography: Hisao Shirai・Editor: Shuichi Kakesu・Music: Hajime Mizoguchi・Sound director: Kazuhiro Wakabayashi

■ Main Characters

The protagonist is Fushimi Kazutaka, a member of the Metropolitan Police Department's Special Machine Unit.

Amamiya Kei: A woman who claims to be the sister of the girl who committed suicide.

A member of the Agawa Nanami Sect. He committed suicide with the bomb he was carrying.

Atsushi Henmi, a member of the Metropolitan Police Department's Public Security Bureau. A friend of Fuse.

- Muroto Fumiaki, Chief of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department's Public Security Bureau.

A secret organization rumored to exist within the Werewolf Special Forces

■ Related works

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■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"JIN-ROH - Jinrou" is known for its profound theme and detailed worldview. Mamoru Oshii's original work depicts the dark side of postwar Japanese society, and director Hiroyuki Okiura succeeded in visually expressing it. Below, we will discuss the appeal and evaluation of the work in detail.

1. Storytelling and Themes

The story is told from the perspective of Fuse Kazuki, and centers around his inner conflict and growth. As a member of the Special Machine Corps, Fuse loses many comrades in the battle against "Sect", and begins to question the meaning of his existence. In particular, his encounter with Amemiya Kei has a profound impact on his heart. She introduces herself as the older sister of the girl who committed suicide, and hints to Fuse about the existence of "Werewolves". These "Werewolves" are a secret organization rumored to exist within the Special Machine Corps, and Fuse is both frightened and intrigued by their existence.

The themes of the work are diverse, including war and peace, justice and evil, individual freedom and organizational loyalty. Mamoru Oshii skillfully weaves these themes together to encourage the audience to think deeply. In particular, through the character of Kazuki Fuse, he asks the question of how an individual should live within an organization.

2. Visuals and Production

Director Hiroyuki Okiura has also been highly praised for his visuals. The film's art design was created by Hiromasa Ogura and Takashi Watanabe, and realistically recreates post-war Japan. The detailed depictions, particularly of the slum-like cityscape and the equipment of the Special Forces, are superb. Additionally, the team of animation director Tetsuya Nishio and assistant animation director Toshiyuki Inoue have rendered the characters' expressions and movements incredibly realistic.

In terms of directing, Kenji Kamiyama's talent shines. He skillfully expresses the inner conflict of Kazuki Fuse, and succeeds in making the audience deeply understand his feelings. In addition, in the battle scenes, the depiction of the special forces' reinforced suits and heavy weapons is realistic and powerful, drawing the audience in.

3. Music and Sound

Hajime Mizoguchi's music is an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work. In particular, the heavy orchestral sounds heighten the tension in the battle scenes of the Special Forces, while silence and piano tones are used effectively in the scenes expressing Kazuki Fuse's inner conflict. In addition, sound director Kazuhiro Wakabayashi successfully draws the audience into the story by making full use of realistic sound effects such as gunshots and explosions.

■ Recommendations and related information

"JIN-ROH" is a work that can be recommended not only to fans of Mamoru Oshii, but to fans of anime movies in general. It is a must-see, especially for those who like profound themes and those who value visual quality. It is also an interesting work that depicts postwar Japanese society.

1. Recommendation points

Profound Themes : War and peace, justice and evil, individual freedom and organizational loyalty - these are just a few of the themes explored in this work.
Realistic visuals : The art setting realistically recreates post-war Japan, and the characters' expressions and movements are depicted realistically, making for a stunning display.
Powerful battle scenes : The depiction of the Special Forces' reinforced suits and heavy weaponry is realistic and powerful, drawing the audience in.
Music and Sound : Hajime Mizoguchi's music and Kazuhiro Wakabayashi's sound effects add to the atmosphere of the film.

2. Related Information

JIN-ROH is based on a novel by Mamoru Oshii and is related to his other works, especially the Ghost in the Shell and Cerberus series, which share the same worldview. It is also a noteworthy work directed by Hiroyuki Okiura, and you will gain a deeper understanding of the film if you watch it together with his other works.

3. How to watch

This film is available to purchase on DVD and Blu-ray, and is also available on streaming services. If you care about picture quality, we recommend watching it on Blu-ray.

Conclusion

"JIN-ROH: The Wolf Brigade" is a masterpiece that combines Mamoru Oshii's profound themes with Hiroyuki Okiura's visual expression. Set in postwar Japanese society, this work depicts the struggles and growth of an individual, encouraging deep thought in the audience while drawing them in with its realistic visuals and powerful battle scenes. This is a work that can be recommended not only to fans of Mamoru Oshii, but to fans of anime movies in general, and is one that everyone should definitely watch at least once.

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