The appeal and reviews of "Midoriko": An anime experience not to be missed

All-round review and recommendation of Midori-ko MIDORI-KO

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

September 24, 2011 - January 1, 2000

■Frequencies

55 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■ Director

Keita Kurosaka

■ Production

Produced by Mistral Japan Co., Ltd.

■Explanation

"MIDORI-KO" is a soulful animated film that took over 10 years to complete by Keita Kurosaka, who has gained cult popularity and international acclaim for his breathtaking storytelling and drawing skills among Japanese art animations. It is astonishing that the entire 55-minute hand-drawn animation, with its unique touch and colors using colored pencils, was done almost entirely by one person.

The music was composed by cellist Hiromichi Sakamoto, known for his versatile playing style. Renowned musicians such as Yoshiyuki Kawaguchi, Keiko Komori, Takeo Sekijima, Yuriko Mukojima, Michiyo Yagi, Kumiko Takara, and Kota Miki were used, and the avant-garde melodies compete with Kurosaka's images. The ending theme is an original song called "Kirinji no Sekai" by Mieko Kawakami (Mieko when she was a musician), who has fully demonstrated her multifaceted talents as a novelist, poet, actress, and musician, and has received the Akutagawa Prize, Nakahara Chuya Prize, Kinema Junpo New Actress Award, and the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's Art Encouragement Prize.

Keita Kurosaka's "Midoriko" is highly acclaimed as a work that has opened up new horizons in art animation. It is a labor of love that Kurosaka spent over 10 years completing, and the fact that it was entirely hand-drawn overturns the conventional wisdom of modern animation production. The unique touch and colors of colored pencils are not only visually beautiful, but are also important elements that bring out the depth of the story.

In terms of music, the avant-garde melodies, featuring a variety of musicians, centered around Hiromichi Sakamoto's cello, match perfectly with Kurosaka's images. In particular, the ending theme "Kirinji no Sekai" is a song that highlights Mieko Kawakami's versatile talent, and has a presence that symbolizes the theme of the entire work.

"Midori-ko" revolves around a mysterious lifeform called "Midori-ko" that was created by scientists by crossbreeding humans with loofahs. Midori-ko's existence delves into themes such as the relationship between humans and nature, the ethics of science, and the dignity of life. The story follows a research student named Midori who loses sight of her own research goals while caring for Midori-ko, depicting the arrogance of humans trying to dominate nature and the tragedy that results.

The characters of the five scientists are also fascinating, and their friendship since childhood and passion for science give the story humor and emotion. In addition, many unique characters appear, such as Yamamoto-san and his wife Marie, the company president, Keronpa and Tambo, Boda-san's family, and the high school girls, creating a rich human drama throughout the work.

"MIDORI-KO" has gained a cult following due to its unique visuals and profound themes. It has also been highly praised overseas, winning numerous awards at international art animation festivals. Through the medium of animation, this work is sure to leave a deep impression on viewers as it makes them ponder on the relationship between humans and nature.

■Cast

・Sayaka Suzuki・Rina Yuuki・Chikapan・Miwako Mishima・Asuka Amane・Fumihide Kimura・Hiroyuki Kawai・Mitsutaka Yamamoto

■ Main staff

・Director, scriptwriter, storyboard, character design, art, animation, key animation, animation backgrounds, color design, photography, editing: Keita Kurosaka ・Producer: Akira Mizuyoshi (Mistral Japan)
・Visual effects, digital supervisor: Yukio Hiruma ・Music: Hiromichi Sakamoto ・Performance: Yoshiyuki Kawaguchi, Keiko Komori, Takeo Sekijima, Yuriko Mukojima, Mio Abe, Mikiko Narii, Kota Miki, Michiyo Yagi, Kumiko Takara, Yoshiyuki Ichiraku, Ken Kuriki, Hiromichi Sakamoto ・Supported by: Grant for the Promotion of Cultural Arts ・Production: Mistral Japan Co., Ltd.

■ Main Characters

・MIDORI-KO
A mysterious lifeform created by five scientists by crossbreeding a human with a loofah. Its meat is so delicious that once you eat it, you'll be hooked. It has advanced camouflage abilities to protect itself from predators, and it releases pheromones that stir affection in the first person it meets. However, it has no effect on others.

As a graduate student at Midori XX University's Faculty of Agriculture, he devotes himself day and night to the development and research of a "dream food" that combines both meat and vegetables. He is a picky eater and cannot eat meat. Raised in an education-conscious family, he makes a living through support from his parents and by selling the vegetables he grows in a rooftop garden on his apartment. Although he repeatedly fails his doctoral degree examinations, he is a hard worker who does not give up and continues to work on his thesis, but after he starts raising MIDORI-KO, he loses sight of his original research goal.

Five scientists: Ganriki, Jigokumimi, Dokuzetsu, Hanaiki, and Tezawari are a group of five good friends. When they were in the fourth grade of elementary school, they formed the "Boys' Science Club" after their "earthworm-cucumber hybrid" won the Minister of Education Award at the National Junior Invention Contest. Even now, as a group of amateur researchers, they continue to conduct questionable biological experiments from an abandoned coffee shop.

・Yamamoto-san calls himself a "mythologist"

・Yamamoto-san's wife (Marie)
She is a big eater and met her husband in Denmark.

・The president is a compost manufacturer. He supplies compost made in a factory on the first floor of the apartment to Midori's field and receives the vegetables that are harvested from it.

Keronpa and Tambo, Keronpa is a fussy old man who calls himself a "philosopher". Tambo: A hybrid of an elephant and a snake, Keronpa's pet. He has the psychic power to repeat what his owner says with an extremely exaggerated interpretation.

■The Boda family - Auntie A nosy housewife who is nicknamed "Chutako Mama."
- Mr. Boda, the son of Aunt Boya and her husband, is a self-proclaimed "poet" and the aunt's husband.

■High school girls: Kaboko, Vanna, Nasumi

・Administrator (Family Man)
Live-in apartment manager

■ Theme songs and music

・ED1
・The World of Kirinji ・Lyrics by Mieko ・Music by Mieko ・Song by Mieko

■Detailed evaluation

"MIDORI-KO" has gained cult popularity for its unique visuals and profound themes. It is a labor of love that took director Keita Kurosaka more than 10 years to create, and it defies the conventional wisdom of modern animation production in that it was entirely hand-drawn. The unique touch and colors of colored pencils are not only visually beautiful, but also an important element in bringing out the depth of the story.

In terms of music, the avant-garde melodies, featuring a variety of musicians, centered around Hiromichi Sakamoto's cello, match perfectly with Kurosaka's images. In particular, the ending theme "Kirinji no Sekai" is a song that highlights Mieko Kawakami's versatile talent, and has a presence that symbolizes the theme of the entire work.

The story revolves around MIDORI-KO, a mysterious lifeform created by scientists by crossbreeding humans with loofahs. MIDORI-KO's existence delves into themes such as the relationship between humans and nature, the ethics of science, and the dignity of life. As a research student named Midori loses sight of her own research goals while caring for MIDORI-KO, it illustrates the arrogance of humans trying to dominate nature and the tragedy that can result.

The characters of the five scientists are also fascinating, and their friendship since childhood and passion for science give the story humor and emotion. In addition, many unique characters appear, such as Yamamoto-san and his wife Marie, the company president, Keronpa and Tambo, Boda-san's family, and the high school girls, creating a rich human drama throughout the work.

"MIDORI-KO" has gained a cult following due to its unique visuals and profound themes. It has also been highly praised overseas, winning numerous awards at international art animation festivals. Through the medium of animation, this work is sure to leave a deep impression on viewers as it makes them ponder on the relationship between humans and nature.

■Recommendation details

"MIDORI-KO" is highly recommended not only for fans of art animation, but also for viewers who enjoy profound themes. Director Keita Kurosaka's unique visuals and sense of color make it a must-see for viewers who pursue visual beauty. In terms of music, Hiromichi Sakamoto's cello performance and Mieko Kawakami's ending theme "Kirinji no Sekai" enhance the depth of the work, so it is also recommended for music lovers.

The story's themes are also very deep, making viewers think deeply about issues such as the relationship between humans and nature, the ethics of science, and the dignity of life. This is a must-see for viewers who want to think deeply about the ethical issues that arise from advances in science and technology.

Furthermore, the human relationships of the unique characters are fascinating and filled with humor and emotion. You can enjoy the story from various perspectives, such as the friendship between the five scientists, Midori's growth, and the humorous exchanges between Keronpa and Tambo.

"MIDORI-KO" is a work that combines visual beauty, musical depth, and profound themes, and is recommended for a wide range of audiences. Please come and experience its unique worldview at the theater.