A thorough review of the wilderness shootout in "Pandora and Akubi"!

"Pandora and Akubi: A Story of Curiosity and Adventure"

■Overview of the work

"Pandora and Akubi: Gunfight in the Wilderness" is a short animated film released on April 5, 2019, based on the original work by XFLAG and Tatsunoko Productions and distributed by Kadokawa Animation. Each episode is 27 minutes long and is animated by BAKKEN RECORD. The director is Jun Soga, and the character design and general animation director is Keisuke Okura.

■ Story

Pandora and Akubi are walking through the wilderness under the scorching sun. They descended into this world to search for the "Fragments of Calamity" that have been scattered all over the place and are said to have the power to destroy the world. Meanwhile, the sheriff of Three Hawks Town, where gangs are rampant, Mifune Go, continues to protect the peace of the town every day. He has given up his childhood dream of becoming a racer to work, but his appearance seems to be a bit worrying to Louise, a waitress at his favorite bar... Pandora, tired from walking through the wilderness, "asks" Akubi, and with the power of magic, she flies to Three Hawks Town in one go! There, she meets Go and Louise by chance and asks them for help in searching for the "Fragments of Calamity".

■Explanation

A slapstick movie featuring a pair of characters is here! Pandora, a curious and slightly clumsy girl from "Monster Strike," and Akubi, the mischievous daughter of the Genie Family from the TV animation "The Genie Family," produced by Tatsunoko Productions and celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, have teamed up in a dream collaboration! They jump across dimensions to retrieve the "Fragments of Disaster," which are said to have the power to destroy the world, and are scattered all over the place! This spring, the two girls will bring warm hope to everyone.

■Cast

• Pandora/Yui Ogura
• Akubi/Amagi Sally
• Tsuyoshi Mifune/Hiroyuki Yoshino
• Louise (Doronjo)/Yuko Kaida
• Breaking Boss / Masuo Amada

■ Main staff

• Director: Jun Soga
• Character design: Keisuke Okura
• Chief animation director: Keisuke Okura
• Art Director: Yusuke Takeda
• Art setting: Satoshi Takabatake, Seiki Tamura
• Director of photography: Shinichi Igarashi
• Color design: Yuko Kobari
• Edited by Tomoki Nagasaka
• Music by Takahiro Obata
• Sound Director: Ryo Tanaka

■ Main Characters

• Pandora is a curious and clumsy girl. She accidentally opened the box that Grandpa Zeus had told her not to open, spilling out the "Fragment of Calamity." She is on a journey with her best friend Akubi to retrieve the "Fragment of Calamity." Will Pandora be able to find and retrieve the "Fragment of Calamity" safely?
• Akubi A genie girl who usually lives in a necklace worn by Pandora and pops out when someone yawns. With her mysterious magical powers, she grants the wish of whoever summons her from the jar. She travels with Pandora in search of the "Fragment of Calamity," but her free-spirited personality and straightforward way of speaking often get her into trouble with those around her.
• Zetsubou-kun A mysterious creature who is always with Pandora. Can he sense the presence of the "Fragment of Disaster" first?
• Tsuyoshi Mifune is the sheriff of Three Hawks Town. He works diligently every day to keep the peace in the town. His beloved car at home is always well-maintained and in perfect condition.
• Louise (Doronjo)
  A waitress working at a bar in town. She is an old friend of the sheriff, Tsuyoshi, and worries about him, so she tries to look after him. Although she looks scary, she is a very nice person.
• Breaking Boss The leader of a group of thieves who ravages towns all over the country. He steals with his minions, but seems to be looking for someone these days. He wears a stone on his chest that gives off an eerie glow.

■ Related works

• Pandora and Akubi: Gunfight in the Wilderness
• Pandora and Akubi: The City of Spirits and Monsters

■ Theme songs and music

• TM1
  ・DAYS
  ・Composer: Shigeyuki Harada ・Lyricist: Shigeyuki Harada ・Singer: Shiggy Jr.
• ED1
  ・BURN
  ・Composer: Shigeyuki Harada ・Lyricist: Shigeyuki Harada ・Singer: Shiggy Jr.

■Detailed evaluation and recommendation

■ Story and Characters

"Pandora and Akubi: Gunfight in the Wilderness" depicts the adventures of the curious Pandora and the mischievous Akubi. The two characters are very charming, especially Pandora's innocence and Akubi's free-spiritedness, which add color to the story. Although the plot is simple, about collecting the "pieces of disaster" scattered from a box that Pandora accidentally opened, the growth and friendship of the two characters are depicted, and the viewer is drawn in.

The supporting characters, such as the sheriff Go Mifune and the waitress Louise, are also fascinating, and their backgrounds and relationships add depth to the story. In particular, the reason why Go Mifune gave up his dream of becoming a racer, and Louise's concern for him, evoke empathy from the viewer. The villain, Breaking Boss, is not just a villain, but is also intriguing with his mysterious setting of being someone he is searching for.

■Visuals and animation

The visuals of this work are very satisfying, realistically depicting the vastness of the wilderness and the atmosphere of Three Hawks Town. The character designs are by Keisuke Okura, and each character's personality is well expressed. In particular, the designs of Pandora and Akubi are faithful to the image of the original work, but are richly drawn with the movements and expressions that are unique to animation.

The animation quality is also high, with smooth movements that are particularly impressive in the scenes where Akubi uses her magic and runs through the wilderness. Art director Yusuke Takeda and art set designers Satoshi Takabatake and Seiki Tamura do an excellent job, carefully drawing even the smallest details of the backgrounds. Cinematographer Shinichi Igarashi's camerawork maximizes the visual effect without disrupting the tempo of the story.

■Music and Sound

The music is by Takahiro Obata, and the theme songs "DAYS" and "BURN" are composed and written by Shigeyuki Harada and sung by Shiggy Jr. The theme songs perfectly match the atmosphere of the story, and "DAYS" in particular has a refreshing melody that makes you feel like the adventure is about to begin. "BURN" is a powerful song that is fitting for the ending, and builds up excitement for the climax of the story.

Sound Director Ryo Tanaka does a fantastic job, and the performances of the character voice actors really bring out the story. Ogura Yui as Pandora and Amagi Sally as Akubi really bring out the best in their characters. Yoshino Hiroyuki as Mifune Go and Kaida Yuko as Louise also really bring out the backgrounds and emotions of their characters. Amada Masuo as Breaking Boss also really brings out his presence as a villain.

■ Recommendation points

"Pandora and Akubi: Gunfight in the Wilderness" is a story about the adventures of the curious Pandora and the free-spirited Akubi, and is a story that brings warm hope to the viewers. It is filled with various elements such as the charm of the characters, the beauty of the visuals, and the wonderful music. In particular, it is a content that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike, making it perfect for watching with the family. It is also recommended not only for fans of the original work, but also for those who like animated movies.

Although this film is a short one, the story is well-drawn and you will feel very satisfied after watching it. Furthermore, if you watch the related film "Pandora and Akubi: The City of Spirits and Monsters" together, you will be able to understand the whole picture of the adventure of the two characters more deeply. Please watch it on the big screen at the theater and enjoy its charm to the fullest.