"BLACKFOX" review: A masterpiece anime that combines action and story

BLACKFOX: A fusion of futuristic ninjas and urban legends

"BLACKFOX" is an original work produced by Studio 3Hz, an animated feature film released on October 5, 2019. Set in a metropolis in the near future, the story depicts the story of Ritsuka, a girl from a ninja clan, and her friends. This work is a science fiction action film that revolves around "BLACK FOX," a monster with a black fox mask who is spoken of as an urban legend. It is directed by Kazuya Nomura and directed by Keisuke Shinohara.

story

A ninja mansion stands in a corner of a big city in the near future. Ritsuka, the eldest daughter of the Isurugi ninja clan who lives there, admires her father, a researcher. One day, just when she thought she would continue living an ordinary and happy life, the mansion is suddenly attacked by someone. Ritsuka bravely faces the desperate crisis, but what fate awaits her beyond that? Her battle begins with this message: Become the "black" that cuts through the darkness!

Commentary

"BLACKFOX" is a sci-fi action film about "BLACK FOX", a monster wearing a black fox mask who is the subject of urban legend. It is an original anime produced by Studio 3Hz, whose representative works include "Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online" and "Princess Principal", and is characterized by its new attempt to combine a near-future world view with ninja elements. Director Nomura Kazuya is known for his meticulous storytelling and visual expression, and his talents are fully displayed in this work.

cast

The cast of this work is a star-studded cast of voice actors. The main character, Isurugi Ritsuka, is played by Nanase Ayaka, Mia by Tomatsu Haruka, and Melissa by Daichi Yo. In addition, the voice actors who play each character are fascinating, with Tsuchida Dai as Allen, Tsuda Eizo as Hyoe, Fujiwara Keiji as Oboro, Toyosaki Aki as Madara, Toriumi Kosuke as Kasumi, Tobita Nobuo as Lauren, Tochi Hiroki as Brad, and Koyama Rikiya as Harold.

Main Staff

Many talented staff members participated in the production of "BLACKFOX." The original work was created by Project BLACKFOX, the general director was Kazuya Nomura, the director was Keisuke Shinohara, the script was written by Naoki Hayashi, the character designer was Atsushi Saito, the mechanical designer was Fumihiro Katakai, the animal drone designer was Kenji Ando, ​​the prop designer was Ryo Akizuki, the art was by Blueprint, the color designer was Yukie Noguchi, the 3DCG director was Shunsaku Usui (Flying Ship Studio), the 3DCG was by Flying Ship Studio, the director of photography was Masaru Wakabayashi (T2 studio), the photography was by T2 studio, the graphic art was Hirofumi Araki, the editor was Tsuyoshi Sadamatsu, the sound director was Jin Aketagawa, the producer was infinite, and the production was by Studio 3Hz. This is a gathering of professionals from various fields.

Main Characters

The main character, Isurugi Ritsuka, is a girl born into the Isurugi family, a clan of ninjas. Her grandfather expects her to take over the family business, but she also admires her father, a researcher, and wants to follow in his footsteps. Mia is a smart girl who is good at chess and is also a psychic with supernatural powers. Melissa is a girl with glasses who lives with Ritsuka, and while Melissa does most of the housework, Ritsuka earns enough money to support both of them. The drama woven by these characters is one of the attractions of this work.

Theme songs and music

The theme song for "BLACKFOX" is performed by fripSide. The song is called "BLACKFOX" and the lyrics and music were composed by Satoshi Yaginuma. fripSide's energetic sound and lyrics symbolically express the theme of this work, "black that cuts through the darkness."

Evaluation and Impressions

"BLACKFOX" has been praised for its innovative fusion of a near-future worldview and ninja elements. In particular, the detailed storytelling and visual expression have been highly praised, fully demonstrating the talents of director Nomura Kazuya. The performances of the stellar voice cast are also superb, bringing out the charms of each character. The theme song by fripSide also symbolically expresses the theme of the film, raising the quality of the entire work.

However, on the other hand, some people feel that because the story has to be developed in a short 100 minutes, there is a lack of detailed explanation of the characters' backgrounds and the worldview. In particular, some people have said that they would have liked more digging into the presence and background of "BLACK FOX" as an urban legend. In addition, some people feel that the fusion of a near-future worldview and ninja elements is not necessarily accepted by all viewers.

Recommendations and related works

"BLACKFOX" is a work that features a new attempt to combine a near-future worldview with ninja elements. It is especially recommended for those who want to enjoy detailed storytelling and visual expression, and those who want to enjoy the performances of a luxurious cast of voice actors. In addition, fripSide's theme song also enhances the appeal of this work, so music lovers will also enjoy it.

Related works include "Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online" and "Princess Principal," both produced by Studio 3Hz. These works are also characterized by their detailed storytelling and visual expression, and are recommended for fans of "BLACKFOX." In addition, "Cybersix" and "Batman Begins" are also good references for works that combine a near-future world view with ninja elements.

Conclusion

"BLACKFOX" is a work that stands out for its new attempt to combine a near-future worldview with ninja elements. It is packed with many charms, including intricate storytelling and visual expression, the performances of a stellar cast of voice actors, and a theme song by fripSide. On the other hand, some say that the story must be developed in the short time frame of 100 minutes, and that there is a lack of detailed explanation of the characters' backgrounds and the worldview. However, overall, "BLACKFOX" is a work that should be praised for its new attempt to combine a near-future worldview with ninja elements, and it will be enjoyed by many viewers.