In the (n)ever-ending race for the successor of Hayao Miyazaki, Mamoru Hosoda always comes to the fore (along with Makoto Shinkai), with his Oscar nomination for “Mirai” highlighting the claim quite eloquently. His latest work, “Scarlet”, is a truly ambitious project that draws direct inspiration from “Hamlet” while implementing a rather unusual animation technique, situated somewhere between CGI and traditional 2D. Let us see how he fared.
The story follows medieval princess Scarlet, who vows to avenge the murder of her loving father by her warmongering uncle. However, her efforts leave her poisoned and thrust into a liminal realm where time collapses, and she encounters Hijiri, an idealistic medic from the present day. As the two roam this eerie world in search of justice and a so-called promised place, they cross paths with other wandering dead, whose earthly problems persist even after death. Yet there is a haunting twist: if they perish a second time, they will be lost forever.
In a style that occasionally brings to mind “Berserk”, particularly through its medieval aesthetics and bursts of intense violence, Hosoda attempts to merge history, fantasy, and modernity to deliver a message firmly against war and brutality. Caravans attacked by bandits, refugees fleeing destruction, towering walls separating the privileged from the desperate — these elements appear throughout, pushing a commentary that becomes increasingly clear as events unfold.
Nevertheless, the presentation of these messages occasionally borders on romanticized and naive idealism, especially in how Scarlet ultimately faces her scheming uncle. The late attempt at drama prevents the conclusion from falling into a perfect fairy tale resolution, yet the overall delivery still feels tailored primarily to younger audiences. This would be perfectly fitting if this were a production aimed squarely at children, but both the original “Hamlet” influence and the level of violence presented do not entirely align with that demographic.
Additionally, certain world-building elements remain insufficiently explored. The role of the sky dragon, for example, raises intriguing questions left unanswered, while some shifts in alliance and attitude feel a bit too conveniently optimistic, even if Hosoda preserves a few villains for the end.
On the other hand, and as is often the case in big-budget Japanese animation, “Scarlet” is nothing short of breathtaking on a visual level. The dominant use of red is striking throughout, while the dragon and its thunderous presence are genuinely epic. The varied environments — palace halls, windswept deserts, towering mountain passes — are rendered with astonishing richness. Crowd scenes featuring thousands of unique characters amplify the scope of the world, while a feisty dance sequence will surely linger in viewers’ memories. Studio Chizu’s work here is exceptional across the board.
Jin Kim and Tadahiro Uesugi’s character designs employ slender, fluid anime stylings — particularly with the two leads — placing major emphasis on facial expression, which works especially well. The villains and supporting cast are also well realized. However, Scarlet’s eyes occasionally appear too large, resulting in one of the few noticeable technical distractions.
The sound design is equally impressive, blending powerful battle crescendos and calamity with more atmospheric and intimate moments, including the aforementioned dance, which benefits greatly from audio craft.
The question that ultimately arises is whether high production values can compensate for a narrative that feels simplistic on several levels. The answer leans toward “no,” although not entirely. “Scarlet” remains a work that deserves to be seen and appreciated on a large screen, particularly for its visual accomplishments.