Search - Kakurenbo - Hide & Seek on DVD

Quick Chills and Plenty of Eye-Candy

Antonio D. Paolucci | Beaver Falls, PA | 12/22/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Kakurenbo, like Makoto Shinkai's Voices of a Distant Star, was created by only a few people yet stands a cut above a lot of anime of the same type. It presents unique ideas that would never have been tried by any of the more mass marketed anime. While the emphasis of Kakurenbo is the horror story, it still has plenty to offer outside of that, like stunning visuals, plenty of atmosphere, and a haunting soundtrack that plays well as the story unravels.



Kakurenbo is about eight children who dare each other into playing a game of hide and seek (Kakurenbo) in a city that's become a kind of urban myth among the children. Following specific rules, including following road signs, wearing fox masks, and going in with seven children, will trigger the city into life, or so the myth goes. The children follow these rules down to one, and that is they actually go in with eight. But the city comes to life anyways, and their game turns into a struggle, and all the while one boy attempts to find his lost sister who played the game before him.



The creatures that come to life in this short anime are drawn from Japanese mythology, and are made to fit into a more modern world, giving them a unique appearance that's successfully terrifying. When placed in the dark setting, these monstrosities do their job. And with relish. By the end, once all the monsters, or demons, are revealed, and twists play themselves out, you should be left with a disturbed feeling of horror in you stomach, especially when you realize what lights the city....



This is one of those films that just don't compare that easily with others. It's too different. Yet it's still great and worth the money. The DVD contains more special features than most anime DVDs have, and this makes up for the shortness of the film. Plus, had the film been longer, the effect would have been lost, I think. I'd recommend this to hardcore anime fans who don't mind a little difference from anime to anime."

Very good

Psi | 12/30/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For a 25 miniute short film, I thought it was really good. I loved the graphics, and the story was quite origanal and very provoking. If you hear people complain because it was too short, that the characters had no personalities, that the animation was bad... That is their view, my opinion for such a short film, I thought it was really good. But don't listen to us here, watch it yourself and form your on opinion"

Saw Kakurenbo at Otakon - Wow!

Jules | New York | 09/24/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I saw Kakurenbo as this year's Otakon. I was blown away. It's been compared to Voice of a Distant Star because of its length and both were made by small, indepedents, but Kakurenbo left an impression on my a lot longer than Voices. That's why I'm writing about it today. I just learned that it's coming to DVD and I can't wait. It has some of the most beautiful computer graphics I've seen and the story is scary and gripping. I was told at Otakon Kakurenbo won awards at the Fantasia Film Festival, Korean Cartoon and Animation Festival, and Tokyo Anime Fair (where it tied Ghost in the Shell 2). Kakurenbo was something I had never heard of until its screening but its something I still think about now. I can't wait for the DVD!"

Hide And Seek Was Never This Intense

Keith A. Jones | Philadelphia PA | 07/03/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Kakurenbo ranks with up there with the top anime films. I honestly didn't expect this movie to be as good as it was. Kakurenbo takes one of the oldest games and adds a twist that would give any kid the creeps. So many children go out to "Otokyo" in the ruins of an old city to play the game. It is rumored that there're demons who take the participants of each game.



The film mainly follows Hikora who is playing the game hoping to find his missing sister. In the movie, the myth doesn't scare the kids but rather encourages them to prove it wrong. They're in fact very courageous and are willing to play knowing that kids have actually been missing for a long time. 7 kids have showed up and but only some are anxious to start the game. All 7 no doubt want to leave with a victory rather than to never leave at all.



I loved every minute of kakurenbo even though it was so short (around 25 minutes). When you think about it, so much could have been added to make it longer and more complex. If anything, by making it so short it added a lot of mystery and this made the movie that much more intense. The animation was amazing; the demons were designed so well that they could really scare people. The animation looked so real and the way the demons chased the children it was unforgettable.



I think that this is a movie that could have a lot added to it meaning that a few sequels is possible if done right. They wouldn't even have to come up with new demons because they were too scary looking to just let go. Overall, Kakurenbo was a great surprise for me.I truly thought it was a kids anime and boy was I wrong.It may not scare everyone but it totally worth watching."