The Murder Case of Hana & Alice (2015)

The Murder Case of Hana & Alice (2015)

An eccentric, funny, and charming coming-of-age mystery wrapped in rotoscope animation

7.6

Movie

Japan
Japanese
Animation, Comedy, Drama, Mystery
2015
SHUNJI IWAI
Anne Suzuki, Haru Kuroki, Midoriko Kimura
99 min

What it's about

Tetsuko "Alice" Arisugawa has just moved to a new house with her recently divorced mother and enrolled at a school where a strange rumor lingers among the students about "Judas," who is said to have been murdered over a year before. She is told that if anybody knows his fate it would be Hana Arai, the recluse in the house next door who has been unable to bring herself to attend class since "Judas" disappeared.

The take

The Murder Case of Hana & Alice is a charming and whimsical anime film that tells the story of two teenage girls who team up to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a classmate. The film is beautifully animated in a rotoscoped style giving it a unique and dreamlike quality. Hana and Alice, who is new to the town, decide to team up to solve the case. 

Part mystery, part coming-of-age story, and part slice-of-life make for a refreshing and unpredictable viewing experience as the film commits itself to each. The cast makes the story funny and heartwarming with their well-timed quips and well-written dialogue. This is a truly unique and enjoyable animated film about a beautiful friendship budding most unexpectedly.

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