X

Japanese animation has a reputation for its striking, visual appeal, but the storylines that carry this artistry are often simplistic, befuddling, and insipid. In this bit of "anime" from veteran director Gintaro, the elfin Kamui is sent to Tokyo by his mother to take part in the "final battle." First he must decide which side to fight for; the Dragons of Earth, who want to cleanse the planet by eradicating mankind, or the Dragons of Heaven, who want to protect "the ones they love." Dragons are human forms with elemental powers, and though the Dragons of Earth march under the benevolent banner of environmentalism, they are the more nefarious of the two factions. With inane, square-jawed talk of "fate" and "destiny" glommed in with some trippy dream sequences -- as ushered along by a cleavage-busting oracle -- and Mortal Kombat-styled battles, X unfolds in a loose series of vignettes. Ultimately the film raises troubling questions like what prompted Armageddon, how does the central computer system of Tokyo factor into any of this, and why can't these animation masters find a decent writer?

-- Tom Meek