Bubble Review, Beautifully Animated Parkour Pops

Bubble is a 2022 Japanese animated post-apocalyptic film produced by Wit Studio. It is directed by Tetsurō Araki and written by Gen Urobuchi, and features character designs by Takeshi Obata and music composed by Hiroyuki Sawano. Tetsurō Araki’s ‘Bubble’ (with his ‘Bleach’ and ‘Attack on Titan’) promises action with slick visuals to become Cilers’ watch list. The film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 10, 2022. It was then followed by a worldwide release on April 30, 2022 on Netflix.

Hibiki (Jun Shison) is a mainstay on the Blue Blaze team in a parkour match that rewards daily supplies for survival in Tokyo. It became an abandoned city due to a mysterious bubble event that created a gravitational anomaly that destroyed the city and flooded the city of Tokyo.

During the match, Hibiki tried to save his friend who almost fell in a spiral that could drag people and objects into it. Instead of saving Hibiki, he fell into the water and almost died because of it. In the water, Hibiki was saved by a mysterious girl who came from nowhere named Uta (Riria). After rescuing Hibiki, the woman was brought by Hibiki to join the Blue Blaze group. This girl’s behavior is unusual and acts very strangely, so it is difficult to communicate. Uta wanted to be with the boy she fell in love with but her sister didn’t let her and she ended up sacrificing herself, but she stayed by his side. it’s like the little mermaid with a little twist.

The most visible reference to the love story in “Bubble” is the fairy tale “The Little Mermaid”. In the prologue part, we can see Uta who appears resembling a mermaid who saved Hibiki from drowning. Until finally the story develops where Uta has a song that only Hibiki can hear. They go from feeling connected to falling in love. The story of “The Little Mermaid” is also a narrative that is applied inside this film.

Hibiki first heard Uta’s singing when a rain of bubbles circled the Tokyo sky. Uta who realized that someone could finally hear his singing felt the same interest. The two made contact and created the first bubble burst in Tokyo. This scenario is an application of the big bang theory. Where the universe was created because of a big explosion. The moment of first contact between Hibiki and Uta was likened to a big bang. Creating a new ecosystem in a bubble, as well as a form of Uta’s sister’s anger because he made contact with humans. Their love story closes with a beautiful narrative full of hope. That life is a spiral that always happens like a pattern that will experience repetition. Hibiki and Uta do not need to worry, because they have hopes of meeting again when the next big bang occurs.

Explicitly, the conditions of the parkour actors in the forbidden city of Tokyo are victims of the disaster that occurred 5 years ago. Those who lost their families chose to stay in Tokyo and survive. Hibiki and his friends are always fun together, so the spirit to fight in the midst of a city crisis that they don’t know about becomes lighter. Although Hibiki’s character is like those of an anime character where they are quiet and cool, being together with the team always invites a smile.

Impressive visuals appear in all aspects of the anime ‘Bubble’. Starting from the background of the city of Tokyo which is described as abandoned with the destruction of the city and the condition of being flooded, it becomes a new thing that turns out to be explored very nicely. It being from the almost destroyed buildings to the water element that is still used. The background image, which still uses classic 2D techniques with eye-catching coloring, is the most impressive attraction throughout the film.

Even without a 3D setting like most anime today, the visual dynamics combined with Hibiki and his friends’ parkour actions blend beautifully. The captivating parkour actions are between being afraid and fighting the gravity anomaly. Their struggle in parkour action becomes a new style in anime stories, combined in a post-apocalypse dressing, it won’t feel like a romantic drama tucked between characters that is always fun in friendship.

This movie is an unusual choice of anime style and is so attractive with its cool visuals. Shown with acrobatic parkour games in the middle of a shattered Tokyo city. They presented a beautiful and absolutely stunning parkour scenes, distinctive melancholy, pleased, and delight.

The movie’s plot took many turns and the ending is little cryptic, which can make the movie difficult to understand. The storyline is also a little weak in some areas and the ending left me feeling a little unresolved. For Bubble, the story of The Little Mermaid is reversed. While the Little Mermaid’s struggle reflects Uta’s, we end up taking the perspective of the prince in the form of Hibiki. So instead of Bubble being about Uta and her relationship with the bubble world, the film is instead about what Uta’s sacrifice means for Hibiki.

More than romantic love, Hibiki requires a spiritual awakening that will break him out of his existential funk, which means that their “love” is destined to take the same route as the prince and the Little Mermaid’s love and it could never be.

However, From Araki’s total direction, Bubble does have a cinematography that is pleasing to the eye and meets the audience’s expectations. Instead of creating a sad atmosphere after the disaster struck, this film is beautifully made and blends very well with the light storyline.

Our Score (8.5/10)

Title : Bubble (2022)
Genre : Adventure, Romance, Sci-fi
Production : Warner Bros Pictures, Netflix
Studios : Wit Studio
Director : Tetsuro Araki
Screenwriter : Gen Urobuchi
Voice Actors : Jun Shison, Riria