After the brilliant but bleak sixth film that was Hosoda Mamoru's 'Baron Omatsuri and the secret island,' pretty much anything would have been a breath of fresh air as filmmaker Uda Konosuke returns to helm the seventh. Returning writer Ito Masahiro must have known it, too, because this flick swiftly opens with the energetic sense of adventure and comedy that was largely missing from the immediate predecessor. Even as the plot thickens with tinges of far-flung, sometimes unsettling science fiction, that energy never diminishes as 'The giant mechanical soldier of Karakuri Castle' remains light on its feet, more in line with the action and storytelling of 'Dead End adventure' than even 'The cursed holy sword,' and the mirth is most welcome. I'm not saying that the picture outright demands viewership, but it's very fun and engaging just as we expect of 'One Piece,' and there's really no going wrong here!
The humor is equal parts silly, warm, and witty as the Straw Hat Pirates pursue a legendary treasure on an island ruled by a genius tinkerer, and plentiful fanciful shenanigans ensue in following clues to their end. Wonderfully grand fantasy comes to bear with each notion in turn, reminding of classic dungeon crawls and expansive lore in tabletop gaming like Dungeons & Dragons, and it's easy as a viewer to get drawn in as the mystery unfolds. Ito gives us a narrative that's compelling and absorbing not because of the enormous stakes at hand, as in the previous two movies, but because we're eager to see where the journey leads, and the change of pace is gratifying. Each character among our beloved pirate crew has their own time to shine in turn, and even as the figures introduced this saga mostly simply fill archetypes, they fit neatly into the gleeful reverie that the title portends.
As ever this is just as well made as one should hope, including another tremendously dynamic, enticing score from Tanaka Kohei, spirited and commendable voice acting, and robust sound design. It's safe to say that the visual experience is one of the foremost lures, though, and as if they could do any wrong, the artists of Toei Animation turn out another outstanding feast for the eyes. I've become very accustomed of late to splendor in Japanese animation that studios elsewhere around the world just can't touch, and I couldn't be happier with how superb everything looks in these ninety-five minutes. You want it, you got it: terrific consideration for fine detail, texture, lighting, shading, and perspective; fetching character designs, and excellent, imaginative designs for creatures, machines, and other active elements; smooth, fluid, exciting action; and more. Why, as a measure of 3D digital rendering is woven in amidst the predominant 2D, it is only ever sparingly and judiciously employed, and therefore looks fantastic and holds up far better than in other flicks that are heedlessly overloaded with computer-generated imagery.
Add some understated themes of exploitation and ego, and ramp up the ridiculousness of the adventure more and more as the story progresses, and the result is stupendously entertaining from start to finish - a somewhat free-wheeling genre lark that makes the most of its animation to exercise the furthest creative reaches of all involved. I think there's a reasonable criticism to be made in how Nami and Robin's figures have become even more exaggerated, cartoonishly accentuating and augmenting their physical assets, but in fairness I recognize that this is a matter of 'One Piece' at large, creator Oda Eiichiro, and the primary target audience, so I can't specifically fault this feature. And even if we nitpick about how comparatively thin the antagonists are written, or the wild extra steps of whimsy on hand, the fact is that 'The giant mecha soldier of Karakuri Castle' only wants to entertain, and it very capably achieves that goal. In the same fashion this moreover bypassing any concern of how to keep storytelling interesting in a world of supernatural abilities where our heroes are assured of emerging victorious again and again: sometimes a joyful blend of adventure, comedy, action, and fantasy is all that we want or need, and all that is required of a film, and even as the end credits roll this is exactly what we get here. It's not wholly striking or essential, but I can't overstate how highly enjoyable this 2006 release is, and I'm all so pleased to give it my very high and enthusiastic recommendation!
