Miss Hokusai (2015)
9/10
"Miss Hokusai" reflecting Anime that is ineffably Beautiful and even enlightening.
11 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
"Miss Hokusai" is a beautifully rendered and even 'mystic' anime originating from manga-artist Hinako Sugiura becoming a full-length animated 2015 Film by Keiichi Hara spotlighting legendary Edo period artist Hokusai, famous for the strikingly powerful and iconic painting "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" This particular story 'Miss Hokusai' reveals  the lesser known tale of Hokusai's amazingly gifted & equally artistic daughter 'O-Ei' who never received the recognition she richly deserved, positing that many of O-Ei's original artistic renderings became later attributed to her renowned father.

From a purely visual-perspective the meticulous animation of 'Miss Hokusai' presents abundantly breathtaking artistic renderings and recreations of 'Hokusai' inspired Works, also evoking the rich imagery inherent to Classic Japanese Edo period-setting with all its sublime & ineffable-beauty.

From the standpoint of storytelling 'Miss Hokusai' provides profound insights into the highly creative but also chaotic lifestyle of the obsessive artist, a Life filled with the endless search for unpredictable/ unexpected but authentic creative inspiration.

There are also 'spiritual' (e.g. primarily Buddhist) elements introduced as the Story progresses which adds greatly to authenticity, providing additional insights about the culture (and belief-structure) inherent to the specific time & place in which O-Ei and her father Hokusai produced their timeless Works.

'Miss Hokusai' embodies the rich combination of strikingly beautiful animation enhanced by an intriguing rumination reflecting on Edo-period Japanese culture replete with its deeply-spiritual qualities and ineffable contradictions, an anime film that is beautiful, unique and even enlightening.
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