RahXephon the Motion Picture: Pluralitas Concentio

Publisher
ADV
Director
Yutaka Izubuchi
Production
Media Factory inc, Fuji TV, BONES, Asatsu-DK inc, Shochiku Films, Victor Entertainment
Country of origin
Japan
Format
Film
Running time
120 mins
Year
2003

RahXephon the Motion Picture: Pluralitas Concentio

By John Huxley
16th Mar 05

Warning: spoilers ahead!

If you're reading this review as a newcomer to the convoluted world of RahXephon you may or may not be thinking that the movie will serve as a convenient taster for the series proper. Well, that really couldn't be further from the truth! Despite much of the movie's running time dedicated to a relatively neat synopsis of the series' key moments, I can only imagine how utterly confusing the RahXephon movie would appear without having seen the series beforehand. Characters come and go without a word in the way of introductions, storylines are abandoned at the drop of a hat and the whole thing moves at such a pace you may as well turn the volume down and enjoy the pretty pictures! If you are a newcomer to RahXephon I'd highly recommend ignoring the movie for now and giving the series itself - a good sci-fi mech show with a strong romance element - your attention.

But if you have seen the entire series (or at least most of it), then RahXephon the Motion Picture: Pluralitas Concentio (no, I don't know what the heck that means either...if anyone does, please drop us a line!) is well worth a second glance. Things kick off promisingly as we witness the arrival of the Mu and the creation of Tokyo Jupiter, absolutely pivotal events bizarrely making their first appearances in RahXephon. Of course, if you've seen the series you'll understand exactly why we were never allowed to witness this cataclysmic event first hand, something that makes its inclusion here all the more significant for us RahXephon fans. And if you've no idea what I'm talking about (like I said, go check out the series first!), you'd best not read any further as it'll be very difficult to discuss the movie in any detail without giving away some massive (massive, massive) spoilers. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Previously represented only in photographs and cryptic 'dream' sequences, these surprisingly effective scenes are undoubtedly the movie's crowning achievement - watching the formative moments of Ayato and Haruka's highschool romance and their subsequent departure is something that really helps to put the entire series into perspective. Ayato and Haruka's gradual reunion is a sensitively portrayed relationship that forms the backbone of the entire series, yet despite this I found it difficult to really get a grasp on the emotional repercussions of the situation. Visualising the tragic events that led to the couple parting ways may seem like an unnecessary simplification, but in a series that often bombards the viewer with unintelligible information this is a welcome moment of clarity.

Unfortunately, with the highlight of the movie over within the first few minutes there's only one place left to go - down. Leaving the young couple behind we rejoin a now memory deficient Ayato as he makes his way from the wreckage of the train only to find that war has broken out in the skies above Tokyo, an eerie, seemingly alien threat overwhelming their primitive technology. Anyone who's watched the series should hopefully recognise this scenario as the opening scenes of the very first episode in which Ayato first learns of the Mu and Tokyo Jupiter. Although there are a few new additions and a little divergence, this recap is almost identical to the original series and reuses much of the animation and dialogue that fans will remember all too clearly. For the remainder of the film we're taken through the highlights and lowlights of the series, reliving Aayato's reunion with Haruka, his tragic relationship with Asahina, right through to the cataclysmic finale.

The consequences of compressing an entire 26-episode series into little under 120 minutes are all too obvious - hopping from storyline to storyline with little regard for pace or structure leaves the resulting experience feeling sadly disjointed and ultimately frustrating. To be fair, many RahXephon fans buying this movie that are already familiar with the series could view this as an opportunity to reevaluate the story under a different light; an argument supported by the numerous small alterations and additions peppered throughout the film. These range from almost unnoticeable rearrangements to entirely new scenes that often encompass unexpected plot developments. There's a certain amount of fun to be had playing 'spot the difference' so I won't spoil anything for you, although I can say that even the most significant alternations and additions are negligible when you consider how long you've spent staring at the same old footage.

I'm sure dedicated RahXephon fans will find something to enjoy - it's almost worth buying for that first scene alone - yet I simply can't recommended it to anyone else. Both Neon Genesis Evangelion and Martian Successor Nadesico spawned good movies following their popular TV series run (if you can ignore Death & Rebirth) but RahXephon couldn't quite repeat their success. In hindsight a RahXephon movie might not have been the brightest idea considering the self-contained nature of the series, although the same could be said of Evangelion so it's not really a viable excuse. If you're infatuated with RahXephon by all means check it out, but everyone else should probably stick to the series.

R2 DVD Notes

Features: English 5.1 and Japanese 5.1 audio, English subtitles, 12 page booklet, ADV previews

Release information: UK: 2005, ADV

Notes: The cover sticks to the same basic design as the series, this time with a musty orange colour scheme and a rather indifferent piece of artwork featuring Ayato, Haruka and the RahXephon. If you're vaguely familiar with the series I guess Ayato and Haruka holding hands could be considered something of a spoiler, although I doubt anyone will really notice. Included alongside the disc is an attractively presented 12-page booklet. With plenty of character profiles, story notes and even a worryingly complex relationship graph, this little booklet does a decent job of explaining some of the intricacies missing from the film itself. Even RahXephon veterans should find this an entertaining diversion, which is just as well considering the complete lack of extras provided on the DVD itself. No commentaries, no interviews, no artwork...just a few ADV previews and the regular audio/subtitle options to choose from. It should also be noted that RahXephon the Motion Picture, despite boasting good quality audio and visuals, is presented in an unusual 4:3 format (probably due to the amount of recycled footage). Not a fantastic disc by any means, but the great little booklet does help.

-- John Huxley 16th Mar 05

RahXephon the Motion Picture: Pluralitas Concentio Images