This Week in Anime

An Anime Night at the Movies

Nicky
Just kidding! This isn't going to be a camrip column. That wouldn't be up to our quality standards. We did think it was an excellent opportunity to talk about something we usually wouldn't, which is what it's like to see anime in the theaters. December is one of the busiest times for movies. The holiday means a lot of people are rushing to the theater, so many studios plan to release movies around this time of year. It turns out that some of our favorite Japanese properties are no exception, with both a Ghibli and a Godzilla film out in theaters this month.

Yet, even before the pandemic, ticket sales for the theaters were dropping. It's theorized that the ease of streaming has made people less motivated to go to theaters, and now certain movies, including anime, end up as streaming exclusives. It's so easy to watch things on our screens at home. Why bother going out of our way? This week, we'll review the pros and cons to consider before planning your next movie night. Don't forget the popcorn!

Coincidentally, I did see Shin Godzilla in theaters, and I'm grateful for it. Not only was it entertaining to discuss and talk about with other people, but it also allowed me to finally confess my feelings for a certain special someone at the time. Movies can be a great way to connect with others online, but they're also just a good excuse to get out of the house and hang out with friends, family, or partners. You never have to worry about conversation because you can always talk about the movie you just watched. Other than the romantic potential of giant city-destroying lizards, one of the movies I saw this year was a screening of Kaguya-sama: Love is War -The First Kiss That Never Ends-, which had a particularly packed showing for Valentine's Day.

December is an important romantic holiday in Japan and a bigger excuse for movie dates. I don't think most people minded seeing it in February, as there were many happy couples in the audience as far as I could see.

As you mentioned, this is a good opportunity to bring up some of the "quirks" of anime theatrical releases. Something big like Ghibli's The Boy and the Heron is popular enough to deserve a regular wide release, but most anime films aren't so fortunate. Some only screen as special events for one or two nights at specific theaters. While I'm fortunate to have many theaters close to me willing to show anime, Aniplex's The First Kiss that Never Ends distribution felt too small for how popular the series has been among anime fans. Other people have described similar booked-out situations for it or not being able to find theaters near them, leading me to believe that the audience was severely underestimated.

It took a long time to see Evangelion: 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon A Time the "proper" way after Amazon Prime's exclusive streaming premiere, but it was worthwhile to view the conclusion of Anno's epic franchise on a huge screen. However, I will still gripe that it should've received a properly-sized release in the first place. While I don't mind waiting for movies to be available, especially regarding the pandemic at the time, I feel like some anime are more prominent than most distributors anticipate.

There's pretty good evidence for this. The Boy and the Heron is currently flying at a 12.8M U.S. opening, and big shōnen action films like the Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen movies ended up being blockbusters and a welcome entertainment alternative as live-action filmmakers struggled with rampant COVID outbreaks.

Oh man, that's hilarious, though I'd also consider many of the examples I just used as outliers, as most of the films I go to aren't connected to established properties. It's easy to draw an audience for fans of an existing series, but there are still lots of anime films that are released throughout the year, and most of the time, the theaters for them are practically empty. I go out of my way to see anime films subbed on a weeknight, and I don't even see all of them. Sadly, I missed out on Blue Giant this year, as a coming-of-age jazz film directed by Mob Psycho 100's Yuzuru Tachikawa seems extremely "my jam."

Hell yeah! I saw Promare when it premiered at AX, but I was elated to nab a theater seat among an equally excited audience. Having a good crowd can charge an already intense movie. Being able to laugh, cry, or cheer collectively with others can be an incredible sensation. However, that depends, as not everyone appreciates their screening taken over by people who have already seen the movie and start calling out all the best lines. Please remember to be mindful of other people. Being too loud or distracting can hinder other moviegoers' enjoyment.

Though it is good that you brought up Shinkai. This year's Suzume was certainly a crowd-pleaser and already available on Crunchyroll.

Nick and I documented Shinkai's success story earlier this year before watching Suzume, but I was fortunate enough to see Your Name and unfortunate enough to see Weathering With You in theaters, as well.

I don't always love everything I buy tickets for, but I like to think seeing it in the theater is an enhancement. For one thing, having a huge screen means catching a level of detail I wouldn't otherwise. All of Shinkai's films are drop-dead gorgeous pieces of animation with breathtaking color work and attention to detail that can only be achieved through feature animation. There were times when the sheer beauty made me cry.

However, some people may have pretty big TVs nowadays, so if a big visuals doesn't seem like a big deal, hearing the full power of a film's score through a theater's sound system might be worth your dollar. Listening to the sound envelope the entire room is more immersive and emotional than pretty pictures alone. Screens are now better than ever, but trying to recreate a similar surround sound environment would cost thousands of dollars, assuming you account for all the acoustics.

I still have FOMO over Blue Giant and The First Slam Dunk. But I forgot when they were coming out with how little promotion was done for the films. I probably would have tried to see them if they had been out another week.
However, sometimes re-screenings happen, like with Promare, or there might be a screening of a con. One year, I managed to see Penguin Highway during Crunchyroll Expo after I had missed it. Occasionally, other anime movies might get re-showings by local or indie theaters. One of my best experiences was re-watching the abstractly animated On-Gaku: Our Sound in a teeny, tiny old theater in San Francisco. Earlier this year, the same theater also showed the highspeed racing movie Redline, one of my favorite movies ever.

I know people out in the Midwest who had to drive two hours to see bigger movies like Promare and Your Name. In some areas, people might not have many theaters, if any.

I wouldn't consider all hope lost, as I've seen quite an uptick in re-showings, and if you ever dreamed of seeing your favorite anime movie on the big screen, you could always check theaters around you to see if they'd be open to hosting a private screening with you and your friends. I've heard successful stories of people hosting their favorite anime for birthday parties or anime clubs. Based on some quick research, prices are much more than your average ticket, ranging roughly between $99 to $500. Still, that price could be split into something affordable, assuming the people you invite will pitch in.

Some of the theater experiences I mentioned weren't quite as fancy as IMAX, and prices varied significantly by the theater and the time I saw them. IMAX can be expensive, not including the additional popcorn and drink, but I consider that a splurge. It may not seem worth spending tens of dollars for only a few hours' worth of entertainment when the same money could be used on video games, books, or food, but I want to emphasize that movies can be made into extraordinary memories. Even if you prefer to watch movies alone, you can always consider it an excuse to relax and let yourself be taken in.

Part of the problem with watching things at home is that we get distracted by everything in our environment. While you may never get the total experience of a dark theater room, you can probably do a few things to improve your enjoyment of media at home. Putting away your phone might be a good place to start.

I should know; I was with you, bro. It was my idea to see it together this weekend, independent of the column. I treasure it as a special memory I now share with everyone reading this.

Now it's your turn, readers; tell us your special movie memories! What anime films have you had the privilege of watching in theaters? What's the best time you've had watching anime with a crowd? What films are you looking forward to seeing? Tell us in the comments, and keep spoilers to currently showing films out of it or we'll catch you!