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If you turn The Matrix into a 3D romance anime and add a pinch of Inception, Tomohiko Ito’s Hello World is what you’ll get.
The film is set in Kyoto 2027 where 16-year-old bookworm Naomi Katagaki (Takumi Kitamura) stumbles upon his future self. Older Naomi (Tori Matsuzaka), or “Sensei” as teenage Naomi comes to call him, claims to have traveled 10 years into the past to save his first love, Ruri Ichigyou (Minami Hamabe), from dying. Naomi has yet to meet this girl, so Sensei prepares a detailed guide for him to woo her and eventually save her.
It sounds like a typical time travel romance story but it’s not. Again, think more along the lines of The Matrix. Though the first half of Hello World focuses on the romance, the other half mixes in some action-packed scenes and convoluting sci-fi twists. It’s obvious how Hello World ambitiously tried to tie together many different tropes but the final output is a flawed, confusing mess.
However, I really enjoyed the ride. There’s never a dull moment in Hello World. It’s exhilaratingly fast-paced and has a great soundtrack. Though I don’t always enjoy 3D anime (I mean the animation in Blame! was horrible), the 3D animation in this one is smooth. Plus, the overall film aesthetic is right up my alley. Colorful science fiction? Sign me up!
Also, I found the characters endearing. The budding romance between Naomi and Ruri in the beginning is adorable. Though their scenes are sometimes cliche, you’ll still smile at the cuteness.
There’s no designated villain too even though at some point, the film tricks you into believing there is one. Despite the puzzling narrative, it’s clearly established what drives both Naomi and Sensei.
Give it a go if you don’t mind some head-scratching.
