Lu Over the Wall

A classic tale of boy meets girl – except the boy is a reclusive teen DJ and the girl is a fish. In this deeply weird and utterly charming tale, a budding friendship between a gloomy teenager and a vampiric mermaid coincides with near-apocalyptic stakes.

Yuasa Masaaki constructs a delightfully surreal world, inhabited by giant sharks in business suits and bands of merdogs. The hyper-fluid, dreamily kinetic animation is set to the rhythm of a mesmerising soundtrack, making for some captivating dance sequences. In the tradition of Japanese cinema, a thread that runs throughout the film is the encroachment of modern urban infrastructure on rural life and customs. This friction informs the animation itself: Yuasa’s dynamic animation marries traditional hand-drawn frames with new technology. The result is less of a clash and more of a celebration of the seemingly unlimited possibilities of the medium.

The film’s various threads culminate in a disaster movie-style sequence that is both visually dazzling and emotionally cathartic. With its boundless energy, off-kilter tempo and unpredictable flow of ideas, it astonishes in its animation and endears in its wackiness. Lu Over the Wall wants to grab you by the hand and show you something wonderful.

– Jessica McGoff

Film stills: ©2017 Lu Film partners