‘Scarlet’: Hamlet reimagined

‘Scarlet’ is a time-bending Japanese anime film that marries Shakespearean drama with ancient Japanese folklore. It examines how violence is inherent in human behaviour and makes a strong case for a future free from war. Writer-director Mamoru Hosoda earlier adapted ‘The Beauty and the Beast’ as ‘Belle’, but this time round it’s the much more ambitious ‘Hamlet’ which appears to be the obvious inspiration.

Hosoda sets his Hamlet-like betrayal-and-revenge plot around the 16th century Elsinore Castle, representing the Kingdom of Denmark. Apparently, the King’s brother is conspiring against him with the help of the Queen.

The story here is inspired, yet different. A beloved princess named Scarlet (Mana Ashida), with bright red hair and a tempestuous, vengeful disposition, sees to avenge the death of her father at the behest of her treacherous uncle Claudius (Koji Yakusho).

Hosoda envisions an alternate reality in a war-torn surreal afterlife where Scarlet gets the opportunity to avenge her father’s death. The vengeance spiel takes place in the Otherworld, a vast, barren battlefield where both Claudius and Scarlet now reside along with the other great warriors of history.

A modern-day healer named Hijiri (Masaki Okada), Polonius (Kazuhiro Yamaji), his son Laertes (Toki Emoto), Rosencrantz (Munetaka Aoki) and Guildenstern (Shota Sometani) are some of the other significant characters in the Otherworld.

There is some lag when Scarlet and Hijiri discuss violence and its futility and some of the dialogues feel repetitive because they appear to be regurgitating the same ideas. The design and animation are stupefying, though.

The crowd scenes are impressive. The great dragon unleashing lightning attacks are spectacularly rendered.

The Otherworld is a nightmarish haunting hellscape and is beautifully imagined and represented on screen. The timelessness of the afterlife and the concept that multiple characters of history from different generations and geographies can exist in it, is quite intriguing. Hosoda creates visuals that astound. Every detail is meticulously rendered. The action sequences are sharply executed and have a dynamism that is unusual for an anime product. The sound design is loud and overwrought and aids in getting the audience eagerly involved in this impressive experience.

The animation technique borrows from tradition, but is rendered in a uniquely modern digitised form. Hosoda hopes to make a statement on the futility of violence with the help of dramatic animation and rich aesthetics presented in a form that is easily understood and deeply felt. The fact that he succeeds in some measure is a testament to his creative talents and unique craftsmanship.