QueenOfDragonland Reviews

Anemone (2011)

Beautiful and important animation

[10/10 · 12 May 2022]

I discovered "Anemone" by pure chance, while browsing a database of anime reviews, focusing on the short ones to watch.

"Anemone" is a glimpse into the life of Ai, young woman, who is first seen wandering in a colorless world of bizarre metal constructions. That world is upside-down as well. Later she meets an anthropomorphic rabbit in suit and top hat who transports her, like in Alice in Wonderland, to a different scene. The scene turns out to be her childhood home.

This anime short is a visually stunning and very wise, no-dialogue commentary on losing and regaining hope, the force of memories and what keeps us going. I recommend it to everyone.

Tototsu ni Egypt Kami (2020– )

Fun and entertaining short anime :)

[8/10 · 3 April 2022]

Although the episodes and the series aren't very long, this is a really cute & entertaining anime. I really like how there's a humorous story about the daily life of ancient Egyptian deities, with a touch of modernity. The characters have really memorable personalities, everyone has their distinct behaviors etc. The animation style of the gods & goddesses is a bit abstract/simple but containing the "essence" of each one.

I'd recommend it to everyone who likes ancient Egypt theme, short comedy or slice-of-life genre.

I watched this after reading a short announcement of it in a magazine about manga & anime and it's really good that I found it.

Sincerely Yours, Lewis Carroll (2004)

Short, wonderful and important film

[10/10 · 1 December 2021]

I discovered this beautiful short by accident. I'm very glad I watched it, being a fan of Carroll's writings and gradually learning more about his life.

It's a well-done, carefully produced miniature portrait of a man whom we mostly know as the author of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass". Although this short movie has references to the creation of it, they're not the ones that the public is used to (such as the memorable boat ride). Instead we get an intimate background of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, who was also an Oxford Mathematics lecturer, photographer, a deacon and a writer of extensive diaries. Almost all quotes in this movie are actual quotes from Dodgson himself, his diaries. It adds to the realism, as much as the meticulously recreated rooms and other places fitting for the views he had seen himself. Although it wasn't filmed in Oxford, it still shows an aura of the place where he lived and which was so important in his career.

I recommend this to anyone who wants to see how the real Lewis Carroll has been like. It's much better than the other existing productions about him - not using any false and unrealistic theories, instead using the true, historical evidence, to produce a vision of certain moments from his life. It's definitely a must-see for every Carrollian. I suppose even everyone else interested in the Victorian Era, writers or simply looking for good shorts will enjoy this a lot.

The Manuscripts' Secret History: Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (2021) Season 1, Episode 1

An impressive little gem

[10/10 · 19 October 2021]

Although this documentary isn't a long one (being the first episode in a short series by ARTE), it's really great. Shares many interesting facts about the origin of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - mostly about its manuscript, from the times when it was initially called Alice's Adventures Under Ground. Features very professional Carrollian scholars and enthusiasts like Franziska Kohlt, Edward Wakeling or Mark Davies. It also explains very well certain false ideas about Lewis Carroll, which are sadly present in various places (in press, online etc.). A great history documentary - recommending it for everyone, not only for the lovers of Carroll's works. I hope this will be a very good discovery for all interested in the history of literature.

Aru tabibito no nikki (2003)

Slow-paced vignettes of a dream

[10/10 · 6 July 2021]

It was a random surreal-looking animated series (very short) that I added to my watchlist one day. I think I didn't expect yet it will be such a memorable adventure.

We follow a man named Tortov Roddle on his mysterious journey through many surreal places. Sometimes excerpts from his diary illustrate a journey as an additional commentary. We don't know why he embarked on this journey but it doesn't matter.

Visuals are beautiful and the toned colors are perfect for a dreamlike mood of this story. The dreamlike qualities aren't only reflected in the appearance of all characters and their surroundings but also in the events shown here. It's like in each short episode Tortov experiences some little bizarre piece of life. They can be melancholic, full of awe, a bit anxious, romantic; funny moments are also here.

Highly recommended for anyone looking for unknown gems of animation (especially Japanese) and anyone who likes surreal stories with the quality of dreams.