Junk World Review (Scotland Loves Anime 2025)
Typically, when you think of anime, what comes to mind is either cel animation or digitally drawn images. These techniques have defined the medium for decades and continue to evolve with the incorporation of CGI. Today, we even see fully 3D anime, though they still lag behind American productions in terms of sophistication.
What’s rarely discussed, however, is stop motion in anime, a curious omission, given that some of the most beloved classics in the West, such as Wallace and Gromit, Coraline, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, are stop motion. This narrative is beginning to shift. Recently, we’ve seen Pokémon Concierge and Junk Head, which now has a sequel titled Junk World.
Set thousands of years before Junk Head, knowledge of the original feature is not required to appreciate the prequel Junk World, which is a major strength. The film opens with a brief overview of its world and the ongoing conflict between humans and marigans. It then follows Tris and her robot partner, Robin, as they travel to a joint investigation between the humans and marigans led by the original clone Dante. The goal is to investigate an anomaly that has appeared in an underground city. Their mission, however, is soon disrupted by a marigan cult known as the Gura.
Discussing more than the essential information would be a disservice, as every tonal and narrative shift is unexpected and genuinely hilarious. One moment you’re watching a zany action comedy; the next, it’s a sharp critique of religion and the loyalty people show to figures proclaiming themselves as God. In a rational world, this shouldn’t work, but somehow it all meshes into a brilliant hot pot of face-melting ideas, proving that insanity has its place in cinema. At 1 hour and 45 minutes, the film flew by, and when the credits rolled, I was genuinely shocked.
Visually, it’s one of a kind. If a comparison must be made to another stop motion animated feature, it would be Mad God by Phil Tippett, though that film is far more visually intense. The creature and character designs here are grotesque, with too many mouths and overly erotic flourishes that provoke great laughs. What truly stands out, however, are the backgrounds: the sets are massive, diverse, and watching the characters move across them is nothing short of wonderful. Junk World can be summed up visually as disgustingly beautiful.
The visuals are elevated by an incredible voice cast. The diverse ensemble brings each unique and wonderful character to life, ensuring that even the wild tonal shifts land as effectively as they do. Each act focuses on a different group of characters, allowing those who feel underdeveloped in the first act to flourish later on. Every element serves the narrative and world-building that Junk World strives for, and writer-director Takahide Hori has done an outstanding job of realising his vision.
Junk World is a film like no other. Honestly, I could write long-winded paragraphs about how great it is, but the most organic way to experience Junk World is simply to watch it. No anime compares, and while watching the film, I was in awe, laughing at the top of my lungs and occasionally grossed out. Junk World is a genuinely great time, and it makes me want to check out Junk Head as soon as possible.
★★★★
Screened at Scotland Loves Anime 2025 / Atsuko Miyake / Dir: Takahide Hori / Aniplex / 15
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