Fuse: Memoirs of the Hunter Girl Review (Anime)
I’m always excited to see what films Anime Limited bring over and Fuse: Memoirs of the Hunter Girl is no exception. Not knowing a whole lot about it, I sat to watch it over lunch.
First thing I couldn’t help but notice was how gorgeous Fuse is and this is a constant high throughout the entirety of the film – I may have some complaints about the film, but the visuals certainly will not be one of those. Fuse follows hunter girl Hamaji following the death of her grandfather, and so she’s sent from her home in the mountains to live with her brother in Edo. She finds out that there are several samurai hunting ‘Fuse’, the name given to a human and dog hybrid, as they’re attacking people and she quickly finds herself in the company of one who has no intention of harming her. Now she’s faced with hunting down the Fuse along with her brother, as well as getting used to life in a city rather than the mountains.
So, the concept itself is solid and the first hour or so is quite enjoyable, if not a little slow. I’m not going to spoil anything but the last half hour or so rubbed me the wrong way with, I feel, things happening that haven’t been hinted at whatsoever, and moments and themes that have little place in the story being told. I’m not sure why whoever penned the script went with the ideas that are present in the last 30 minutes or so of Fuse, but it left me with a sour note and makes it something I’m unable to easily recommend. I’d like to talk more about it but there isn’t a whole lot to say, especially as I don’t wish to spoil it for anybody, but I wasn’t a fan of a few twists and revelations and felt that whilst some made sense to the themes and overall plot of Fuse, some of them stumbled their way in with little reason to be there.
Fuse is a beauty. The city and all the activity in it ranging from people working through fishing, creating newsprints and prostitution (well, the latter is in a completely different part of Edo), and it genuinely feels like a living, breathing place that could be quite easily rooted in reality. Another takeaway note is how gorgeous the nature is – the cherry blossoms, the water, the snow, the stars and the blue skies come together to create something that really brings the world to life. It’s a colourful spectacle that, if it wasn’t for the last half hour or so of the film, I would say should not be missed.
There’s a start contrast to how peaceful the visuals can be though, and that’s the brutal violence. There’s plenty of blood, quick and fluid action, and some moments managed to leave me in awe – I didn’t expect it to be quite as violent as it is, but it really pushes home the point as to why the humans and Fuse are at battle in the first place, even if it isn’t greatly explained as to why things got this way in the first place. If you’re squeamish at the sight of blood then you might want to stay clear, although it isn’t visceral by any means.
I was fully expecting there to be one but there was no English dub here but c’est la vie, I’m no stranger to Japanese at this point. There is a French voice-over for those interest, but I chose to stick to Japanese and had a good time with it. The OST proves to be an enjoyable listen to where it captures the moments of light-heartedness and tranquillity nicely, as well as providing suspenseful tunes during the films climactic moments.
Fuse: Memoirs of the Hunter Girl is a film that’ll always recall feelings of fondness when I think about its visuals, but the way the story pans out leaves me not thinking about a rewatch anytime soon, and it’s certainly left me feeling unsatisfied. While others may be able to overlook certain things and get much more enjoyment out of the narrative, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to enjoy it as much as I’d hoped to. It’s hard for me to recommend it, but I do think it’s worth giving a go if you fancy it.
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