The Wasteland Reviewer

Scarlet (2025) Written Review

What do you expect from an anime getting a special one week run in IMAX theaters? Well…first off, you would expect something epic in scale to maximize such a platform. You might also expect something gorgeous with its animation to truly highlight the incredible color on an IMAX presentation. When you also realize that this anime is from acclaimed filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda, you can expect something quite impressive. The Boy and the Beast. Belle. Hosoda has a great eye for filmmaking and understands how to bring a vivid and creative story to life on screen. That is certainly the hope for his latest effort, Scarlet. 

Does the visual experience of Scarlet warrant the inclusion on the big, bold movie screen platform? The IMAX of it all is quite profound. There is a specific place in between life or death that is explored in Hosoda’s new film. This world is a bold and beautiful world that is dynamic and awe-inspiring. You can feel the world shake from the grand scale of some creatures in this place. The sound design in the film is resonated and powerful. The visuals are a striking mixture of 2D and 3D animation that comes together to offer up such a gorgeous world. Our titular heroine’s kingdom feels grim and dour, but when she reaches this middle world, you witness such a colorful and vibrant world that just makes this the most visually splendid experience. You feel the scale and power of these elements. The pacing is a tad off with some scenes needing the good old trim. One of the most impressive elements of this film is the action. Well staged and choreographed, the action scenes are full of excitement and thrills for the whole family. Hosoda is also able to deliver some deeply resonant emotional moments too (without veering too hard into melodrama).

 Does Hosoda’s screenplay match the majesty and scale of Scarlet? This is an interesting and bold new adaptation of the classic Hamlet story from William Shakespeare. The titular hero is the daughter of the Danish King. Good and beloved, his own brother and wife conspire to shame his name and execute him. When Scarlet’s life gets in the way, she awakens to a whole new world that she must contend with. For a film with plenty of expositions to set up world-building, Hosoda crafts a story that is quite efficient at what it does. The Hamlet elements are only a basic structure to give Scarlet a mission…revenge. But the journey she goes on is understanding of life and death gives her perspective on such things as loss and moving on. Scarlet meets Hijiri, a young man who lived a good light in the future. There is plenty of exploration of their dynamic as well as the impact that Hijiri has on Scarlet’s outlook. There is obvious conflict with her evil uncle Claudius yet there is something even more to this journey than first realized. Scarlet might not be the sharpest script from Hosoda as the messaging can be quite blunt and the film is a bit scattered for its own good.

How deserves some extra credit for delivering in Scarlet? Voice actor Mana Ashida delivers a compelling and layered performance as the titular heroine. When we first meet Scarlet, she is a sweet and joyous young woman and Ashida captures this through her higher pinched and sweet “anime girl” voice which is quite popular amongst female characters. But when death arrives on her doorstep and vengeance fills her heart, there is a new weight and power behind her performance. This matches well to the physicality that she sells when Scarlet becomes a deadly warrior. Ashida is convincing in multiple dimensions of this performance including her final speech in the film which is filled with emotion, pride, and stature. There are even some strong singing elements that shine through are key points in the film. Masaki Okada is a charming and sincere vocal presence in the film, making him the exact personality that is needed for the sweet and hope character of Hijiri. Masachika Ichimura and Koji Yakusho deliver a pair of conflicting performances that fit their characters’ conflict for sure. Ichimura is charming and warm as this beloved leader and Yakusho performance reeks of jealousy and anger. A strong voice cast really ties this film together. 

Is Scarlet another massive win for acclaimed anime director Hosoda? This is a towering fantasy epic full of scale and wonder. There is a great mix of haunting imagery, gorgeous aethereal spaces, and bright futures. The story might be a bit loose, and the messaging might be a bit on the nose but there is something truly breathtaking about this experience. The animation is wondrous and the action is thrilling. Creative and bold, Scarlet is best seen on the biggest and most vibrant screens.