Hare + Guu: Volume 1 (2001)

Lately my posts have been bashing Anime and the world they surround due mainly in part to the dull stories and misshapen characters, but today I find myself with my hypothetical foot in my mouth. Upon beginning this series, I was extremely hesitant to say the least. The last two entries into the Anime world the Jersey Shore equivalent to "grenades" and "land mines", just horrible stories and overall plots that would make even the most sympathetic cringe. "Hare + Guu", the first volume, was a breath of fresh air. With a oddball storyline that remains relevant throughout, constant tense humor, and that dark void of the unknown, there was just something about this series that pulled me in deep. I loved the use of colors, the in-you-face, yet sly symbolism that would make kids question and adults laugh - AND - I loved, loved, loved that this was a series for children (maybe?), yet the events that occurred were utterly and completely adult. Hare's mother loves to dance, she loves to drink, and morning + Hare's mother just doesn't work. As a 33-year old male, this made sense to me - I could relate to Hare's mother's daily life.

The first four episodes on this disc were a delight, a series that I can thus far suggest and recommend everything Hare + Guu bring to the table. It was as if someone had this insane dream and decided to flesh it out into a series. The fact that Guu eats everything and an entire society // culture is residing in her stomach is hilarious to me. It was so extreme that it worked, and yet the story still remains an open mystery. Beginning with this drab image of Hare's mother walking away from this darkened figure, the image remains in your mind - hoping, knowing, that eventually this tall backstory will get fleshed out. One watches this series with hopes, excitement, and a desire to see more. Who is this Guu? Where does she come from? What was that dark shadow in the forest? Does chest hair really make you a better leader? Why is Guu always so hungry? All of these questions, I hope, will be answered, and if the rest of these volumes are anything like what I just witnessed here, I am going to love what "Hare + Guu" bring to the table.

Admittedly, I chose to watch this (rarely) with the English dubbing, and I was surprised on how well the English counterparts did in creating the tense emotion between the characters. That isn't to say that I am always going to do this, but for this film -- I was happy. Looking forward to the other volumes, but as I get close to the Horror Movie Contest, I don't know how quickly these posts will be coming. Horror movies - here I come. In the end, this series is getting a green mark with blue star. I am excited that I found this in my "500 Essential Anime Movies" and finally see some value to the list created in sed book. I cannot wait to watch more and have others experience the world known as "Hare + Guu".