©Courtesy of GKIDS
A Danish princess is about to discover “The Undiscovered Country.” That metaphor for the mysteries of the afterlife, taken from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, previously inspired the sixth (and probably best) original Star Trek film. It also could have very easily served as the title for Mamoru Hosoda’s new anime feature. The title character’s family background bears striking similarities with that of the indecisive prince, but she wakes up in a purgatory known as the “Otherlands” before she can avenge her late father. Conveniently, the devious Claudius also crossed over into the Undiscovered Country, so she has a second chance for vengeance in Hosoda’s Scarlet, produced by animation house Studio Chizu, which screens as a selection of the 2025 New York Film Festival.
Scarlet is a Danish princess living in a castle in Elsinore that bears a strong resemblance to Kronberg. Much to her anguish, her Uncle Claudius (the commanding voice of the great Koji Yakusho) just executed her beloved father, on specious treason charges, and married her mother Gertrude (who, as reconceived by Hosoda, acts more like Lady Macbeth than Hamlet’s mother).
Alas, Scarlet falls victim to a poisoned goblet of wine (unlike Hamlet, who is temporarily “saved,” when Gertrude drinks it on his behalf), dispatching her to the Otherlands. In this liminal land, the dead face the constant danger of dispersing into nothingness. However, her rage against Claudius helps keep her whole.
Yet, Scarlet also starts to recognize the more edifying side of humanity through Hijiri, a contemporary EMT, who was also recently arrived the Otherlands, where time apparently converges in strange and mysterious ways. Consequently, viewers will notice the diverse and seemingly incongruous historical costumes popping up, side-by-side.
©Courtesy of GKIDS
Scarlet represents Hosoda’s most epic and ambitious film yet, by a considerable margin. The scale is truly cosmic, transcending the mortal coil. Indeed, Hosoda creates a huge canvas, filled with large-scale battles as well as massively archetypal and metaphysical ideas.
Appropriately, it also looks big and sounds big. The animation immerses viewers in Hosoda’s arresting otherworldly landscape, while the eerie, rumbling audio effects hit the audience on a deeply resonant level. Consequently, the film’s recently announced IMAX release is well-warranted.
Yet, Hosoda never neglects his characters’ development. Most notably, the evolution of Scarlet’s relationship with Hijiri hits harder than anything in else in this Shakespearean odyssey, even including Scarlet’s paternal bond and the challenging humanist themes. Nevertheless, Scarlet arguably captures the zeitgeist of the current moment, thanks to its eloquent exploration of the virtues of forgiveness.
Throughout the film, Hosoda cleverly incorporates elements from Shakespeare’s source material that have more substance than simple homages. Debatably, Scarlet might be the most creative and inventive riff on Hamlet since the McKenzie Brothers visited Elsinore Brewery in Strange Brew. Be that as it may, parents should understand the PG-13 rated film will be much too intense for small children. There are no cuddly animals—just terrifying fantastical beasts. Indeed, Hosoda’s uncompromising world-building should absolutely “wow” reasonably mature anime fans. Very highly recommended for animation connoisseurs, Scarlet screens again today (10/11) as part of this year’s NYFF.
©Courtesy of GKIDS
Grade: A
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Here’s the Japanese trailer of the film.