Title: HAL

Owner: Ryōtarō Makihara, Jouji Wada, and Izumi Kizara

Genre: Romance, sci-fi, dystopian

Rating: 7/10

Summary:

In a technologically advanced society, robots can be programmed to act like complete humans. Q01, one of these robots, is asked to take on the life of HAL, who has died in a plane crash. He left behind his girlfriend Kurumi, who is now in a deep state of depression. HAL must begin to learn what feelings are and teach Kurumi how to live once again.

Opinion:

For those of you confused by the top section (if anyone actually reads that), let me explain:

THIS IS A FILM. NOT A SERIES.

This is probably--and I mean it when I say--the best anime film I've ever seen so far. It was just so beautiful.

The plot line was simple, but then threw me for a loop at the end that I never expected and am still not sure I understand. Another thing I'd like to point out is that the animation was so crisp and beautiful... Why? Because it was created by Wit Studios, who you may have heard of. They're famous for producing the anime Summer Wars, and, oh, I don't know...

Attack on Titan.

Yep, the studio that made this movie made Attack on Titan! That explains why the animation is so wonderful and top-notch quality.

Even though this movie was simple, it was just... I can't even tell you how much I love it. The story of a robot beginning to learn what feelings, love and pricelessness in particular, can do to a person and how it can affect their lives.

You may notice that I'm not trying to be as humorous as usual (even though I doubt I've made you ever laugh), but that's because... Oh God it's starting again. This whole movie was just...sad. All my feels were taken and then butchered right in front of me. Even from the beginning, it was just melancholic.

This reminded me slightly of Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet, just because of the retro-futuristic atmosphere and the wide color pallet.

Okay, now this is sounding more like a review than my other chapters where I usually go all ADHD and stray from the story.

My favourite part of all, that I actually want to do, was the Rubik's Cube. It was a larger, 5 x 5 cube. The doctor said that when he was a kid, if you solved one then you would have a wish granted. So HAL is always solving the one Kurumi gave him, and she actually wrote messages on it. So that way when he solves it, he can read the messages that Kurumi wrote to the real HAL and learn about how they spent their lives together.

That's something I want to do. I'd like to actually get a Rubik's Cube and write messages on it so I can solve it when I'm older and see what I desired as a teenager.

Wow, that was deep. This is making me depressed, so I'm going to fast forward to warnings.

There is the tiniest amount of blood, not a lot. A little bit of language, and I think no sexual themes. Some romance, though. So go watch this and... I don't know, mourn and enjoy it?

Make sure to watch the trailer on the side of this chapter.

Vote if you think that HAL is similar to Astro Boy in too many ways.