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martin

Go! Anpanman: Baikinman's Counterattack

Though it might sound like "Baikiman's Counterattack" is a direct continuation of the first movie, it isn't. Baikinman’s dragon ball-like power-ups transform him into a kaiju, but the setting and cast shift dramatically from the first film. Large parts of the plot take place in Mayan and Arabic-feeling places, creating the impression of a vast, vaguely Earth-like world, which compresses and flattens time and space. Real places and cultures are used as surfaces without any depth. I think this is double edged sword - it both introduces the children to different cultures, but also has the potential to teach them that they aren't substantial, that they exist only as an aesthetic or as backgrounds for Japanese adventures. The story revolves around Princess Yada (who's like a kid's Rasa from Birth) whose goal is like that of Princess Nanda Nanda from the previous movie - saving her kingdom. The structure and story beats are the same too, as are the themes, but the focus here is on positive thinking. A pretty good message in line with the overall tone of the series. And, of course, we get many tertiary characters, none of which do anything but cheer Anpanman and his friends during the final fight.

3d ago