Nope! It’s about Jesus and Buddha!MALPVBadass movie adThere are two adaptations of the original story (manga): an OVA and a movie. This WT! will focus on the movie. The OVA is more like a detailed half-prequel half-extra scenes? Either way, both are equally enjoyable. Also, the manga is still ongoing!What is Saint☆Onii-san? Originally created by the brilliant mind that made Arakawa Under the Bridge and directed by the same director of The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, Saint☆Onii-san follows historic buddies Jesus and Buddha who decide they need a break from their duties and choose Japan as the perfect place for their vacation. Join these two saintly “young” men, as they experience living together as roommates, train rides, hot springs, making sure no one notices Jesus spontaneously bleeding from his crown of thorns, and of course, the beautiful sights and sounds of Japan.Why should you watch it? The art style is what caught my eyes when surfing around MAL for stuff to watch. This is off topic but honestly at first I thought this was some Space Brothers spinoff but upon closer inspection I realized that that curly haired guy is actually Buddha! And he’s actually Jesus! Of course, being a sucker for slice-of-life and unique art, I had to watch it, and it was an enjoyable experience. The art style is one of my favorite aspects of the movie; the “pen-sketched” shadows contrasting with white highlights and bright, “one-tone” coloring style makes the entire movie feel visually playful and inviting. Likewise, the character design isn’t your conventional moeblob/bishounen look, which is why I think even non-anime fans can enjoy this movie.Fun fact about the two guys who voice Jesus and Buddha: they’re both not professional voice actors. The voice of Jesus, Moriyama Mirai, mainly does acting, while Buddha’s voice, Gen Hoshino, is an actor and member of the instrumental band SAKEROCK and a singer himself. Not letting professional voice actors be “the voice of Jesus” may have been a stylistic choice to make their voices seem more natural and down to earth. Actually, I have no idea. I just liked the voice acting, I really like Gen Hoshino’s voice and his music, it’s just really calming to me (maybe because he’ll be associated with the voice of Buddha). Also check out SAKEROCK they’re cool.This movie is pretty simple since there isn't a cohesive plot…like most slice-of-life. It’s just Jesus and Buddha adventuring around Japan and getting in all kinds of antics with the local elderly folks and kids. Despite its numerous references to facts about Jesus and Buddha, I’m confident that someone who isn’t knowledgeable about either belief can still enjoy the comedic moments and heartwarming scenes. After all, the film was screened in Japan, where less than 3% of the population identifies as Christian. Basically, like most Japanese media, there are a couple references to Japanese and even Western culture here and there, but the overall FeelsGood-ness of the movie is enough to make your confusion about cultural references insignificant.I didn’t go into too much detail in this recommendation mostly because I think this movie is best watched if all the gags and jokes are unexpected. Hopefully the PV doesn't spoil too many laughs.Personal Rating: 9.5/10TL;DR: WWJ(&B)D http://ift.tt/1Z4Hi7n
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