This is a really charming little comedy that crept up on me with its silence and its humor. A weird, deliberately simple looking Japanese cartoon that somehow avoids the common tropes of anime. That’s kind of daring, even if it was done due to a low budget.

So the flick is about three high school toughs who decide, apparently on a whim, to start a band instead of beating people up. Their first obstacle is a complete lack of knowledge or recognizable skill in any musical instrument. They just want it and are too bull-headed to realize they may lack the skill and fortitude to do it.

And it’s that lack of self-awareness that’s the film’s major charm. Two of the three band members are just good natured guys… the third – who is the lead – is a fascinating character. He has this habit of staring into space, possibly thinking heady thoughts but more likely just vacantly staring into space until something happens in his favor. Is he smart or just stubborn? It’s hard to say since he’s a man of so few words.

But what I mainly liked about the flick is that it has a joy for music… whether that music is “good” or not seems irrelevant. The simple art style becomes more animated, more alive, when anyone plays. It switches to rotoscope and the camera and the colors come alive. It’s a fantastic look and really sheds light on the joy and transcendence of listening to and making music.

This is a special and odd little film. Nothing earth shattering or gut-wrenchingly hilarious happens but it’s got a low, sly little energy and sense of humor. It asks you to bring your sense of humor to the table. I rather loved it.

Score: 85