Genius Party

The seven short films making up GENIUS PARTY couldnt be more diverse, linked only by a high standard of quality and inspiration. Atsuko Fukushimas intro piece is a fantastic abstraction to soak up with the eyes. Masaaki Yuasa, of MIND GAME and CAT SOUP fame, brings his distinctive and deceptively simple graphic style and dream-state logic to the table with Happy Machine, his spin on a childs earliest year. Shinji Kimuras spookier Deathtic 4, meanwhile, seems to tap into the creepier corners of a childs imagination and open up a toybox full of dark delights. Hideki Futamuras Limit Cycle conjures up a vision of virtual reality, while Yuji Fukuyamas “Doorbell” and “Baby Blue” by Shinichiro Watanabe use understated realism for very surreal purposes. And Shoji Kawamori, with Shanghai Dragon, takes the tropes and conventions of traditional anime out for very fun joyride.