This is the weirdest movie I have ever seen. Here's what it's about. Actually, I don't really know. The movie is so confusing that I can't really tell you but I will try my best. Apparently, there is a cooperation called Persona who has taken over 90% of the world. The only part that is still free is an area in Tokyo often called the darkside of Tokyo. A pretty boy has now come from under the earth, breaking free of the imprisonment that Persona has put on him, in a horse drawn carriage. (ok...) Apparently, this man who decides to call himself darkside, has the power to rid Persona's control of the world. A group of rebels stands up against Persona and it's dictatorship.

Ok. What is this movie trying to tell me. Is it a movie about the characters, the story, the atmosphere or what? Apparently, it's about atmosphere, and all about atmosphere. (look at the floating flower petals and shattering glass!) And as a result, the characters and story suffer under the weight of the heavy atmosphere. Maybe, I'm not that smart or maybe I just don't get it, but I think this movie is supposed to be telling me important things.

For example, the only place that is free of Persona's dictatorship, has become a savage, lawless, dirty place where violence and rape run amok (but they never actually show any rape in the film. What a first!) or maybe it's about human emotion and choices or it could be about the consequences of standing up for yourself against someone bigger than you or it could be about family members or it could be about the savagery of the world but it could be about renewl for sins or it could be about suppressed emotions and showing your true self; the possibilities are endless. :)

I really would've liked the movie and the messages if everything wasn't so jumbled. I had too many questions at the end of the movie that weren't answered. Who is Darkside? What is the point of this character? Why does this character hate or love this character? What is the point of this? What is going on? Why is the character in a horse-drawn carriage? WHY is a man who can't sing for crap, singing some jumbled english blues for no reason at all????? Yikes, too many questions. This movie needs at least a sequel to explain all of these questions.

Another thing that I was dissapointed with, was the characters themselves. A few of them are developed nicely and the MANY side characters are not very well developed. Some of the characters really could've been cut out of the movie and it wouldn't have made a difference to the movie. The main character, Mai, is fleshed out nicely though and is very cool. Another, main character, who is a terrorist and major rebel against Persona named Tatsuya is also developed nicely. However, Darkside doesn't even have much to do in this movie. He seems to be more of a supporting character than a main one.

The music is bad, well just the blues singer. The Japanese blues singer likes to try to sing english blues. Oh my, let's just say, that the results are not so good. The blues music without singing adds great atmosphere to the movie. The instrumental blues music doesn't seem to fit in with the action but it does. Blues music for an action scene shouldn't work but it does in this movie. The art is nice. The art and animation tended to remind me of the style of stuff from Ninja Scroll, Demon City Shinjuku or Wicked City and everyone is pretty; the boys and girls. There is alot of shading and the movie almost seems to be urban gothic or something.

The Japanese voices fit the characters well. Darkside sounds a little too girly for a man (well, it’s shojo, what do I expect?) but I picked up from the movie that he was supposed to be gay, as one of the guy characters develops a crush on him and I still don't understand why. That's another problem with this movie. None of the actions that the characters do, have anything to justify them. Characters fall in love for god knows why. (I guess the guy thought Darkside was sexy) One of the characters does something at the end that just doesn't really make sense.

I was dissapointed with this movie but it is entertaining and the atmosphere is nice. The messages that I think I picked up from this movie, make it cool too. I'm just dissapointed that this movie has to be such a puzzle that is missing pieces.This movie does need to be watched a few times before you can fully get it. I did understand it much better watching it a second time. I mean I get the plot. I think this movie is supposed to be deep but I don't get the messages that this movie is trying to tell me. I tend to think that it is about rebirth and showing your true self but others may think otherwise. The half developed characters and the puzzling dialogue and an end that leaves me unsatisfied doesn't help either. Anyway, if you like deep stuff, then this is worth a shot. It might be a buy if you like symbolism, artsy types of things and the like, however, it's a rental for the rest of us.