This review might contain spoilers. You may proceed if you can handle the truth...

/anime/113337/violence-voyager

Gekimation is an almost half-century-old animation technique which has not found a broad audience and has fallen into obscurity over the years. Albeit its cardboard figures share resemblances with the paper ones of cut-out animation, the joints of the gekimation puppets are immovable. Another distinction is that their facial expressions stay static within a shot since the animators record the movement of the cardboard figures in real-time. Furthermore, the scenery and stage consist of identical material. Because of the lack of still images to create an illusion of motion, it is more comparable to a live-action film than a stop-motion one. Therefore, the animation approach can even resort to liquids, fire, smoke, slimes etc. To learn more about gekimation, you should consider reading the first two paragraphs of my review of The Burning Buddha Man, the director's previous and first feature-length gekimation film.

While The Burning Buddha Man was an excellent showcase of the director's acquired experience from his prior short films, Ujicha's second movie, Violence Voyer, attempted an international breakthrough. With its white American characters and indirect allusions to classic American films, e.g. Jurassic Park, The Goonies, and The Deadly Spawn, it blatantly focuses on one of the largest anime consumers outside of Japan. Consequently, it leaves behind the unique Japanese characteristics of his first work, except for the body horror, which successfully strives for even more repulsive imagery. Although he could attract the attention of more international critics of his works, he failed to introduce gekimation to a mainstream audience despite his endeavours to make this film relatable to the Western World.

Because of Violence Voyager's higher budget, the independent animator could hone the smooth inclusion of fire, smoke and liquids. Additionally, the paperboard figures and scenery are richer in appearance, colour and detail. Another improvement is that its horrifying scenes are more sadistic, brutal and bloodstained than its predecessor ones. By creating a convoluted, messy and ludicrous story with many twists, Ujicha reached a new frontier of grotesqueness. However, the slow-paced start and unnecessary plot twists can sometimes make the watching experience tedious. Unlike The Burning Buddha Man, the more polished gekimation does not harmonise flawlessly with the absurdity of the plot and countless bad-written characters. Unfortunately, he missed again the opportunity to experiment with the dialogue, sound effects and score to enhance the folly, but they are all decent.

In summary, Violence Voyager, Ujicha's nearly solo project, convinces with its refined gekimation, shocking scenes and repelling body horror. Even though the plot and the characters are mediocre at best, the film is worth watching for its exotic animation method. Undoubtedly, it is a must-watch for every serious anime fan looking for an artistic and entertaining movie. While writing the review, the film is not on a streaming service, but you can purchase a physical copy online.