Hashire Melos (Movie)

Melos is a good boy from Messina and has come to Syracuse, the magnificent city of temples, to buy a ritual sword for his sister's marriage ceremony. He meets a very talented sculptor and they become friends. Later, the King's guards arrest Melos while he was having a walk in the castle's gardens and Syracuse's King, obsessed by the idea of assassins out to kill him, sentences him to death. Melos is desperate, but most of all he wants to be present at his sister's marriage, so he asks the King for three days to go to Messina for the celebration and then return to Syracuse where he will accept the death penalty. The King does not trust Melos, but, trying to demonstrate that nobody could trust him, asks him to find a volunteer substitute in case he breaks his promise. The sculptor accepts to be Melos' substitute in this case...

(Source: ANN)

Melos Main

Yamadera, Kouichi Japanese

Dionysius II Supporting

Kobayashi, Akiji Japanese

Reisa Supporting

Nakamori, Akina Japanese

Serinentius Supporting

Ogawa, Shinji Japanese

Oosumi, Masaaki Director, Screenplay

Okiura, Hiroyuki Storyboard, Character Design, Animation Director

Terahigashi, Katsumi Storyboard

Nishikubo, Mizuho Storyboard

Reviews

Jun 25, 2009

NoHeart

Recommended

This is one of the must fascinating movies I had ever seen. With a story that immerse you on an epic journey where the trust became the motor of strength and perseverance, wrapping you on a world of legendary heros... The visuals are a beautiful recreation of the greek environment, with all their magnificent architecture and sculpture. The music really suits the flow of the scenes, making it one of the most enjoyable soundtracks you could appreciate. Although, even if a love this movie, it isn't for everyone. Most of the plot has a slow rhythm, very pleasant to enjoy de scenarios and the melodies ... that accompany it. But if you can stop to value this, you would find a really awesome story, that might move something inside you and remember you why to trust.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Oct 17, 2019

Steeb

Recommended

Hashire Melos is one of the good ones. I don’t remember how to write, so I’ll use MyAnimeList’s comical segment ratings: story, art, sound, character, and enjoyment will be self evident.

The story of of Hashire Melos is based on a book by Osamu Dazai. Despite being anime and Japan-written, this Greek legend captures the style and telling techniques of mythology, sans the tragic ending(this is not a spoiler because the beginning of the movie shows that they’re alive in the end). For example, Hashire Melos features a flawed protagonist who faces a tragic fate out of his control. It seems like the city of ... Syracuse really takes advantage of Melos in the beginning. In Homeric fashion, a series of trials presents themselves to Melos, whether predetermined or driven by the fates themselves. Man, I don’t remember Greek literature. I read Homer’s Odyssey in 12th grade. I took Latin. I know things.

The sound design is pretty good, dude. I’m a sucker for good footstep sound effects such as Ocarina of Time and Mario 64, and let me tell you: the sandals slap in this one. People got swords and junk, and they swing them, and these swords sound so distinct, especially for anime. The swords sound heavy and blunt and inelegant, which is what swords were like back then. Swords in the BC era, yeah, they’re sharp, but they resembled big, metal sticks, and their bluntness was just as likely to strike down armored foes than cut them. But, yeah, the sword swings were good. The soundtrack is very understated but effective. In the 1990s, midi became a potentially cheap replacement for full-blown orchestra. This gives a certain gravitas to the story’s emotional framework while retaining a certain degree of nostalgic, endearing educational tape vibe. There are leitmotifs at play that accent the scene’s themes well and are so subtle that it’s entirely possible you’ll miss the recurring theme on your first viewing.

Aforementioned weightiness of the swords is courtesy of Iso Mitsuo and Utsunomiya Satoru. Iso is famously responsible for the End of Evangelion fight in which Asuka lumberingly swung a huge, blunt weapon. It seems to be a subject Iso returned to often in his career. Utsunomiya is from a similarly weighty, realistic, and detailed school of movement, a legend in his own right as well. Years before Kon Satoshi, of Perfect Blue and Paprika fame, would bloom as a director, he was credited along with many other talents as a key animator on this film. From Inoue Toshiyuki, to Takahashi Shinya, and Itou Kouji, there’s a real wealth of unique talent brought to this film. Oono Hiroshi brings a pleasantly soft background art direction that evokes the beauty of the Grecian landscapes, sunsets whose warmth bursts from the screen, moody rains, and cool, shady forests with beautiful lighting. This movie exudes emotions of melancholy and hope visually through effective color use, lighting, and texture. All backed by the shot compositions of the rarely appreciated but extraordinarily talented director Oosumi Masaaki. Reportedly, he approached the film by verbally describing the scenes to his storyboard artists. Masaaki’s method allows for a beautifully ornate look bound together by an experienced sense of editing flow and punctual portrayal of its emotional highs. I love how dusty and brown everything was, yet the city is still lively. The environments looked very lived in.

I really liked the character designs in this movie, as well as the way faces were drawn. Careful attention to angle and definition were considered in shots of a character’s reflection. I like how a lot of characters have big, round noses; they really anchor their faces in the lineart. My friend used the words “character acting” to describe the Emperor, and I strongly agree, his face is well sculpted to be old and slightly drooping, yet with a solid jawline and very readable, complex emotional expression. There’s also a moment in the beginning, when two characters back-and-forth without words but with gestures, which is great characterization for both main characters and throwaways.

Character is basically the same section as story, but here I’ll write about how the characters tie into the story and the self-declared theme of trust. Selinuntius trusts Melos, and despite the emperor’s efforts to instil doubt in him, he remains calmly confident in Melos’ follow-through. Selinuntius is inspired to feel trust again due to something in his past, which I won’t spoil. Dionysius, the emperor, wishes to teach his people a lesson about the dangers of trust, as the safety of his city is kept by caution toward strangers. Melos himself doesn’t earn much trust in his life due to his clumsiness, but he craves it and strives to nurture his sudden hope from Selinuntius. Melos is very naturally trusting, himself, which is what throws him into this scenario in the first place, getting tricked by slick city salesmen into entering a big, bad misunderstanding. It’s a heartwarming sentimentality, which the movie earns through trials which Melos endures.


I do an all-or-nothing review structure, of “smell my Gak! Is it good, or is it gross??”, and this movie is good. Hashire Melos is a good movie, and I like it.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Jun 26, 2012

sorcery

Mixed Feelings

Fish-Snack day addition #1

Let's draw together a parallel. Imagine you're on your way to go to the "Starlite" nightclub. Or the "Dusk Lounge". Or "Thermopylae", if you're gay. Lol. Whatever. You go there, sure that your neat attire is going to give you access to a wild night with loud BPM galore... Suddenly, before passing by the bouncer, one steals your phone! Thankfully, a helpful soul arrest the thief and give you back your personal effect. Afterwards, you enter the club as his recommendation as well regarded regular. You end up spending the whole night drinking with him. That was nice and all... But between ... you and I, Would you give your kidney to that guy the day after, if circumstances called it ? I doubt you would. Don't lie. As good-natured as that individual would be, you're not going to sacrifice one organ for the barely known him. You'd live too tediously without it. Pain, and even dialysis routine if you have malfunctioning kidney, would remind you it for the rest of your life.

See, that's my beef against HM! (let's call that title this way from now on). It tries to force its message on you, even though it's demagogically put on. To quote two cues from the movie:

- Lysa: So, did you come out to the city hoping to be a stonemason, too ?
- Melos: Nah, I was just lost on the street and was invited for a drink.

That's the core of problem. The friendship between Melos and Celinunsius has no believability. It is merely a vehicle to demonstrate you how much trust is important in life. It has no chemistry, because all they previously shared in common prior to Melos' ordeal is a goatskin flask of bad wine. Therefore, build up was swept under the carpet despite its capital importance. You want an example of fictive and yet lifellike friendship ? Read the epic of Gilgamesh. After Gilgamesh and Enkidu killed the Bull of Heaven, major Gods sentenced the latter guy to go to hell. There's no doubt the king of Uruk would have given his life to save his companion, even though he's a simple man-beast. Because they faced so many perils together.

Back to the matter, it's hard to take Melos as a role model, let alone get attached to him. Not only because HM!'s plotline is contrived, but mostly because he's so damn dull-witted. He's stupid enough to not put Celine in charge of his sword while he pays visit to Dionysus' castle. And mostly, he couldn't tell the difference between a fake sword and an iron-made one. 358 BC is the third Iron age period. I'll spare you my knowledge about Antique technology, just saying that when you get a hand over such elaborated weapon, you immediately notice it even if you're a humble shepherd.

This characterization loophole isn't peculiar to the main cast. Dionysus himself was poorly written too. To illustrate my argument, just pay attention to that ultimate day moment. It could have been a major highlight of the movie, mind it: the cynical point of view from Syracuse's king confronting Celine's, the idealistic stonemason artist. To say the least, whole dialogue baffled me, because it was that perfunctory even though we're talking about a key-scene. Dionysus looked like clueless from the start to the end. That just wasn't coherent with the protrayal of a tyrant, who put at odds his subjects life for the mere pleasure to prove his knowledge of human nature...
I could go on and on until the supporting cast, but you copied it, I think.

If you don't watch HM! for its flawlessly constructed plotline, then is there anything else worthwhile ? Chara-design is a tad on the dull side. Art direction knows how put in value objects as statues and bas-reliefs, on the other hand. It's too bad this level of attention wasn't applied with the rest, technically. Music is... Here. It's neither haunting nor annoying. It's just sound grooming not especially memorable.


..| Enjoyment |.. 3/10

All in all, HM! had the misfortune to be adapted into a wrong format. I'm sure it could have been way better, released as an OAV series. Without competent scripts, it remains what it is... I tried hard to like it, but I just can't ignore these heaps of flaws that make for an underwhelming tale. To its credit, historical field is so undercovered. I guess you ought to watch this title once at least, whether you're a History nerd as me or you simply like the genre.


..| Content indications / Buzzwords |..

Ketchup meter: While the on-screen suffering is rendered in a striking way, one really got to be sensitive to be shocked by it. G-rating was fair.
Ecchi meter: 0
Fishing scene(s): I doubt that Melos had any time to stop by Syracuse's port to catch groupers. So none :/


POSITIVE aspects:
+ Antique setting (bloody underutilized, Fantasy genre put aside)
+ Nice premise brought by an eponymous fable
+ Federative message
+ Pleasant background art

NEGATIVE aspects:
- Contrived plot
- Plot holes likely caused by blue-pencil
- Lackluster characterization
- Forgettable sound

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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