Dead Leaves is an important and necessary contribution to modern anime and we benefit from having media like this made. Absurd, hectic, excessive, cartoonish and flashy, Dead Leaves does not have time to slow its pace. The entire focus of the movie is to move onto the next scene and indulge in the action of the current one. The story is actively acknowledged within the anime by the characters as not being that important. While this may seem like a cop out, I don't doubt the narrative capabilities of the writers because the world and style feel so cohesive and complex, and honestly if they overexplained the backstory to these characters any more I think it would have taken away from the rest of the experience.
The length of the movie is perfect. All of the fat has been trimmed, this movie is like a strong dose of amphetamine while watching it. The eyes and brain are tickled by all the incredible colours and rhythm of the animation, and the music and sound design is delightful, hilarious, and energized.
If someone doesn't like this, I don't think it's about them not liking the actual movie for what it is and more about them wishing it was a different movie altogether. Because for what it is, and what the directors wanted it to be, Dead Leaves is a masterpiece.
