Reviews

Sometimes you don't need a big budget to create a hilarious and heart-warming film. All you need is vision and a good understanding of the cinematic tools at hand (and a lot of time and dedication). This is a 71-minute film that took seven years to complete with a crowdfunded microbudget of nearly 40,000 dollars. Kenji Iwaisawa drew over 40,000 frames on his own. The minimalist art style, oddball characters, and deadpan humour grew so quickly on me that by the end I was craving for more and more. It did make me yearnful for the idyllic days of the past, even though it wasn't exactly that long ago that I was in high school, aimless but full of youthful joy without a care in the world. A world of possibilities is brought to life by the power of music. Also, the music genuinely rules, and the set pieces blow my mind. On-Gaku: Our Sound isn't exactly a big investment of time, so if you're willing to check it out, I'd say go for it. It's a living, breathing example that anyone—truly anyone—can create art.