Scarlet (2025)

Anime Movie Review

Academy Award-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda's latest film Scarlet is now in U.S. theaters. Opening weekend was February 6 with a wide release (and dub!) starting February 12. I watched Scarlet on a big IMAX screen, subbed, and I went in blind. All I knew was that this was Mamoru Hosoda's latest film, and I was sold.

Mamoru Hosoda is the director behind Wolf Children, Mirai, and Belle among other animated films. If Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki is Japan's "Disney" and "Walt Disney" respectively, then Mamoru Hosoda is Japan's "PIXAR." His films are PG to PG-13 and great for older children, teens, families, and anime/animated film enthusiasts. (Note: Scarlet is officially rated as PG-13.) Scarlet is another great film in his catalog though I hesitate to call it his "best." That honor belongs to Wolf Children followed by Mirai. (Or those films can just duke it out. You can't go wrong with either!)

Scarlet is a departure from the themes of other Hosoda films. Summer Wars, Wolf Children, and Mirai all deal with positive familial ties and themes. Also, this film isn't "sci-fi" like Belle or The Girl Who Leaped Through Time. Scarlet leans heavily into action-adventure and fantasy with a few sci-fi elements and a sprinkle of romance. (The romance is disappointing and underdeveloped and not the point or center piece of the film. It's more of an add-on than a bonus.) So what is this movie really about? Revenge.

Inspired by Shakespeare's Hamlet, Scarlet is a fantasy action-adventure film following a princess determined to exact revenge on her uncle for usurping her father's throne and murdering him...in the underworld. Well, "otherworld" by the movie's definition. Scarlet is a fun and interesting take on a classic story. The colors are vibrant, the lead characters are compelling, and the animation is new. It's like a 2D and 3D hybrid. The story is split between medieval Denmark and the otherworld. In medieval Denmark the animation appears to be 2D while the otherworld is new animation. It's a little weird and jarring at first, but I quickly adjusted to it. My favorite effect is when the characters die in the otherworld. (Yeah, you can die again.) Also, Godzilla exists. 🤷‍♀️

The movie in a nutshell

Besides the underworld aspect, another twist to this story is that Scarlet (played by Mana Ashida) is helped by Hijiri (played by Masaki Okada), a Japanese EMT medic from the future. Hijiri becomes Scarlet's "voice of reason" as he begs her to not seek revenge, to not kill people. He helps her and the others they meet along the way. He also teaches Scarlet about love and pop music. (The pop music is pretty organic and integral to the plot.) It's a race against time as Scarlet seeks out her uncle Claude (played by Kôji Yakusho) before he escapes this new world. Will she succeed in death where she failed in life? Watch the movie to find out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy15XyEF0Ms

I enjoyed watching Scarlet on a big IMAX screen, and I highly recommend you watch the movie on one if you get the chance. It's worth spending your hard earned kroner watching in theaters. Sadly, not Oscar-worthy as it was submitted for consideration but didn't get the official nomination for the 98th Oscars. One day Hosoda will get an Oscar.

Scarlet is currently sitting at a Certified Fresh rating of 76% and a Popcornmeter rating of 79% on Rotten Tomatoes. On IMDB, Scarlet is sitting at a 6.4/10. Finally, Scarlet is liked by 1,300+ members and has a weighted score of 3 on Letterboxd.

Go watch Scarlet, and let me know what you think on Twitter or BlueSky!