The manga depicts the craft of movie-making and revolves around Joelle Davidovich "Pompo" Pomponette,
a talented movie producer who looks like a little girl.
Operating out of the movie capital "Nyallywood," Pompo has been shooting one B-grade entertainment
flick after another that anyone would enjoy. One day, Pompo's "movie buff" assistant Gene spots a new
script written by Pompo, and is moved by its exquisite story. In a fit of passion, he proclaims, "I
want to see this as a finished work in theaters as soon as possible!"
However, Pompo tells him, "So you shoot this film." Thus, Gene takes on his first directing gig.
Meanwhile, Natalie, an ordinary girl who just arrived in town with movie actress dreams, has been
discovered by Pompo.
(Source: Anime News Network)
# Spoiler-free Section I would like to start by saying that this movie inspired me so much that I decided to write this review. Despite of having a runtime of 1 hour 34 minutes, it was packed with amazing contents and emotions which keep the audience engaged. I would like to note that sections below will contain **spoiler**. For those who want the best experience, I would high recommend those to go watch the movie first before reading further. *(It is worth it!)* --- # Visual and Choreography Before jumping in, I did not do any extensive research on this particular movie and the studio behind it, but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by how vibrant and how fluid the animation was. Some specific frames left a lasting impression on me. img100%(https://i.imgur.com/85usxKF.jpg) img100%(https://i.imgur.com/6UhOO9P.jpg) img100%(https://i.imgur.com/I5OcXzB.jpg) img100%(https://i.imgur.com/cSze13c.jpg) However, these frames alone do not do justice on expressing how well this movie has been animated. The contrasty visuals and smooth animation is on par with some of the best animated movies I have seen. # Characters Being a standalone movie, it is challenging to introduce many characters while also leaving sufficient impression to keep the story flowing. Generally I have no complaint on this aspect, but thought some of the labels for main and supporting can be adjusted. I have to say that Pompo did not really seem like a main character to me despite being labelled as a main character on the page. Instead, I would argue that Natalie played a more major role, especially in the later parts of the movie. Gene Fini was introduced as a somewhat quiet and seemingly incapable character, but we soon learn more about his underlying abilities and passion for cinematography and movies in general. Through Gene's perspective, we were able to see how the story makes sense to the audience. # Sound Not going to analyse all the different aspects of voice acting and soundtracks, but just some things which stood out for me. * Natalie's voice acting by Rinka Ootani really stood out for me, I think I expected a more mature and deeper voice initially, but the actual one helped bring out her character more and provided a more youthful and lively image for the character. * Excellent ED **Mado wo Akete by CIEL** # Story and Sequencing Okay, I think this is where this movie truly shines. The starting sequences is chaotic, with so many cuts back and forth, which keeps the audience curious on what the movie is trying to tell us. *Are these sequences in chronological order? Are these events happening in the past or future? How do these events relate to each other?* But gradually everything begins fall into place, and we start to really understand the characters, their background stories, all without being explicitly told. I really enjoyed this non-linear flow of events in an anime movie, perhaps I have been watching too many boring ones `¯\_(ツ)_/¯` Might be a somewhat far fetched analogy, but I thought this relates nicely to some of the best game designs. *The best game controls are controls which the players can figure out themselves.* And the best story and character development are ones which the *audience can piece together themselves without being told explicitly what they are*. Linking of Gene's movie making experience to Miester's music conducting experience was a nice approach to resolve the creativity struggle. Thought it was good that the movie kept a strong focus on the main plot of the director, Gene, and did not side-track into other aspects like romance, which I think would have weakened the delivery of the plot. Overall, the story keeps a good/balanced amount of drama and comedy and makes you want to keep watching. # Shortcomings No review would be complete without any proper critique. I will state the one which jumps to mind. The plot is really quite optimistic, you would need to be really really lucky to go through what Gene and Natalie experienced in your own career. Not impossible, but just not something you can expect to see in your everyday lives. # Conclusion > The thing I like the most ... is that it's 90 minutes long. Glad to see something this fresh and exciting which also fits within such a short time span. My only regret now is not being able to enjoy this on a big screen in cinemas. I will definitely be keeping my eyes out for future works by the same studio (CLAP) and director (Takayuki Hirao).
~~~Spoiler-free review. TL;DR below. *** _Pompo: The Cinéphile_ isn't much of a "love letter to film" but a mantra to an albeit cliched notion—to never give in. >webm(https://files.catbox.moe/jbhxis.mp4) ##__Why Hirao was an excellent fit for this adaptation.__~~~ [Takayuki Hirao](https://anilist.co/staff/102247/Takayuki-Hirao) returns as a Director and Scriptwriter after a five-year hiatus from direction to produce a coalition of recklessly entertaining storytelling. With [CLAP](https://anilist.co/studio/6400/CLAP) studio's adaptation of the shoujo manga, "Pompo: The Cinéphile," Hirao takes a pompous but quite fitting pace into the film. If you aren't very familiar with the Director, Hirao has worked on the likes of [Majokko Shimai no Yoyo to Nene](https://anilist.co/anime/15813/Majokko-Shimai-no-Yoyo-to-Nene), [Manabi Straight!](https://anilist.co/anime/3219/Gakuen-Utopia-Manabi-Straight-Special), and is most renowned for his exceptional work on [The Garden of Sinners: Paradox Spiral](https://anilist.co/anime/4282/Kara-no-Kyoukai--Mujun-Rasen). Facilitating these ventures was mega-giant [ufotable](https://anilist.co/studio/43/ufotable), in probably one of their most experimental features, but most notably the total disaster that was [God Eater](https://anilist.co/anime/20849/God-Eater/). Much like you'd expect, this took an enormous impact on Hirao's outlook on his directing career and was an unavoidable downfall of his work in the studio. Gene is an assistant to Pompo, a small girl who is a major film producer in Nyallywood, a fictional version of Hollywood. She predominantly focuses on b-movies with the only objective of entertaining, receiving an extensive network of contacts, cinematic interests, and film expertise from a well-known producer. She recognizes Gene as a remarkable individual working for her and realizes he has latent potential. Consequently, she chooses to bring it out of him by briefing him about a script she's been working on starring Martin Braddock, a well-known actor who hasn't starred in a film in ten years. Much of what I found as a sentiment of Hirao's exposition was the transparent connection between him and Gene. So much of what Gene faces in the film's third act is a weary and harsh reality of overwork and self-destruction. However, in a conclusion of rather fantasy, it endures the same motto of burdensome attempts to impress others. Much like the team that worked on [God Eater](https://anilist.co/anime/20849/God-Eater/) or really any anime, Hirao takes a great deal of belief in that sense, which augments a degree of genuineness to the film that might've not been there without him. ~~~ >webm(https://files.catbox.moe/m45ord.mp4) ##__Outstanding production and misgivings.__~~~ You would presumably await an exceptional production for an albeit film about a film, and it unquestionably does. The cinematography, visual motifs, and the apparent special transitions are employed wonderfully. Hirao's inventive choices are still consistent with his previous works, such as [Paranoia Agent](https://anilist.co/anime/323/Mousou-Dairinin/)'s pilot episode. The most anime-esque cuts of Gene quite literally cutting film tape through sequences of sakuga make for the usual wacky enjoyability. It is just as engaging as it is profuse in self-referencing innovativeness. However, these transitions can cultivate to be either hit or miss. Correspondingly, Hirao's disordered methodology to the artistic process is an unavoidable presence in the film. While the original work is somewhat satirical about its complacency, Hirao accepts it earnestly. Questioning whether the creative technique is "truly" connected with sacrificing elements of your life, relationships, and even health as an essentially lonely activity. And it looks to be such to him. Gene and his characters' journeys are self-harming—they're well aware of this, as is the film, but neither has the determination to criticize or even mention it as poor. Their perspective is "questioned" but can only present a conflict of its ideas without any sizable conclusion or nuance. Now, as gloomy as the film's thematic ramifications might be, _Pompo: The Cinéphile_ is still a refreshing film to see. Hirao being entrusted with a picture that celebrates the artifice of cinema and the power of editing enabled him to release all of his techniques in an unadulterated and passable form. That howbeit may not have been as amazing of a return, was fitting all the same. ~~~ >webm(https://files.catbox.moe/i0lfe7.mp4)~~~ *** ~~~__TL;DR__~~~ _Pompo: The Cinéphile_ is just as much a return to Hirao's possible direction of excellence but a means of illustrating his struggles in an exhibition of what makes films genuinely an enjoyable experience through a passion for technicality. It is a refreshing and amusing clutter of naivete of optimism and pessimism—for better or worse, it's candidly a liberation of his sentiment toward film. The duality of Hirao's and Gene's conflict is about proving others wrong, equally as it may be indeterminate to its principles, which may very well sum up Hirao. Nevertheless, I will certainly keep an eye on Hirao's future works, and I hope you do as well. Thank you for reading!
Pompo the Cinephile is a film about everything a manic, starry-eyed filmmaker may imagine a film to be while actually being just about none of those things. From the soulless delivery of film techniques and inspirational advice, to the rose colored depiction of damaging aspects of the creative industry, my eyes slowly glazed over watching this ironic tragedy. I often say that if a work surrounding an interest or philosophy lacks heart, then I might as well be reading a wiki page. This film is wiki content at its finest, introducing and narrating everything like a documentary, yet even a legitimate documentary would more likely grant greater depth and humanity in its education. The meta filmmaking techniques read out over vaguely related animation could be legitimately useful for an amateur, aspiring filmmaker, and yet I would understand and be intrigued simply reading them on paper. It's almost laughable how much is dryly told to the audience rather than shown. The enthusiasm Gene, the character who serves as director, does show for his craft comes across through dramatic visuals and music, yet bombasticity is not a replacement for real character depth. He carries about a notebook filled with his notes from watching films and being on set, yet the love and dedication never leaves those pages. Instead, again and again we have metaphorical editing scenes of Gene slicing up strips of film with a sword, and a montage of him imagining himself as a character in the story without any explained revelation or meaning to that imagery beyond that he had supposedly found his own style. One short scene of the film does get into a bit of his editing process, and I had hoped to see much more of that. Even then, his decisions lacked any connection to this supposed personal touch he had as a director which Pompo, the producer, believed would make the film great. Here we have yet another bland Shirobako, with the energy of Eizouken, yet none of its passion. It helped a lot that the latter surrounded kids making something all on their own. Here we have a full-blown production, so the sardoodledom of both the movie and its movie within the movie is unfortunate. Especially as the film approached its climax, the campy asspulls continued one after another. The film gets caught up in blindly glorifying certain harmful aspects of the industry rather than making any witty criticisms. Even in a man’s world, the women could have been treated a little more seriously rather than only a pretty face for the male gaze. More central to the movie’s message though, is the endorsement of the artist’s necessary sacrifice. Ironically this film feels as if it were a self insert piece, crafted by a cinephile themself, who doesn't know how to apply their knowledge with tact. The entire thing comes across as an artist’s fever dream in how nicely everything goes for this supposed heroic and selfless outcast. I could swear I've already seen this movie before in my daydreams as a child, only able to think in extremes. Especially romantic is the discipline to trim away all else in life for the purpose of channeling everything towards the creation of a masterpiece—that you must live a life of hardship and loneliness to create real beauty in your art. The world is not painted in blacks and whites, and only by experiencing everything in moderation can you find all the colors it has to offer. I can’t bring myself to appreciate a film which encourages those who are isolated and have extreme tendencies to damage themselves further. All that being said, Gene's directing journey paralleling his own work is a nice touch if a tad too campy. Perhaps more focus on how movies helped him understand himself could have saved the film from blatant mistreatment of its subjects. I will say though, Pompo (the character) is incredibly based in her opinion on one thing. The shorter a story, the better. Trim away the fluff, and get to the point. A truly great storyteller knows how to use the bare minimum to allow the audience to fill in the gaps with their own imagination. However, the beauty in minimalism is the impressionistic quality. Simple emotions given the time on screen to sink into you can create entire stories in your mind. However, in its execution of these ideas, the film doesn’t give itself the space to breath and instead regurgitates Gene's unpolished notebooks verbatim onto the screen. Rather than even a B movie with a beautiful actress to sell it, we just have an offensive movie and a man with constant bags under his eyes. At least it was an hour and thirty minutes.
Pompo: The Cinéphile is a movie which asserts itself a sort of love letter to film and the craft as a whole, in the story we follow there main characters the titular character Pompo is a young movie producer who has taken the reigns from her grandfather to direct cheap B-movies for 'Nyallywood' .'Gene Fini' is her seemingly overworked, movie-obsessed assistant whos dream is is to see a movie of his creation be made and finally 'Natalie Woodward' who is an aspiring actor who probably has some dream other than being famous but it's not really presented as much more than to help Gene achieve his goal. Pompo takes a chance with gene and writes and produces seemly her first 'serious' high-budget movie and picks Gene to direct this project, we follow the process from beginning to end. webm(https://i.imgur.com/JmDlIRz.mp4) As someone like myself who loves films and the movie-making process, I thought this would be exactly my kind of movie, for context I watch over 600+ none anime movies last year alone. But right about here is really where the film kind of starts to sort of lose me because it really doesn't ever actually go into the nitty gritty of making a film but instead, just vague shows it in feckless anime-styled analogy and really more becomes a movie about "never giving up on your dreams" or "believe in yourself" The movie they are making is mostly unimportant and we only are actually shown a sort of vague and generic plot about a musical who obsesses over his work and takes it too far ostracizing his family and friends in the process. A FIlm that I think actually managed to do a really good job at what Pompo: The Cinéphile tried to do was [Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald](https://letterboxd.com/film/welcome-back-mr-mcdonald/) which is about a production of a live radio show except for everything that can go wrong does go wrong in Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald the production is the central focal point for the story we care about the actual plot of the movie and how its being produced. and similarly to Pompo: The Cinéphile it keeps a chaotic and hectic style that actually translates into the film rather than ultimately being a series of obnoxious and distracting editing and cuts within the film (in a Meta sort of way) webm(https://i.imgur.com/q6GU3Rs.mp4) Oh the editing cuts I guess this is a belief rather than a rule but to quote God from futurama "When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all." this is a belief that I firmly think should apply to movie editing and that this movie does not, it wants you to be aware of every single cut and edit it makes its 'meta' in a sort of way and I guess this sort of works as the final climax of the film is Gene desperately trying to edit his film down to an acceptable length starting from a staggering 72 hours of film (which must include multiple takes right?) except we don't actually get to see what cuts and sacrifices he makes for the film while still retaining his vision nothing is shown and we were never invested in the internal film enough to care even if we were shown. as one point we go 'full-anime' when his cuts are visualized with film physically cutting and attacking giant film stock with a sword. webm(https://i.imgur.com/hhTkSxr.mp4) We have a small B-Plot near the back half of the movie which involves one of Gene's former highschool classmates 'Alan Gardner' who now works for a large bank the movie Gene is directing and his passion for it reignites Alan's own ambitions in life when the film needs additional funding, we go full movie logic where in he makes an impassioned speech to try and get the funding but the board of executives are not convinced they are cold and only see the logistical numbers in finance he then surprises them by live steaming the board room meeting (something something two party consent laws) and a crowdfunding campaign (so if you have the numbers why not show them in the first place) but it's still not enough for the suits that is until his passion makes his way to the CEO notice who comes down to overrule the old businessmen and his better business sense for this young man's passion (this is not how billionaires stay billionaires) is very sappy and predictable in a movie logic sort of way instead playing out in a potentially more mature 'grounded' way. webm(https://i.imgur.com/AwoMz3R.mp4) I know most of this review sounds quite negative and it has been but there are some things I liked but really just don't feel confident enough to explain in detail, I don't have that much of an eye for animation so I could not say what makes it look good but overall I did like the look and motion in the animation the style reminded me of something maybe Bones or Trigger (minus the craziness) would produce. I also enjoyed the character designed I like the more 'realistic style' with the exception of Pompo, which really make this movie feel more like a movie than typical 'anime movies' Overall I thought the movie was okay but the plot falls far from expectations and instead of delivering a the promise of a "love letter to cinema" falls in too much more generic trappings instead not a bad movie just not something very original or exciting either. webm(https://i.imgur.com/7uPSZgt.mp4) Thank you for reading my review of Pompo: The Cinéphile I'm sorry for how unstructured and messy of a review I maybe compared to other higher-quality reviews on this site, this is the first time writing a review for any anime before, I hope to improve and be able to express my opinions better in future.