The sequel to Genius Party. It includes most of the films which were eventually finished but not
included in the original Genius Party.
1.) Gala (directed by Mahiro Maeda)
A massive object lands near a village filled with strange creatures. A boy and girl sense that it is
alive and when they start playing music it begins to grow.
2.) Moondrive (directed by Kazuto Nakazawa)
A group of violent criminals seek a rumored treasure on Giants Island, but after only finding huge
disappointment, they destroy the entire island.
3.) 'Wanwa' the Doggy (directed by Shinya Ohira)
While his mother prepares to give birth to another child, a child has vivid dreams revealing a bizarre
mix of fears, hopes and joy.
4.) Toujin Kit (directed by Tatsuyuki Tanaka)
In a steam punk world, a young woman illegally creates alien life forms inside stuffed animals, but
the authorities eventually catch up with her.
5.) Dimension Bomb (directed by Kouji Morimoto)
An eccentric young girl summons boy from another dimension but their relationship changes resulting in
an explosion of visual pyrotechnics as they each follow their own destiny.
(Source: Wikipedia)
_This review might contain spoilers. You may proceed if you can handle the truth..._ Genius Party Beyond is an anthology film of five short animated movies. Studio 4°C planned to release this picture and its prequel, Genius Party, as one movie. Albeit all directors finished their work in time, the studio decided to segment it because of the more than three hours runtime. Mahiro Maeda directed the first short, Gala. His notable work as an animator includes films like Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise, Neon Genesis Evangelion: The End of Evangelion etc. Out of all 12 films from both anthologies, this is the only movie with an emphasis on music. Sadly, the composition is not emotionally touching and, therefore, it only complements the flick as most other scores. Moreover, the characters and the animation are uninspiring because they are ordinary. Although the plot is the most attractive part of this short, it is decent at most. After his effort, Kazuto Nakazawa's film, Moondrive, follows, who is well-known for his work as an animator on the TV series Ergo Proxy and Death Parade. In comparison to the previous movie, the visuals are impressive and eye-catching. The humorous, adventurous and action-packed plot is engaging but predictable, and all the characters stick out with unique personalities. Additionally, the unusual choice of instruments creates a memorable background score. Unfortunately, the portrayal of women and some jokes might be detestable for some viewers. The first experimental entry in this anthology is 'Wanwa' the Doggy, directed by Shinya Ohira. He is best known for his work as an animator on movies like Akira, Spirited Away, Redline etc. Despite the episode's name, the story is about the vivid dream of a small child. The director skillfully captures the anxieties, dreams and fantasies of a toddler. The combination of frightful, emotional and delightful scenes makes it a memorable experience. Fitting the story is the lovely animation style inspired by the children's book. The score is neither distracting nor astounding but fulfils its job of supporting the scenes. The fourth movie, Toujin Kit, is the second directorial effort of Tatsuyuki Tanaka in an anthology. He is best known for his hand drawings in the film Akira. In contrast to the other shorts, this one has an unsaturated colour palette. The depressing and dull colours emphasize the dark, futuristic world and boring, mundane life of the protagonist. Only a few objects or lifeforms have a deep and saturated colour to highlight their extraordinary. Although the usage of colour is excellent and the animation is good, the plot is bland and confusing because of the lack of background information. Last but not least, the final and longest short, Dimension Bomb, is an unprecedented visual experience. The director Kouji Morimoto is famous for his work as an animator in films like Mind Game. Following the experimental style of Mind Game, the plot is abstract and incohesive on purpose to leave the viewer room for interpretations. Albeit the animation style is ordinary, the visuals are unusual and fascinating. Nevertheless, some scenes feel out of place because of their different animation style or unrelated, obscure elements. The accompanying score creates an unpleasant and mysterious atmosphere that fits the picture excellently. Although the sequel has some lesser-known directors, Genius Party Beyond has an overall more consistent quality and better shorts than its predecessor. Same as its prequel, the second film has at least three shorts worth your precious time. If you like Genius Party, you will also enjoy the instalment.