MOOM

In this full-3D computer-graphic animation of the 2014 picture book (Hakusensha) of the same title by KAWAMURA Genki and MASHIKO Yuuki, the theme is the accumulation and loss of memories in people and the things they discard. The setting is a peculiar world where memories live on as animate entities in forgotten objects. Moom, the protagonist, lives by a lake with his buddy Kennedy, who wears a spacesuit. Together they extract memories from discarded junk and release them into the air. One day Moom finds Lumin living in a ballet shoe. At first Lumin seems sad, but after spending some time with Moom and Kennedy, she cheers up—until one day . . . Finely detailed imagery and tranquil music add to the poignancy of the meetings and partings of these adorable characters against a backdrop of verdant natural scenery.

Broad, lovely vistas, lifelike greenery, and the lyrical use of light conspire to draw the viewer into this peaceful world. The tale is a simple narrative of meeting, connecting, and parting, but piano melodies and expressive changes in color bring the characters’ emotions to life, filling the heart with warmth and a little sadness. The full-CG format is applied in the service of the most minute details, fostering a sensation of reality through the coloring of dark areas and the depictions of luxuriant foliage. A marvelous work that conveys the passion and commitment of the production staff. (MORINO Kazuma)