Image: A scene from Bungo Stray Dogs: DEAD APPLE, featuring Kyoka Izumi battling “Yasha Shirayuki.”
Singapore on Screen: Becoming Mundane?
In recent years, the appearance of Singaporean landmarks in Japanese animation has subtly increased. Have you noticed?
I recall being taken aback when a surreal Merlion statue inexplicably appeared in the end credits of the first season of “Hozuki’s Coolheadness” (2014). Just last week, while watching “Bungo Stray Dogs: DEAD APPLE,” I was confronted with a scene early on where the Armed Detective Agency discussed a series of mysterious deaths of ability users in Singapore. The visual? A man pinned to the Merlion statue with countless playing cards. The reaction in the cinema was… well, nonexistent.
A New Yorker might be unfazed by the Avengers battling alien hordes amidst their skyscrapers. A Hong Konger might shrug at giant robots clashing with monsters in their city in “Pacific Rim.” We, too, are rapidly approaching a similar indifference to Singapore depicted in such fantastical ways on screen.
This exposure suggests Singapore has truly joined the ranks of globally recognized cities. The upcoming summit will amplify this effect, further highlighting Singapore on the world map. However, the days of outrage, like when Chow Yun-fat’s “Welcome to Singapore” line in “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” sparked nationalistic fury, are thankfully fading. This shift away from insular thinking is a welcome development.
But beyond this observation, does “Bungo Stray Dogs: DEAD APPLE” offer any other value for a critical review? The answer, sadly, is no.
A Hollow Addiction Fix
Studio BONES, the animation studio behind this film, is known for memorable series like “Chaika - The Coffin Princess” (2014), “Noragami” (2014, 2015), and “Snow White with the Red Hair” (2015, 2016). However, “DEAD APPLE” perfectly exemplifies the pitfalls of commercialization in the anime industry. The usual absurdity and disregard for logic (including physics) are present, but there’s no underlying depth, no genuine surprise or suspense. Instead, we’re bombarded with a hasty, confusing plot, shallow “coolness,” and a barrage of clichés delivered at breakneck speed, all wrapped in a self-important sensory overload.
A Transitional Film
In a sense, this isn’t surprising. This “theatrical version” of “Bungo Stray Dogs” not only follows the first and second seasons but also serves as a bridge to the upcoming third season. Such transitional films rarely deviate significantly from the overall narrative. Despite the explosions and dramatic moments, it’s essentially a superficial interlude. It merely rehashes familiar content, recycled declarations of heroism, and fleeting sensations, offering only a superficial fix for existing fans.
In other words, it’s primarily a tool to extract more money from fans’ wallets. Those with discerning tastes will find little novelty, let alone intellectual nourishment.
Fleeting Moments and Wasted Opportunities
Looking around the theater last week, I saw young viewers enjoying their school holidays. I couldn’t gauge their level of enjoyment, but I worried about the long-term effects of such empty entertainment on their developing tastes. These “empty bullets” are ubiquitous, flooding the market like locusts. Do audiences understand the “junk food” they’re consuming? Is it a case of willing sellers and willing buyers? I’m not sure.
I only know that life is fleeting. Decades or centuries from now, a masterpiece might emerge that would move me to tears and capture my soul – but I’ll be long gone. I can only appreciate the works that happen to appear during my brief existence. This is a precious and limited gift, and I must cherish it, train my eyes, and reserve my attention for the best, most wondrous, and most stimulating “cuisine.” To do otherwise would be a disservice to my fleeting existence in this vast universe.
As a film critic, I may not always have a choice in what I watch. But you, the readers, do. Why not treat yourselves with respect and choose quality over quantity? Stand tall against the tide of mass-produced entertainment and become a discerning consumer, demanding substance and impact – a defiant spark in this decaying age.