Review of Redline
A full seven years was dedicated to making Redline, and boy did all that time pay off. At first, I was put off at the idea of watching Redline; I have no interest in cars or racing, and I thought it would just be some average action anime, that got you pumped up when watching it, but would also be easily forgotten. I am so glad that I gave it a chance. The Story - Simple is what you'd describe the plot. The main characters compete in 'Redline' - a highly anticipated race that takes place every 5 years, where there are no rules. Youdon't have to think too hard - its easy to watch. However, there are several other minor plot lines that appear alongside the main narrative (which I won't go into detail with, as I wouldn't want to spoil anything). The reason why i describe them as minor, is due to the fact that I feel they were overshadowed by certain aspects of the film, and that they didn't really add much more to it as a whole; they certainly didn't take anything away from the experience, but they didn't make it any better either.
The Art - The dedication, perseverance, and pure talent are shown during every frame of animation. The colour palette brings the show to life, the animation is fluid, and the detail is immense. During no scene is a character just stood up straight or motionless - they are always in some sort of different position, and they are constantly moving, whether it be just their face or their whole body. The character designs are beautiful, the settings are all entirely different from each other, the way each car is designed is truly outstanding, and the attention to detail on each species on each planet is truly staggering. The art style alone is what really motivated me to watch Redline.
The Sound - As for whether you watch the film subbed or dubbed, it really doesn't matter; I watched both versions and found that I enjoyed both equally, which is rare as I normally prefer watching shows in their original Japanese dub. The music for the show is absolutely one of the best parts - the OST has 42 tracks (yeah, you read right) and each one is eaasily distinguishable from the next. They all bring to the proper emotions to their corresponding scenes, whether it be making you empathize with the character on screen, or to get you fired up for the race.
The Characters - The main two characters JP and Sonoshee, are so charming and are a pleasure to watch. JP is cool and collected, whilst also being extremely hot headed and uncontrollable (and his pompadour is the most majestic hairstyle I have ever seen). Sonoshee is a charming woman, who has both looks and personality that will seduce you immediately. The development of these two character's relationship was something that I really enjoyed seeing unfold, and I always cheered on for them when watching them race. However, I felt like some of the other characters (like Frisbee for example) could have been shown off a little more, as I'd like to know more about them, but there is a limit to how long you can make a film, and how much you can cram into it before it gets messy, so this can definitely be forgiven.
Enjoyment - Redline is honestly one of the most enjoyable films that I have seen in a long time, and I'd go as far as saying that it's up in my top 10 favourite films ever. You laugh, you cry, you get fired up along with JP and Sonoshee, and you forget that you're watching a film at times due to how truly immersive the film is.
Overall, I'd recommend Redline to absolutely anyone. Even if you don't like racing or anime based around cars (or you have no interest in cars at all!), I'd say to anyone to at least give it a chance, as I'm sure that you'll find something you like about it, and hopefully, you'll love it as much as I do.