Good, evocative experimental anime are by no means rare. But rarely do I personally find myself relating to a rapid succession of abstract vignettes in such an intimate manner. In Kikumana there is no story to speak of. It is after all just a 6 minute short animation in which Yasuhiro Yoshiura attempts to provoke an emotional reaction from the audience through audiovisual means alone. To this regard, I think he succeeds. The animation follows a young, faceless girl studying in a room and is shot in a staticky black and white filter reminiscent of old film while a constant ticking clock can be heard inthe background. As time goes on, our protagonist grows increasingly tired and begins experiencing surreal hallucinations which persist even as she attempts to take a break. These visions are reminiscent of various familiar concepts from everyday life, combined in obscure supernatural amalgamations. Clockwork fish, labyrinthine staircases and a race amongst shadowy runners are a few such concepts which provide a brief glimpse into the main character's - and the director's - psyche. This is reinforced by literal glimpses of the environment the girl inhabits, as she examines various objects and frames in the room she is in.

There is quick rotation of visuals and each frame is different than the last. Every image this animation conjures manages to be reminiscent of familiar and even nostalgic scenes the audience might be familiar with while also being not entirely of this world. The progressively more and more bizarre atmosphere builds up to a crescendo of graphics that don't resemble anything in particular after which the central character is confronted by yet another vision the audience will recognize.

A beautiful, dynamic piano arrangement can be heard in the background throughout this short film. The arrangement works in tandem with the visuals, rises and falls in volume and timbre as the visuals on screen change. It works as a voice for the girl who otherwise only expresses emotion through breaths and gasps.

Kikumana might not be groundbreaking but it is certainly interesting. Its visuals are familiar enough to evoke an emotional response from the viewer while also abstract enough to warrant an analysis.

Overall I recommend this short film to anybody willing to spend 6 minutes to watch this and 36 minutes to write about it. :P