Director: Katsuhito Akiyama
Starring: Shizuka Itou, Kaytha Coker, Kenta Miyake, Adam Dudley, Chihiro Suzuki, Blake Shepard, Cho, Marty Fleck, Kana Ueda, Monica Passley
Running Time: 600 minutes
Certificate: 15
Having very little to do with either pumpkins or scissors, PUMPKIN SCISSORS is a bizarrely titled anime, but one that has a lot going for it. Set after a war between the empire and the republic (we aren’t given specific details, just go with it), we follow the daily runnings and adventures of the PUMPKIN SCISSORS, a military group set-up as “war relief”. They’re pretty much a propaganda tool used to convince the public that the military gives a damn about the poor, ill, and starving. Unfortunately for the militaries top brass, PUMPKIN SCISSORS is lead by Alice Malvin, who happens to be an honourable soldier as well as a member of the social elite. This makes her the perfect focus point for a show that looks at all he casualties of war, and not just the human ones.
PUMPKIN SCISSORS has the conviction to examine all sides of war and its aftermath without ever passing judgement. We see a country where the rich remain powerful but the poor find it hard to get by. Many of the poor have turned to drugs in order to cope, which of course is a business run by political powers. The PUMPKINS SCISSORS act as an intermediary when sorting out such issues, not just for the sake of the plot, but also as a channel for the viewer’s thoughts and feelings. During the drug arc of the show, not only do the authorities attempt to take down those running the show, but those taking the drugs are also chastised for a lack of responsibility. It’s this two-sided approach that manages to avoid generic preaching and hidden moralistic agendas.
The show is also able to shift its tone in extreme ways without feeling forced or chaotic. Some moments are filled with comedy and light hearted scenarios that bring a smile to your face, whereas there are times that belong solely in the horror genre. A forgotten soldier who must live inside a diver’s suit patrols the sewers with a flame-thrower. His design and vocal work in both languages is spine-tingling, and just one of the many examples of how PUMPKIN SCISSORS can explore all genres and atmospheres.
With wonderful animation which brings the sets and characters to life, PUMPKIN SCISSORS is almost the full package. It does suffer when shifting between narrative arcs as sometimes the build-up is slow, but can also be unsettlingly sudden. Overall, PUMPKIN SCISSORS is an engaging look at the spoils of war and the social divide. Plots are kept entertaining for those not interested in the subtext, all the while developing a group of characters we care and feel for. Even the supernatural elements are used sparingly, unlike other animes that rely on such plot twists as a deux ex machina.
PUMPKIN SCISSORS is released on DVD on 9th September via MVM.
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