directed by Maggie Kang & Chris Appelhans

I was avoiding this film for so long, but one day I gave up. It’s because I was too tired of everyone talking about it and playing its songs over and over. Kpop is not what I listen to and anime is difficult for me to watch (forgive me anime fans!), because everything’s too exaggerated for my European eyes. And how surprised I was when a film that was supposed to be just a background noise turned out to be one of the best animations I’ve seen in years. Yeah, I’m still shocked myself, but I’m more than happy to recommend it to you if you still haven’t seen it. We get to know a female Kpop band named Huntr/x – Rumi, Mira and Zoey (Arden Cho, May Hong & Ji-young Yoo). They are not only the most famous music trio with lots of fans, but also demon hunters. You see, in this world, demons steal humans’ souls and give them to their ruler Gwi-Ma. That is why we need such hunters like the girls to stop them and keep people safe. Everything goes well until a new band shows up – the Saja Boys, with their leader Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop) – and their song “Soda Pop” becomes an absolute hit. At first, Huntr/x believe it’s going to be just a music bands battle, but it turns out the Saja Boys are undercover demons, who want to manipulate people using their popularity. The girls obviously cannot let it happen and they begin preparing an even bigger performance to win with the demon band. In the meantime, Rumi and Jinu start talking to each other in private and it seems like they have more in common than you could imagine. If you’re a grumpy adult (like me) who says “such animations are not for me”, then take a deep breath and play it. And I’m pretty sure you won’t be disappointed. First of all, I loved the animation style and how dynamic it was, yet not annoying like most anime productions I’ve seen. Second of all, the girls reminded me of “Totally Spies!”, a cartoon I used to watch as a child. Back then, it was a true hit and the girls had a similar energy to Huntr/x, which made me feel a bit nostalgic. Third of all, the songs are very catchy and impressive! For example “Golden” has become a true challenge for singers, because you need to be horribly talented to hit the right notes. I was vibing a lot while watching and I still listen to the soundtrack now. And last but not least, the messages coming with this film. I’m moved because to me this film is about acceptance. The girls are fighting some cartoon demons, but in fact, it’s just a metaphor of fighting our real demons, which “steal our souls”. They make us believe we’re not enough, we are not meant to succeed, we should hide our true self. Even though the main character here is Rumi and we get to learn about her personal issues, the two other members are dealing with their own demons too. And if thanks to this animation some children and teenagers change the way they see themselves for better, I couldn’t be happier. We really need such films. Especially younger generations do. So I’m crossing my fingers for sequels and I hope the meaningful messages keep reaching those who need them.
My rating: 8/10
S.








