Posted in: Movies | Tagged: anime, Anime Movie, funimation, human lost

"Human Lost": A Futuristic Thriller Brings the Popular Novel to Life

The anime film Human Lost tackles a cyberpunk future with intensity and a surprising showing of heart as one of Japan's most established stories is brought to life. The film follows Yoza Oba, a struggling man who's privy to strange dreams that ultimately change the direction of his life in this unique adaptation.

Based on the 1948 novel No Longer Human written by Osamu Daza, Human Lost follows similar principles by showcasing a story that thrives in uncertainty and destructive ways. Set in the year 2036, technology has become a major part of humanity and only the elite are able to fully thrive. That is until a distraught Yoza is enlisted to a motorcycle gang by his friend when his life takes a drastic turn. Something interesting about both Human Lost and No Longer Human is the depiction of mental health that's very crucial. At the time the book was released, Daza was seemingly struggling with his own self-worth and identity which was evident in his craft. He struggled in personal relationships as well as bouts with depression and grief, something that is certainly tangible from his work as well as this film adaptation.

The film begins with Yoza having taken his own life, something that would generally be viewed as intensely tragic. In Human Lost, death isn't always the end to those with cybernetic enhancements, but it still manages to find avenues to keep the original story in-tact. Yoza's life begins to find purpose and meaning when his dreams elaborate a potential future and his importance to it. With the first moments embracing a sometimes taboo subject, the focus on mental health stigmas makes Human Lost something that has real importance to the overall story being told.

While depression and suicide are two things that are major inclusions of Human Lost, there is something that alters the course for Yoza which is unexpected love. Investigator Yoshiko Hiiragi discovers Yoza before they plan on eradicating him, but some unusual powers connect the two and a complicated relationship begins to blossom. Yoshiko represents a very different side of Human: Lost, polar opposite of Yoza.

While Yoza is at the end of his rope, Yoshiko feels like she has the utmost trust in society, which is a constant point of contention for those surrounding her. The two begin to both see things differently, even replicating aspects of the novel that contain heavier pieces of subject matter. The ending of the film embraces a drastic shift in tone for both Yoza and Yoshiko, causing immense heartbreak that feels all too real after the life of Daza. The story isn't exactly the most optimistic, but the exploration of love throughout a generally grim tale makes Human Lost a film worth experiencing.

The setting of Human Lost is nothing like the original novel which wasn't centered in this futuristic and enhanced world. The world itself is a more modern spin on the piece of literature, pulling from other materials such as Akira, Ghost in the Shell and Psycho-Pass. The location and general world that has been built here is a complete marvel that requires a lot of attention to detail. The film is done in CGI animation which isn't the most popular amongst anime fans, but for something as intricate as Human Lost needs a way to establish the cyberpunk world with every possible avenue.

From the action sequences at the end to the intense motorcycle chases used in the beginning, the film is a great example of well-rounded anime production. Sometimes CGI animation can be distracting or serve as a deterrent for many fans, or in this instance, the subject matter can be considerably grim, but because of the use of action and storytelling, this film absolutely succeeds at eliciting some form of an emotional response from audiences.

Human Lost officially arrives in theaters starting October 22, so check out Funimation for more information!

Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!