Jason D
Bubble (2022) is a visual masterpiece with all the trappings of greatness—stellar animation, breathtaking parkour sequences, and a studio pedigree that includes Attack on Titan. Directed by Tetsuro Araki and released on Netflix, it looks like a film destined for anime glory. But beneath its glossy surface lies a story that, like its namesake, feels hollow and fleeting.
The post-apocalyptic Tokyo is captivating, flooded and encapsulated by a giant mysterious bubble. In this surreal landscape, orphans compete in gravity-defying “Battlekour” (parkour + capture-the-flag) for food and supplies. Enter Hibiki, an audio-sensitive teen and elite parkour runner who falls—quite literally—for a mysterious girl born from a bubble. Yes, a bubble. She’s called Uta, and she’s essentially a bubbly take on The Little Mermaid, right down to the self-sacrificial ending and, for some reason, the actual reading of the original tale in the film itself.
The animation? “So freaking good.” Kevin and I agree—the parkour sequences are where Bubble earns its keep. Seamless transitions between 2D and 3D animation, jaw-dropping camera work, and an art style that respects detail and mood. The action looks like a dance, and you can tell this team knows what they’re doing.
The downside? Pretty much everything else. The story is full of unexplained phenomena (like sentient bubbles, gravity anomalies, and red bubble “sisters”), underdeveloped characters, and a rushed romance between a boy and... well, a soap bubble. “The story was flawed. I like the premise. I don't like the follow-through,” Kevin aptly sums up.
Despite stunning visuals and a strong score, Bubble can’t outrun its weak narrative. You’ll be amazed by what you see—but probably confused or unfulfilled by the time the credits roll.
An animation showcase trapped in a soap opera of half-baked ideas. Watch it for the eye candy, not the plot.
Rated 2.5/5 Stars •
Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars
05/01/25
Full Review
Idan Charles L
I know this movie isn't objectively great, but I really like this kind of movies
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
03/30/25
Full Review
Jay W
Netflix original, "Bubble" (2022), not to be confused with Netflix original, "The Bubble" (2022), has a lot of good going for it. It has very nice animation. The animators are quite proud of their parkour animation, which they show off for about 70% of the runtime of the movie.
The movie takes a lot of inspiration from "The Little Mermaid" tale, which it makes no attempt to hide. Oddly enough not the first anime movie that I can think of that uses Little Mermaid as base, the other one being "Ponyo".
It really is a unique world they've created here. The imagination on display for so much of this really is something to be admired. The music and animation complement each other well and make it a marvel to behold. Unfortunately, this imagination comes at a price.
It is clear that this movie was based on a book. And I'm sure a lot of the things that don't add up in the movie are thoroughly examined in the book. But as it stands in the movie, there is a lot of this movie that makes no sense. Now I'm fine with some things going unexplained. But some of the moments in the movie lose any narrative tension without an understanding of how this world works. And it isn't something that is left to the interpretation of the audience, it appears like everyone in the movie knows what is going on and expect the audience to get it as well.
Another downside is the main character, Hibiki. He is a bore. He's the type of quiet emo kid that a middle school girl has a crush on, but all her friends can't stand to be around. The dialogue in this movie does not help these characters. There are two settings for conversations in the story. One: being a blunt instrument for exposition. Two: words that are trying to sound profound but have all the depth of a fortune cookie.
The movie is at its best when it is relying on the beautiful animation and music do the storytelling. Because when the characters open their mouth it starts to fall apart. As the ending swings around the logic implodes in on itself and the story completely pops.
Rated 2/5 Stars •
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
12/02/24
Full Review
Jhosep G
As a retelling of The Little Mermaid, this movie gets to develop the message. But, as an original production, it misses some development on character depth, on movie structure. And the writers really need a lesson in avoiding info dump. I know that we need to understand The Little Mermaid and the events that happened with the bubbles, but I'm sure there are better ways to deliver them.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
06/23/24
Full Review
TearRose
It was refreshing and yet sad. The movie left me speechless and the plot was thought through and well put. It had a good start off and hook.
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/11/24
Full Review
Aatmika S
One of the best movie to watch it is a very good movie you should watch this movie before you die this movie is wonderful 😊 I need its second part also
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
12/29/23
Full Review
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