"Summer Wars" has it all: action, romance, great characters, and a heart-warming story. The story follows a timid high school boy named Kenji, who agrees to help his popular school mate, Natsuki, by accompanying her to meet her relatives in the country. Kenji awkwardly tries to fit in to the huge family as he tries to keep all the relatives' names straight while dealing with their scrutiny. Meanwhile, a terrorist has taken over the internet and is wreaking havoc on the real world. When people's lives become in danger, Kenji decides to take matters into his own hands and face off against the cyber terrorist in an action-packed, suspenseful battle.
As I said, there is so much to like about this movie, but what I love most are the characters. Natsuki's family feels so real, with unique personalities and comically relatable interactions. The women tend to run the show in this family too, which makes for an especially interesting dynamic. You can really relate to Kenji, who is a meek math nerd feeling out of place in this family descended from warriors. Ultimately, Kenji must prove himself a worthy warrior in an epic battle to save the world!!
This movie is a must-see. Even the second time around, it made this ninja cry... sniff. If you haven't already, check it out!! Here's a trailer:
Also, for Christmas, I got Zer07 some books relating to "Summer Wars." Zer07 loves art books, so I got him the "Summer Wars" complete storyboards and a design book with all the final character and background designs. The art is really beautiful in these books!
Summer Wars design book:
Summer Wars storyboards book:
Have a happy and safe New Year everyone! Nin nin!
