Exploration of the self
What defines a self? The self is made of two entities: a good and a bad. And if you will, a white and a black. Now, this leads us to the question of which side is more dominant, and what are the consequences of losing an entire half. What do we become? Are we still human?
These questions lie at the heart of the animated film, Tekkon Konkurito. We follow the journey of two orphan and outcast boys, Shiro (White) and Kuro (Black) who dominate their city called Treasure Town. Throughout their fight to maintain the city, they discover the forces that naturally join them together, and suffer the consequences as they are torn apart – not only by external forces, but more so by their own personalities.
While the figures are not drawn particularly elaborately, the rendering of the landscape is absolutely captivating. It draws the viewer into the surreal decrepidness of the city as well as the surreal exploration of what happens when the self is fractured.
This is not the ordinary animated feature, for the deeper meanings hide underneath the whimsical facade. It takes skill to inject the hardest question of humanity and to portray the answer through the individual struggles of two young boys.
Quick Links:
- 1. Watch the introduction
