Synopsis:
Places that were anime to me is a nostalgic personal history with anime fandom as lived, imagined, and felt by a Swedish teen at the turn of the millennium. This subjective depiction of the history of Japanese animation is told by blending camcorder footage, recordings of old fansubbed VHS tapes, and cosplay using the beautiful city of Stockholm as a backdrop.
The Good:
Places that were anime to me is meant to spark empathy, inviting you to feel one person’s experience and see how that moment in time shaped who he would become. Jönson’s vulnerability shines through and it’s hard to not be drawn in, connecting your own experiences to his and relating to what he went through. It’s easy to recognize the parallels between a Swedish teen discovering anime in the ’90s and early 2000s and the experiences of other international fans before the fandom expanded into the massive global phenomenon it is today.
Though it’s not a big budget production, it smartly leans on camcorder footage, grainy recordings of old fansubbed VHS tapes playing on CRT TVs, and standout cosplays by Murdoccocosplays to impart the emotions evoked by ages of anime past. The film also uses the story of a first love to explore what it means to have fandom—something so many of us hold dear to our hearts—morph and change as our lives, dreams, and goals shift over time.
All of these things combine to create a compelling story alongside the film’s history lesson about anime and Sweden’s influence upon it. The best part? Places that were anime to me does an extremely good job at both!
The Bad:
The strongest criticism I have against Places that were anime to me is that I wish it wasn’t Anders Häger Jönson’s first full-length film. This is only because with how much I enjoyed it, I can’t imagine how much more incredible it could’ve been after he further hones his craft and learns from future film making experiences.
I can see how some might say there is rawness to the editing choices at points in the film, and maybe some shots linger too long. But I personally find these aspects just lend towards the earnestness of the story. While some might point to this as its lack of budget showing, I feel it helps evoke the “by fans for fans” era the film is going for. A lack of that signature “big money look” so many movies have these days does not detract from the artistry on display.
While the film masterfully channels nostalgia, it could be argued it leans more on that wistful atmosphere than its narrative at times. It’s possible that younger viewers accustomed to modern streaming platforms like Crunchyroll and uninterested in anime with 4:3 aspect ratios may find it harder to connect with the emotional throughline of the film. But even such theoretical “youngsters” could find themselves experiencing anemoia—and searching the web to find what the word for that emotion even is—if they are willing to engage with the work.
Finally, there is the potential for viewers to go in with wrong expectations. This movie is not meant to be an objective history on Sweden’s anime industry and fandom, though it does have moments where it discusses Sweden’s influence on anime as a whole and important moments in the medium’s history. Those looking for such a history will find Jönson’s other work, Christer Hagström – The Man Who Took Anime to the Nordics, to be closer to that mark.
The Verdict:
Places that were anime to me is a must see for those who remember the early, analogue days of anime and manga fandom or anyone curious about the emotional landscape of that time. It moved me more in 100 minutes than many recent seasonal anime have managed in an entire season. At just $3 to stream, it’s a small price for such a distinctive and heartfelt experience.
Where To Purchase: Places that were anime to me is available to purchase from Give A Reason Video Entertainment.
If you liked Places that were anime to me you might also like…
- Christer Hagström – The Man Who Took Anime to the Nordics
- The Witches of the Orient
- The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness
Credits:
- Director, Producer, Writter and Editor: Anders Häger Jönson
- Assistant Director: Stef Gaines
- Assistant Directors, Japan: Sara Elggren & Tim Davidsson
- Cinematography: Per Hasselström
- Composer: Kalle J
- Additional Photography: Linus Remahl
Thank you to Give A Reason Video Entertainment for providing a review copy. Receiving this copy did not affect the reviewer’s opinions as expressed here.
Article edited by: Anne Estrada
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