I’ve been on a bit of an animated television / movies stint and I’ve got two recommendations that I watched recently. Both very different but both very enjoyable.

Great Pretender is a Netflix original animated series produced by Wilt Studio. It follows Makoto Edamura, a small time con-man who finds himself entangled with a gang of con-artists with a conscious. As the series progresses, each con becomes more and more elaborate. But, with the proper suspension of disbelief, the shows has a lot to offer. The characters have depth and are memorable. The story lines, despite being elaborate and highly improbable, are enjoyable to watch. The script can be humorous and witty, but the writers also did their due diligence in approaching sensitive and serious topics well. Lastly, the animation is amazing. This was probably the element that stood out the most for me. The art style doesn’t try to emulate photorealism, but its use of colors, shapes, lighting not only sets the scene, but fits like a puzzle-piece with the action taking place between the characters. Background worthy images for sure. Whatever you’re in the mood for, I’m sure you’ll walk away from this faux Ocean’s Eleven vibe with a full spectrum of experiences. I’m personally looking forward for more releases from Netflix.

Scene from Great Pretender

A Silent Voice is a very different story produced by Kyoto Animation (the studio that had been a victim to an arson attack). The artwork is beautiful in its own way. It doesn’t have the same abstract “modern” feeling as The Great Pretender, but the soft pastel-like colors and (mostly) realistic renderings complement the emotional story that drives the movie well. If you’ve seen Violet Evergarden (which I highly, highly recommend and which also hails from Kyoto Animation), the art style and overall “mood” should be reminiscent. A Silent Voice follows the emotional journeys of Shoya Ishida and Shoko Nishimiya as they search for redemption, forgiveness, friendship, and acceptance. There’s not much more I can say than the movie is a very emotional one (I definitely cried multiple times), the animation and musical score were beautiful (I listened to the soundtrack multiple times both before and after watching the movie), and the message/thematic material a universally important one.