Summer Wars: Limited Edition Steelbook (Amazon Exclusive)

7 reviews for Summer Wars: Limited Edition Steelbook (Amazon Exclusive)

1. 

   FredTownWard – April 2, 2025

   This Is Not a Movie About an Artificially Intelligent Computer Virus Threatening the Safety of the World
   Though precisely that problem confronts our protagonists, nor is this a screwball comedy romance though our nerdy everyman of a hero gets conned by the most popular girl in school (whom he has a secret crush on) into pretending to be her fiance at a family gathering (Yeah, THAT’S gonna work!). Instead this is a movie about families, about what holds them together, about what tears them apart, and in particular families with a tradition of service. In an English subtitled interview in the Extras section the director seems genuinely puzzled that this movie would strike such a chord with audiences around the world, but while a family that still takes pride in once having been vassals to a shogun era feudal clan might SEEM utterly alien to non-Japanese, it really isn’t if you just stop to think about it because we all know (or know of) similar sorts of families in our own countries: cop families, fire fighter families, military families, etc., and members of such families would have no trouble grasping the idea that if one of your own messes up, you have a family obligation to make it right.
   Being too nice (or too lovesick) to bail on Natsuki when she reveals her plot, Kenji stays, experiencing the tortures of the damned in fear of his eventual, inevitable exposure and enduring treatment from Natsuki’s huge extended family that varies from overwhelming to nerve wracking to downright cruel, but along the way something happens. As the sole child of an absent, working overseas father and a long hours working mother, he begins to appreciate the benefits of a large family and finds himself wistfully envying what Natsuki has and what he can never have once the family gathering is over and Natsuki wraps up the lie by telling everyone that they’ve broken up.
   Then the long telegraphed disaster strikes, Kenji is exposed and, worse, falsely accused of causing it. At first it seems to be just a series of nasty computer pranks,… until somebody very close to them dies as a result. Then while the women of the Jinnouchi clan mobilize to manage the family through the crisis, it falls to the men of the Jinnouchi clan along with Natsuki and Kenji to mobilize and wage and win a cyber war. As per their history, the odds are hopeless but that never stopped the Jinnouchis before, and it doesn’t stop them now. Does everyone manage to put aside the past and rise to the challenge to save the world? You might as well ask the outcome of the simultaneously occurring baseball match in which a Jinnouchi family member puts his team on his back and tries to pitch them into the nationals with ups and downs that eerily parallel those of the ongoing cyber war. It is corny and predictable and absolutely wonderful!
   So, any defects? Only a minor one and that could possibly be a translation error. It is revealed at the end that the disaster was caused by the US Army that contracted to purchase the Love Machine virus DELIBERATELY releasing it as some sort of test…. Nope. Sorry. Never going to happen. The US Army would never do this; hell, the Japanese army would never do this; nobody in their right mind would ever do this! An accidental release, as contrarily reported earlier in the film? Yes, I can see that. For comparison over the years the US and the Russians have managed to lose at least six nuclear weapons that were never recovered, but all were due to accidents, and while nuclear tests have occasionally gone wrong and resulted in fallout in unexpected places, no one has ever deliberately tested one in range of a populated area in order to see what might happen, and no sane person ever would.
   That minor criticism aside this film is highly recommended!
   Note: A two volume manga series has been published that closely parallels the movie it was based on in plot and artwork so if you love one, you will no doubt love the other: Summer Wars, Part 1 and Summer Wars, Part 2.

2. 

   MercTen – April 2, 2025

   Stunning Visuals, and a (slightly)Deeper Meaning
   I’m not a film critic. I am an anime fan. I’m a bit biased towards this movie as a result. However, this release garners 5 stars from me for several logical reasons. First of which being, the English voice-acting is of a very high quality. The translation is accurate to the spirit of original Japanese, if not the content explicitly. The actors seem very authentic, and with very few exceptions sound quite invested in their work.
   That said, I prefer the Japanese. I’m familiar enough with the culture to appreciate it from an outside perspective. So why do I care so much about the English? I don’t like watching movies alone, and not all of my friends and family are comfortable reading subtitles. I tell them learning Japanese is the best solution, but most aren’t quite interested in becoming that invested. High-quality English makes for easy introduction to this movie.
   What carries it, is the easy pace and undeniable style of the film. The visuals are stunning in their attention to detail, both in the “real world” and OZ centered scenes. The movie sets itself up effortlessly in just a few minutes, and then throws you into the center of the story rather quickly. Kenji’s status as a math nerd and social idiot is a tried and true one, and the cool beauty of Natsuki isn’t new either. Simply well executed here. Without spoiling the story too much, the introduction of Natsuki’s family to both Kenji and the audience is a whirlwind (putting it lightly). While some people would argue the sheer number of characters would make them shallow and not leave time for development, I would tend to disagree. Kenji is overwhelmed at the situation, he’s our protagonist so we should share that with him. That said, despite the huge number of folks flicking on and off screen the important few shine through in just the right way. The stern but loving grandmother, eccentric uncles, overbearing aunts, and annoying cousins are damn near universal in most families. They’re all here too, and more like my own than I might care to admit. So, surprise surprise, it’s a bit of a family film. Of course, throwing in the high-tech near-future environment of the OZ Network gives you an entirely new layer to work through.
   OZ isn’t too far away from how we live now. We bundle cell phones, home phones, internet, and TV. OZ is that, plus Facebook, and pretty much all of your billing and work-related systems slammed into one. Games, media, communications, business, and financial services all through one central hub. Just like in the real world, the cyber world of “Summer Wars” starts reaching into everyday life in very unexpected ways. Of course, things go quite a bit further in the film. This is where that little “Deeper Meaning” comes in. The “Wars” in question are between the real people of the movie and the online world they depend on day to day. The movie is a bit of a hint towards what we’re heading to today with our dependence on social media and online conveniences. Most of us are guilty of it. I’m 26, of course I am. Again, trying not to give anything away here, but suffice it to say that we probably don’t want to be quite as plugged in as the folks in “Summer Wars”.
   Of course, this isn’t some broad-reaching culture modifying epic which will forever change movies as we know it. It is, however, an amazingly completely experience. People can argue that it’s not terribly meaningful, lacks some depth, is unrealistic, or even somewhat immature. In some ways, all of that is correct. To me the strengths of this movie perfectly compliment the few weaknesses. It’s a parallel of real life with a dash of science fiction and just a bit over-the-top. It’s approachable, enjoyable, funny, heart-warming, heart-wrenching, and endlessly watchable. To be fair, that’s all I really want from an entertainment movie. To be entertained. “Summer Wars” does this for me, my friends, and my family. I’ve seen the movie at least 5 times now, and I don’t think it will wear out it’s welcome anytime soon.

3. 

   Nazario Martino – April 2, 2025

   -Opinione riguardo al film-
   Un ottimo titolo questo Summer Wars, che riesce a riproporre il tema della vita virtuale con una chiave di lettura molto interessante e divertente. Le animazioni sono davvero un piacere per gli occhi, così come i colori, molto vivaci e luminosi. La trama, per quanto fantasiosa, tocca dei temi attualissimi che verosimilmente potrebbero verificarsi in un futuro prossimo. La tradizione e cultura giapponese si respira dal primo minuto, e riesce a fondersi meravigliosamente con il mondo tecnologico. Il mondo di Oz vi catturerà con i suoi colori e simpatici personaggi. Un film da vedere più e più volte!
   -Opinione riguardo al DVD-
   La copertina del DVD propone un’immagine alternativa rispetto a quella del Blue Ray, ma non per questo meno apprezzabile. L’interno della confezione presenta il semplice disco e nessun libretto informativo. Nonostante tutto, esteticamente fa la sua bella figura. Consigliato!
   -Opinione riguardo al trasporto-
   Servizio rapido ed eccellente come il solito, Amazon Prime anche stavolta non delude. Packaging adeguato e nessun segno di usura sul prodotto. Complimenti!

4. 

   heinen – April 2, 2025

   Merci pour la rapidité de la livraison et de l’article en excellent état !

5. 

   CarmenLuwa – April 2, 2025

   Ravie de pouvoir ajouter ce classique de la filmographie de Mamoru Hosoda ! En très bon état, correspond parfaitement à ce que j’attendais.

6. 

   Miss Kirstie B Gilleade – April 2, 2025

   I thoroughly enjoyed watching this film. It didn’t disappoint. I loved the story, characters and music.

7. 

   Miguel Rivera – April 2, 2025

   La pelicula es una de las mejores que he visto, el producto contiene 2 DVD y 1 Blu Ray el cual se ve magnifico, el unico pero es que la caja llego rota de una esquina por lo cual ahora la tengo que manejar con mucho cuidado, por lo demas excelente.