Promare (2019) Poster

(2019)

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8/10
Blink and you'll miss it
simone-email26 September 2019
This action packed, colorful, exciting movie is anything but boring. It was definitely enjoyable to watch. The animation was absolutely gorgeous-matched with probably Into the Spiderverse. The (Japanese) voice acting is mind blowing, especially since this is one of Taichi Saotome's (Lio Fotia) first voice acting jobs. My only complaint is sometimes there's so much going on if you're not paying attention to every second you might miss something, and that the plot is a little all over the place but it's certainly not a bad one. Overall I definitely recommend it.
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7/10
Total chaos
briancham19949 October 2020
This film made my computer crash twice. The animation style is unique, colourful and energetic - perhaps too much! The characters are spread a bit thinly and not all of them were necessary. It would have suited a series better. Other than that, the setting and plot were really cool.
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8/10
This movie contains 200% of the yearly doses of pink a human should see
passan-8067024 May 2021
Promare is very over the top and parodies almost all clichés modern animes do have. But unlike the majority of animes out there, this one is not boring. It is scene after scene of pure stupidity as an excuse to entertain and honestly, it works great. This movie is fun as hell.

The comedy does not work in animes. It is the usual screaming with dumb faces, but luckily that is a very small part of it. The majority of humor is the absolute ridiculous and over the top action and animation.

Kill la Kill and this one share the same director, writer and componist. So the script does not take a break. Instead of pacing the have a train on LSD. There is a lot of action that happens and pretty much all of it visually stunning, creative and some of them are hilarious. The soundtrack is obviously FIRE as well.

The few issues I have is the annoying dialogue of the main character and the break-neck pacing.

At the same time the anime knows how annoying the main character is and everyone calls him out for being an idiot. His passion for helping makes him also quite likeable as well.

The pacing is honestly a breeze of fresh air. In a normal movie it would be a problem but since the majority of modern animes are designed to have a pacing of a glacier with a lot of meaningless dialogue that only exists to pad time, it is very refreshing to see stuff happen in a short amount of time.

This is not the best anime of all time, but it would be a sin to pass on this.
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10/10
Trigger continues to outdo itself
tired-sparrow20 September 2019
Let's be real. We came for Trigger. For over-the-top anime nonsense. For incredible and wild animation. For their one-of-a-kind music. For the Kamina protag.

With Trigger you know what you want, and they give you all they've got. I was so happy with Promare. It was upbeat and fun and didn't try to overcomplicate things. Would love to see this movie as a series so that more characters and plot points could be fleshed out, but as a standalone movie it's great entertainment and I'm already looking forward to watching it again. Fans of Gurren Lagann and Kill la Kill will surely enjoy this burst of animation.
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7/10
Visually exhilarating, but narratively convoluted and chaotic.
IonicBreezeMachine26 January 2021
Set 30 years after the emergence of the emergence of pyrokinetic humans called Burnish. The movie follows Galo, a firefighter who as part of Burning Rescue, fights against blazes started by the burnish. After going against orders to take out Burnish separatist leader Lio, Galo finds himself a national hero, but eventually finds that the nature of the Burnish isn't as black and white as he's been lead to believe.

Hiroyuki Imaishi and produced by studio Trigger, the film definitely feels like a natural progression of the approaches, styles, and craft honed by a team whose work originated with studio Gainax on tonally similar material like FLCL and Gurren Lagann. The movie is filled with dynamic visuals and engaging action aplenty, but its plot often takes a back seat to the style and action and the ending becomes so action heavy it borders on exhausting.

Much like Gurren Lagann the movie has an approach that feels self aware and lovingly mocks the tropes found in shonen and mecha anime. Galo is a very familiar Maverick type protagonist who doesn't follow the rules and is more prone to action than thought or planning. Likewise Burnish rebel Lio is a very familiar melancholy stoic but strangely enough his character feels like it's played relatively straight. The movie alternates between over the top humor and apocalyptic action and for the most part it uses its jarring tones to its advantage to create an engaging viewing experience reminiscent of its usage in Gurren Lagann.

The movie unfortunately has some drawbacks to it. At a length of just under two hours the movie feels way too long to justify itself, especially with a third act which consists of nearly a half hour worth of non stop back to back action sequences. The action is well done and beautifully animated, but once it starts it never stops and it does become a bit much. The movie also piles on revelation after revelation over complicating the narrative. In many ways Promare's plot feels better suited to a TV series because if it had more breathing room for its story some of these revelations and heel turns seen in the film might've been able to carry more weight.

Promare is a case of style over substance, but its so stylish and so energized that it makes up for a cluttered, chaotic and confusing narrative. It's a showcase for some of the most dynamic and visually interesting animation one can recall seeing in an anime film and makes a welcome viewing for any anime fan in spite of its flaws.
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10/10
INSANE ANIMATION THIS IS THE BAR 2019
suwilliam20 September 2019
Hold on to your seats this movie has insane animation that makes Spiderverse look like a joke. Trigger made Promare with Sanzigen and this is the only time I've ever enjoyed CG in animation the way it was done in this. The CG animation from this is a representation of what techniques are being pioneered to make CG work with anime and cartoons which has historically been impossible. Anamorphic, Lighting, Contrast, and coloring, and an immense focus on lines, this movie is absolutely nutzzz! If you've never seen a Trigger anime or movie it won't make any sense to you but that's okay, it's a story with a theme of connecting between people and airing in a time of intense political debate and separation in Asia. I've never seen animation done this intensely, on a larger display this movie is actual consistent sensory overload. It's pure beautiful animation in a chaotic way.

PS* This movie also won't make much sense dubbed since some of the script is meant to be spoken in Japanese Theater script.
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7/10
That's some good anime
subxerogravity24 September 2019
Don't ask me what the story is about. Firefighters using some advance tech to battle fire generating mutants. Some sort of world destruction plot. I missed a lot of that, cause the animation was so on point I could not focus on anything else. That's what I like to see, animation that pushes the limits of the medium and this does that. If only I spoke Japanese so I did not have to read the subtitles and take my eyes off the animation. Soooo Great
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10/10
The stuff of legends
jn_agin19 July 2020
For those of you who don't know, Promare is directed by Hiroyuki Imaishi, who created Gurren Lagann and Panty and Stocking. The story is about humans called the Burning who can wield a special fire ability and the riffs caused by it. It specifically deals with Galo Thymos and newly recruited fire fighter and Lio Fotia, the leader of a group of Burnings. Great animation and non-stop action makes Promare highly recommendable
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7/10
Incredible animation
mwltrz-743-5602127 June 2020
Promare has some of the best animation I've ever seen. The colors, spacial definition and overall production design of everything on screen is top notch. Studio Trigger's work here is not only above many of its contemporaries, but also some of best animation of this era. The premise is great, and the personification of fire and water is very exciting. My eyes were glued to the screen for a majority of the first 60 minutes. Unfortunately, the narrative becomes a bit too drawn out during the 3rd act. Although the various twists and turns are well done, it just takes too long to get there. I truly believe that a 90 min cut could be a masterpiece. Overall, really enjoyed the film as a whole, and I think that anyone could find something to appreciate here.
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3/10
visual overload
iq-crash-test6 February 2020
Did not actually manage to finish the movie.

everything in this movie starts out great in the intro, quick exposition and worldbuilding that doesnt feel forced, done through interesting and original visuals.

then the movie starts. you're instantly treated with a pastel coloured firework display of agressive jumpcuts and flashy animations, which could have been amazing if used sparingly, but it just doesnt stop. the exaggerated and at times needlessly detailed in your face art style of the primary action on the screen could have been great, but paired with the low fidelity backgrounds that for some reason have to be in blocky pastel colours, it turns into an everchanging abstract painting on your screen that prevents you from ever finding a focus point.

the acting is not bad, and the style brings back fond memories of 90's kids cartoon shows.

im sure there's an audience who will enjoy this movie's "over the top everything", but personally i wasnt ever able to pay attention to what was going on, and unable to finish watching the movie.
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9/10
Gurren Lagaan with a mix of Fire Force
WeAreLive7 May 2020
I saw this movie the other day and I have to say it was amazing.

The music was the bomb and I gotta love the animation.

I thought the dub was amazing too Johnny Yong Bosch and Billy Kametz knocked it out of the park.

If you are fan of any of Tigger's anime you may end up liking this.
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7/10
Madness
KaZenPhi10 January 2022
Hiroyuki Imaishi of Dead Leaves and Kill la Kill fame has been one of my favorite people in animation for years and once again he didn't disappoint, this was absolutely mad next level.

The characters and story are a bit underwritten for the length of the movie, and it could have used more of Imaishi's trademark irreverent humour, but the true star here is of course the wild animation which is an almost distractingly crisp mixture of 2D and 3D that blends incredibly well.

I usually hate toon shaders outside of video games but this was done masterfully. Promare always manages to stay visually legible and firmly inside the language of japanime despite the absolute overkill of colours, shapes and movement. And I do mean overkill, this was crazy. Half of these colours I didn't even know existed, and I work in graphic design and illustration! Yet it never gets messy in any way. The design and composition are done with such a very keen eye it's rare you get an image that isn't an absolute banger.

It actually takes a little while to get your eyes acquainted to. Even if you're familiar with studio trigger's work this is probably unlike anything you've seen before.

Your mileage may vary though, it can be exhausting but it's a fresh style that made me hungry for more.
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5/10
Poor version of Gurren Lagann
marco_45725 April 2021
It's very look alike to Gurren Lagann but with low intensity and mediocre plot. Just watch it if you don't have anything better to do...
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10/10
This is the greatest movie ever made
theilbroc22 September 2019
Name any movie from any genre you'e ever seen, its nothing compared to Promare.
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Terrible
VenVes16 May 2021
Any movie I can't finish, I give an automatic 1/10. It's a failed movie, in my opinion. I got all of three minutes into this one before quitting. Anime cliches without anime class. Nonexistent color organization. Flashy for flashiness sake. Some interesting camera movements though, I'll give it that. All of this could've been potentially excused if the story was any good. It starts off right away with an extremely stupid premise, so it leaves an instant bad taste. Characters are laughable. I'll have to watch Cowboy Bebop just to wash the taste of this out of my mouth. People giving this atrocity 10/10 need to watch a more diverse array of anime and improve their taste, because their reviews lead people to actually believe this film is any good. More power to you if you enjoy it, but try to be a bit more objective. Who am I kidding.
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7/10
God tier animation but mediocre story
Movi3DO28 April 2022
Man this anime burns.

I have been wanting to watch this movie for a long time. My god the animation was legit god tier. U cannot get bored when there is so many vibrant colors and moving pieces for almost 2 hours straight. It's beautiful and exciting from start to finish. There wasn't a any slow or dull moments.

It's amazing that I watched it while lying down, so I felt pretty sleepy. But the reckless pacing and fire animation actually kept my eyes wide opened.

The story was typical, and the villain was very obvious. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but towards the end I realized the story didn't make a lot of sense. The villain's motivation was actually justified. The backstory behind the premise didn't even feel complete.

The characters were meh as well. They were all straightforward without any unique quirk that I can invest on.

Overall, it's a mediocre story saved by incredible animation. 6.5-7/10.
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10/10
so good
mmahmmoudd22 September 2022
The animation is fire unique and there's nothing like it, the story is kinda new never heard of it before the storyline was going smooth the whole time the main character fantastic there's nothing triggering nothing bad the whole idea of the movie is wholesome the way they put it wholesome the spirit of the characters are wholesome there's no one bad there's nothing bad you hate nobody you just getting out of the movie feeling happy, i really wish they could make more of it, i really recommend it for anybody wanna watch something family friendly, with the wholesome spirits may my fire spirits light the way for you watch this movie and enjoy it :)))
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7/10
Oh my goodness
doomedmac27 February 2021
This movie is a lot. Oftentimes, it's a little bit TOO much, if you know what I mean. Awesome animation.
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8/10
Awesome animation
anselmdaniel21 February 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This review contains spoilers.

Promare is a Japanese animation movie that is about a spontaneous combustion event across humanity. The humans that are able to utilize burns are called the Burnish. Firefighters in the world have been retooled to fight the Burnish and put out their fires.

Promare is a stellar animation. This animation is groundbreaking and is the backbone of this movie. Promare presents the animation with fantastic angles and direction. This animation utilizes color in an amazing way that is hard to describe. The animation is by far the component that is heads above everything.

Promare's story is easy to follow but overly complicated. This story takes massive twists that do make sense in the story's context, but there are so many twists. These twists are massive in quantity and even start immediately when the story begins. The twists do not stop in this move. They keep coming and are meant to keep directing how the characters should behave. The characters are merely vessels for the twists and consequences. The conflicts and fights have a story behind it, but the conflicts feel forced by whiplash.

The voice acting by the Japanese voice actors is solid. The characters in both the firefighter and Burnish groups are sound and exciting. The only issue was the subtitles that seem to have lost something in translation. These subtitles did not seem to capture the spirit of the original spoken line completely.

I would recommend "Promare".

Grade: B.
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7/10
Flashy and visually stunning
setyourmindonwhatever12 September 2022
A solid movie. The plot leaves much to be desired, with a generic "Fight the Powah" theme that's better suited with Gurren Lagann (and I'm not just saying that because Galo looks like Kamina, despite Studio Trigger claiming the looks are coincidental). Major events were predictable, particularly with the climax.

I wish Trigger put as much effort into the story as they clearly do with their signature animation style. Everything is all chaotic and action-packed, which made me enjoy things like Panty and Stocking, Kill la Kill, FLCL, and of course, Gurren Lagann in the first place. But (and I will sound a bit pretentious saying this) a little substance wouldn't hurt anybody. There's a lot they could've done more, particularly with delving deeper into the conflict between Burnish and humans.

Overall, pretty cool. Signature Trigger.
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1/10
Short Review
valixt17 November 2020
The first 20min is OK. Pathos, breaking of physical laws, evil people are evil, good people are good, punch lines before actions, lots of violence without blood (like in Tom & Jerry), people don't need special gear to protect them from frost/heat, sometimes riding high-speed vehicle without using eye protection, pop-music at background, ... most popular anime clichés are all at their place.
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9/10
eye feast for anime fans
prashanthreddy-mukku26 June 2020
Oustanding visuals and excellent fights,keeps us engaged till the end
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2/10
I know a lot of people call CGI animation "anime" but it's not impressive
juliendussault8 February 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Compared to Kill La Kill, Trigger really did pull the trigger on themselves. Yes, it does still have the same panache but that trigger can only bring two animation, with its beautiful vibrant colors, as well as their character designs, but what was severely lacking was a story. It's like fire force, but worse. Reminiscent of the film Red Line, except much much worse.

If you have HBO Max you're looking to watch some of the newer anime films, suffer through this one if you want, but honestly it's not worth it.

Still kind of baffled as to how this movie has such high ratings. I guess hype pays.
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9/10
Mood movie
yelsinnestfort17 June 2021
The competition for movies like this is slim, make more and they will come. Mood Movie: having a repetitive script with a lot of energy in the acting.
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8/10
Honestly a very good colourful anime movie to go watch!!
Irishchatter29 February 2020
So I watched this very colourful anime film last month but since college is always in the way of my life, I just wasn't able to review this film......until leap day today!

Anyways I found this film enjoyable so of course if you seen Triggers "Kill La Kill" series, it is going to be worth the ride for you! If you haven't, please go watch it as it's pretty great as well!

Honestly man, it was just so colourful and the fighting scenes were very well done. I first heard of Promare when Akidearest and The Anime Man were praising it so much on their otaku monthly favourite videos. Man, I was searching it for ages but there was always no joy until last month l finally was able to find it (forgot the website , sorry folks it was that long long ago!).

Definitely the soundtrack was great, I really like playing so much of Inferno and Ashes like dang they gonna be on repeat so much for me in future haha.

To end my review, I am gonna say Lio Fotia is best boi, no questions asked bros...
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