Following a plague that wiped out most of the world’s population the survivors have developed institutionalised isolation, finding more reality in the cyber worlds they inhabit than the real world around them. Hazuki Makino attends centres, areas where people meet up via the internet, but has a longing to connect with real people, unfortunately she also suffers from social phobia. When a serial killer appears on the scene Makino and her group are forced to work together to survive and solve the crime...

Loups=Garous (2010 - 1 hr, 38 min, 46 sec) is an anime science fiction film directed by Junichi Fujisaku, based on the original novel by Natsuhiko Kyogoku. The music was provided by the band SCANDAL.

Makino has a number of allies in her quest for justice. Mio Tsuzuki is a computer hacker who is able to navigate and negate the technology which is ever present in this society. Myao Rei is a Chinese girl and the oldest of the group. Ayumi Kono is introverted and not interested in mixing.

After an isolated attack, the film opens on a very light note as we are introduced to the main characters, at this point you're kind of thinking that this is going to be another high school melodrama, with issues involving dating and growing up. There is some of this, but this quickly gives way to a dark murder mystery. Makino certainly comes over as an embarrassed air head and not the sort of person you would pit against a killer, but then in this film, the killer ends up to be unusual too.

What we have here is a multi-layered murder mystery, mixed up with a subplot involving teenagers trying to relate to each other and the technological world. It’s not an easy mix and at point the two do not sit happily together. Yuko’s abduction exposes a dark underbelly, the abduction of children who do not have citizenship, though the purpose of this is left ambiguous.

Even this is only a side issue to the real dark side of the city, where metaphorical werewolves prey on their victims, one does so because they have the desire to kill and eat human flesh. This theme also extends to a system which eats up its citizens.

For a full budget anime film the animation is only on par with the best of television anime. The character design is not overly detailed, although the backgrounds often impress. There is also the oddity that for such a modern film you only get audio options for either English or Japanese stereo 2.0, with optional subtitles.

The disc does come with a lot of extras, including a whole bunch or trailer and promos, including Promotional Video - BGM (21 sec), Promotional Video - End Theme (22 sec), Theatrical Trailer (1 min, 18 sec), Promo Video Early Version (1 min, 13 sec) and the young girls of Scandal introducing another trailer for the film and Promo Video Early Version (1 min, 13 sec) and the young girls of Scandal introducing another trailer for the film.

Movie Digest (11 min, 59 sec) is basically a long introduction and advert for the film. Koshi-Tantan Original Version (1 min, 29 sec) is an animated music video which has both motion capture of the band as well as shots from the film. Picture Drama (8 min, 10 sec) is a short story, almost an interlude to the actual film, presented in a series of stills.

Pilot Film (12 min, 43 sec) has what I can only presume to be a reel used to finance the film and has the opening attack on Yuko, as well as other scenes from the finished film. Cast Interview (17 min, 18 sec) has interviews with the voice cast, as is usual with these things everyone is positive about the project and very humble to be involved. That said its nice to see the faces behind the vocals.

Junichi Interview (7 min, 20 sec) which turns out to be the most interesting extra as he talks about the film's actual construction. Natsuhiko Interview (3 min, 44 sec) and another interesting, if short, featurette with the film's writer giving some insight into the genesis of the film and the problems of adapting for the screen, apparently rabid fans are a problem.

Scandal (15 min, 45 sec) and we spend some time with the band who provided the film's soundtrack. Their sound is kind of fusion between punk and rock. The four young ladies pin their feminist credentials firmly to the post by dressing in school girl uniforms, gotta be popular with the dads I’m thinking. On a more serious note we also see who the motion capture worked for the animated music video.

The film is ok, but I’m not sure it totally worked as a cinematic experience.

6

Charles Packer