Project Itoh: Harmony Movie Review

An improvement on the Project Itoh predecessor.


From the same writer that brought you Empire of the Corpses comes another sci-fi epic called “Harmony”.

Harmony is vastly different in tone from Empire of the Corpses. It’s lighter, it’s more colorful. But honestly, the subject matter in this movie is a lot more real and a lot more grounded. While Empire of the Corpses was beautiful to look at and had strong themes and lore, Harmony looks at the future of the world in a way that seems plausible. It’s a cautionary tale, but not really one at the same time. It just presents the future as it is. A few wrong turns for humanity and we could end up in a place similar to this story.

As far as the story goes, I give this movie massive points. While the dialogue may be cheesy and over the top, I think the characters and their motivations make sense. In a world where humanity has reached peace and we’ve built a Utopia, does it matter how we got to that state? Does the end justify the means? For our protagonist the answer is an unwavering no.

The animation is similar to Empire of the Corpses, just more vibrant. Much like Empire of the Corpses, I praise the cinematography of the film. I always find it weird praising cinematography in animation but some of the frames and shots in this are breathtaking. They’ve made a world you just want to jump into and be part of.

Where the film falls short is definitely with it’s a dialogue. Admittedly, this is a personal preference. Being translated from Japanese, dialogue can often come across cheesy to a Westerner’s ears. So this isn’t really a negative for the film. It’s doing exactly what anime should, but I can’t help but mention that it stands out for me.

The score of the film is also pretty forgettable. It came across pretty generic and didn’t add any depth or emotion to the dramatic and actions scenes. It’s something that if done right, could have brought this movie to the next level.

Like Empire of the Corpses, Harmony has an international feel to it. It goes outside of Japan and the United States and looks at different cultures. One of the opening scenes for example takes place in the Middle East. It’s not a huge deal when talking about the quality of the film, but it does make the universe feel larger and richer.

Overall, if you enjoyed Empire of the Corpses, check this out. It will captivate you with beautiful imagery and story. The characters are compelling and you will walk away from this film with questions about morality and the human condition. If Empire of the Corpses was too heavy handed for you, I still encourage you to check this out because it does seem easier to digest. The themes will be more relatable to a wider audience of people. Harmony is a must see.

SCORE
8/10