Kaiju Decode

After watching these nine minutes, the burning question I had to ask myself was whether this short left me eager for more from this world, and unfortunately, the answer is a clear "no, thanks." While the setting does have its charm, showcasing impressive colors and introducing a few original animals and plants, it all falls flat when the main hero comes across as rather boring and unremarkable - just your average protagonist. The main heroine fares somewhat better, with the short film attempting to sell her to the audience, alongside the big monster she battles (as one might expect from a film with "Kaiju" in the title), but the attempt falls short, and the heroine won't get more than a 7/10 from me for character design. Perhaps contributing to my lack of enthusiasm is the average 3D animation which is watchable but not eye-catching except maybe for the vibrant colors. However, what really didn't appeal to me was the plot itself, or rather the lack of clarity in these brief nine minutes. It seems to revolve around exploring a strange world, scanning peculiar eggs, and battling colossal monsters...but beyond that, it's hard to discern much substance. For me, this warrants a maximum of 4/10. Available in Japanese with English subtitles on the official Toei YT channel. (13.03.2024)