anime

Bring home ‘Lu Over the Wall’

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

Lu Over the Wallis a sweet animated film that has shades of The Little Mermaidas well as Splash. This 2018 Japanese film has many cute scenes as well as several that will have viewers reaching for their tissues.

Kai is a morose middle school student whose mother left the family years ago. He is getting to the time in school when he must decide where he wants to go for high school, but Kai is only interested in his music. Everything changes for him as well as the entire town when little Lu, an adorable mermaid, enters his life.

Kai spends all his time writing songs and is asked by his classmates to join their band. The music attracts a young mermaid, Lu, to them. Her fins turn into legs and feet with the music and she loves to dance. Music is the connection between Kai and Lu, but Lu cannot be seen in the sunlight or she will burn up. She has to be completely shaded.

The folks in the little fishing village believe merpeople will eat them up. They have no understanding of these different creatures and are afraid of them. But Kai knows Lu and her family and friends will not harm anyone. As a matter of fact, when Lu encounters animals at the shelter who do not have anyone to love them and are stuck in cages, she turns them into meranimals and they are now able to play and frolic in the ocean.

All Lu wants is to be friends with everyone. She loves everyone. And as Kai and Lu’s friendship deepens, so does their bond and Kai is able to tell Lu about his life, family, and his desires. She is the one “person” to whom he can confide everything.

Soon a near fatal catastrophe comes to thevillage and the villagers blame Lu and the merpeople. Lu is captured and put in a cage. Her smile doesn’t waver. She still wants everyone to be her friends. Can Kai and his bandmates free Lu and save the town?

Once free from the cage, Lu, her father, and all the merpeople and meranimals come to the rescue of the village. Lu is a special little mermaid that will definitely touch the hearts of all viewers.

With fun toe-tapping music and a sensitive story, Lu Over the Wallhas some interesting characters, especially little Lu. The movie is rated PG for some peril and thematic elements. It is available on DVD and on Blu-ray.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County.

Follow her on Twitter

‘Napping Princess’ on Blu-ray + DVD

Posted on by Francine Brokaw



From Studio Ghibli, Napping Princess is an imaginative Anime film combining magic, mystery, and a little mayhem. It’s also a film about family.

The year is 2020 and Tokyo is preparing for the Olympics. Kokone is supposed to be preparing for her senior year of high school but this adorable and adventurous girl has a secret. She nods off quite frequently, and when she sleeps she enters a mysterious kingdom with a princess who uses her tablet for magic.

Kokone’s father is a mechanic and inventor. He has been caring for his daughter since the death of his wife. As far as Kokone knows, he is her only living relative. But there are secrets that bubble up in real life as well as in her dreams. And when she finally puts the pieces together, her life and her family’s history is revealed.

What this film does is infuse magic into the real world. When Kokone’s dream world meets her real world, things happen – magic happens.

Her father is arrested for stealing technology from a powerful corporation that is one of the largest automobile companies in the country. But Kokone knows her father would never do that. So, with the help of her childhood friend Morio, they set off on a magical adventure to Tokyo to save her father and in doing so, ultimately uncover the family secret that has been kept from her her entire life.

What is behind the stolen technology? This technology is the ultimate blueprint for a true self-driving car. The cars are supposed to be the highlight of the Olympics opening ceremony, but this family’s secrets might put an end to that. By following the clues in her dreams, Kokone merges her dreams with her life and everything unfolds in this somewhat emotional family story.

This imaginative movie also brings up the idea that what we dream might not be all fantasy. Our dreams could be based on reality. Metaphysics might not have been at the forefront in the minds of the filmmakers when the story was written, but it definitely has a part in it.

Napping Princess is a fun fantasy film. Bonus features include backgrounds with the Japanese cast and filmmakers.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 20 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter