Scarlet twists the story of Hamlet and places it in an anime world. Here, Scarlet is the daughter of a medieval King who is murdered by his brother, Cladius. Before she can execute her plan of revenge, she finds herself in an afterlife that blends the rules of time, life and death. She soon learns that Cladius is in this world and has power, beginning her journey to figure out how to avenge when you are already dead. Along for her journey is a medic from 2025. The two are opposites, Scarlet set on violence and the medic set on healing. The two’s bond will be tested by Scarlet’s goal and their conformation with Claudius may define their life after death.
When faced with the medic, Scarlet has to witness just how much joy and happiness he can bring to people through healing. It makes Scarlet think about how she will heal from the betrayal of her Uncle Claudius killing her father. It’s this question and her moments of joy with the medic that determine her path, making her realize forgiveness may be the option that brings more joy to the world.
The film’s animation is almost universally stunning. It blends 2D and 3D animation in many parts to create a unique look. A lot of the action and sword fighting is impressively choreographed, becoming a very entertaining part of the film. The sounds are also very interesting. Some parts of the animation are choppy and the film relies on a dream logic that may lose some viewers. It also never truly deviates from Hamlet, remaining in that film’s story arc for the majority of the film. The result is something that is often intriguing but, for its length and lack of stronger character development, the film fails to standout or justify its existence. Still, this film is worth a watch if you enjoy both anime and Shakespearean tragedy.
Scarlet is playing at TIFF ’25. For more information, click here.
