Poupelle of Chimney Town is the breathtaking story of young Lubicchi and a man made of garbage, Poupelle. Living among the thick smoke from the chimneys of his isolated town, Lubicchi yearns to see the “stars” — to know the truth — his father always told him about. Spectacularly beautiful, Poupelle of Chimney Town is filled with inspiring performances, splendid music and sound effects. Produced at Tokyo’s famed STUDIO4ºC, this astonishing film will bring tears, laughter, and joy.
For in-depth thoughts on Poupelle Of Chimney Town, please see my colleague Julia Tong’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
Poupelle Of Chimney Town comes to Blu-Ray with a sumptuous 1080p transfer that never fails to impress. One of our favorite aspects of the film is the level of detail these animators put into each environment which shines through with this transfer. The colors conjured up by this disc are practically bursting off the screen with the wide range of hues permeating every inch of the frame. Black levels are incredibly strong with no hint of compression artifacts or digital anomalies of the sort. The textures, from the 3-D character designs to the traditional environments, are extremely impressive and give the film a real sense of depth throughout. The fluid texture of the traditional hand-drawn animation along with the polished digital animation blend together quite seamlessly even if the characters may have benefitted from the traditional approach. The film shines when it comes to the character designs which have subtle touches that are quite striking. Shout! Factory has done this film justice with this presentation.
Audio Quality
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless track is presented here in its original Japanese and an English dub with optional English or English SDH subtitles. Dialogue comes through perfectly clear at all times without being overshadowed by any of the various environmental sounds Chimney Town or the music. There are some really kinetic panning effects in the rear channels that add an enhanced sense of immersion to the story. The track delivers some potent activity in the low end when the things get a little more chaotic. The track is a deeply enveloping experience that brings the movie to life perfectly. The music and score are an essential piece of the film that are precise in their placement throughout the room. There is a tremendous amount of sonic detail in the surround channels as we explore more of the world. The English-language cast does an admirable job, but be sure to stick with the original Japanese language for prime enjoyment. This is a stirring release that should more than please fans of the film.
Special Features
- The World Of Chimney Town: A really expansive and enlightening 47-minute discussion between Director Yusuke Hirota And Creator Akihiro Nishino in which they begin by discussing how they have not really had a chance to talk in depth about the experience of making the film due to the pandemic, and they use the rest of the time to rectify that. In this piece, the two discuss the extra challenges that COVID presented for getting this film completed, the most rewarding parts of the animation process, the style implemented in the animation, some of their favorite moments in the film, what they want people to gain from experiencing this story, aspirations for the future, and much more. You can feel the passion from these two in their very entertaining back-and-forth.
- What’s Next For Chimney Town: A 21-minute interview with Creator Akihiro Nishino in which he analyzes some of the elements of this film on a thematic and narrative level before pondering on some ways the story could evolve in future installments. Although there are no concrete ideas, it is very cool to get some insights into what elements are important to Nishino to understand where we might go next.
- Creator Akihiro Nishino Special Q&A: A 10-minute Q&A from the Malibu Film Society in which Nishino discusses what inspired him to make a children’s book, the unique road this story had to coming out into the world, his decision to go with STUDIO4ºC, his feelings about the film and more.
Final Thoughts
Poupelle Of Chimney Town is a deeply heartwarming tale about not giving up on your dreams and never compromising when you are reaching for the stars. The story from Akihiro Nishino provides for a grand amount of whimsy and inventiveness, but it struggles slightly when it comes to providing meaningful depth to the supporting characters. The artistry put forth by director Yusuke Hirota and his entire team is often jaw-dropping, even if the characters might have been better served by the expressive capabilities of hand-drawn animation. Shout! Factory and Eleven Arts have delivered a spectacular Blu-Ray with an impressive A/V presentation and a handful of in-depth special features. Many casual anime fans only stick to the A-list directors, but this tale is well worth seeking out if you want something unique and heartfelt. Recommended
Poupelle Of Chimney Town will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray + DVD Combo Pack on May 31, 2022. The film is currently available digitally.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Shout! Factory and Eleven Arts have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.