'Scarlet' Review
- Benjamin Wiebe
- 2 hours ago
- 6 min read
Release Date: 02/06/26 [Cinemas]
Genre: Anime. Action. Adventure.
MPAA: Rated PG13.
Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics.
The Verdict: A Must-See
Prologue:
Four years ago, my life was changed with the release of Belle (2021), Hosoda Mamaru’s stylized Anime adaptation of the classic Beauty and the Beast folktale. Belle (2021) managed to pull me into a story I’d supposedly known for my entire life, and change it into a deeply reflective work on our relationship with the internet. There was a magic to the film's approach to blending hand-drawn and computer 3D animation, with sweeping musical numbers that transported me to another world I’d never seen before. However, what truly stuck out about Belle (2021) was its ‘real’ world - the place where all the 3D magic was taken away, and where the raw emotions of its protagonist were explored.
Needless to say, I have been excited about Scarlet (2026) since I heard of its release. I had high hopes to see Hosoda continue to blend visual mediums to tell an emotionally resonant story that would take my breath away.
Review:
Where Belle (2021) was a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, Scarlet (2026) is a loose adaptation of Hamlet - with character names and key plot points imitated from Shakespeare’s stage-play. Yet Scarlet (2026) never feels predictable - its character arcs are completely overhauled to create a story about finding joy in the people and world around you. Scarlet (2026) is written and directed by Hosoda Mamaru, centering on Princess Scarlet’s quest for vengeance against the murderer of her Father, that takes her into the world of the dead. Hosoda continues to blend multiple realities together in Scarlet (2026), with the majority of the film's runtime spent in the 3D rendered “Otherworld” - a place where dead souls wrestle with their lives' purpose and fight to find rest. In this otherworld, Hosoda creates a desert wasteland marked by the remnants of those who came before. Violence rules above all, and it's a place where Scarlet’s sole desire for vengeance can thrive. The death of Scarlet's father took her of the kindness and joy, replacing it with anger and mistrust of others. It's a location that reinforces the key beliefs of our protagonist, and simultaneously provides opportunities for her to be challenged. The first of these challenges takes the form of our supporting lead, Hijiri - an optimistic and trusting paramedic from the modern world.
This brings me to the first key strength of Scarlet (2026) for me: its characters and character design. Scarlet (2026) has a large cast of characters, some of whom only exist for a single scene. While there are an abundance of generic ‘fodder’ characters, who are servants of the Evil King Claudius, there are also a plethora of characters who exist to make the world a better place. There is a caravan full of older people from many cultures in the Otherworld, with a viking, a Hawaiian, and a woman who plays the lute. These characters aren’t named, and yet their impact on the story is felt because of their actions and the animation that fills them with life. Hijiri’s character design - a paramedic uniform with an emergency bag, and a buzzcut - inform us of the practical life he lived. Hijiri is defined by his items - items that help others in their times of need. Its in great contrast to the utility oriented clothing of Scarlet in the otherworld - a collection of rags that protect her from the elements and that stay out of her way in combat. In the real world, Princess Scarlet was unable to fully dedicate her life to vengeance, keeping up appearances wearing royal dresses. But here in the otherworld, she is fully dedicated to violence - and it comes across beautifully in the action sequences in the film.
Scarlet (2026) has some of my favourite animated fights I’ve watched this year. That is a high bar, considering the insane year 2026 has been for Anime releases. Freiren Season 2, Jui Jitzu Kaisen, and Hell’s Paradise have all had spectacular fight sequences - and yet I’m still drawn to the fast, scrappy skirmishes found in Scarlet (2026). Shoenen Anime has always had a pacing problem to me - its fights go on forever, with continuously rising stakes, as both parties continue to take bigger and bigger blows. Both parties somehow survive, and power up even more - until they’re power level exceeds every metric available. It’s admittedly a hilarious trope - but I have never been a major fan of long fights. I like fights with purpose - fights that are designed to inform us of the goals of the combatants, beyond merely surviving. And Scarlet (2026) has that fast paced action locked down. The battles are defined by our protagonist having to think on her toes to get an edge in the fight. It enters a territory of action that is in the vein of John Wick - efficient fighting with many fodder characters who solely exist to die at the hands of our heroine. It’s beautiful and amazing - and as the film progresses, and Scarlet’s goals shift, so does the action. It changes from being about revenge to being about the power of mercy, and it works because our protagonist has fundamentally changed.
The last major strength of Scarlet (2026) to me is its usage of the real world and varied animation mediums. Belle (2021) was a blend of hand-drawn animation, and 3D computer generated animation. In Belle (2021), this highlighted the difference between the real world and the virtual world of “U”. Scarlet (2026) continues this trend, using primarily hand drawn animation for its real world, and augmenting the otherworld with its 3D rendered medium. As with Belle (2021), all the same benefits from using these varied mediums are present. The real world feels far softer, natural, and to an extent, isolating, than the 3D world. The real world becomes a form of nostalgia - and that emotional weight carries our protagonist through her actions throughout the film. It’s an animating technique and artistic decision I adore, and want to see other storytellers use. Switching formats mid-story is a storytelling decision that is purposefully intrusive to the audience, and asks the audience to think about its purpose - and that is something beautiful to see.
Despite my adoration for Scarlet (2026), I do find myself often asking if it is truly better than what came before. The pacing of Scarlet (2026) is more uneven than that of its predecessor. This, in conjunction with our closed off protagonist, leaves the early sections of Scarlet’s wandering through the Otherworld lacking overt emotional development. This isn’t to say that the film doesn’t have a heart of emotion beating at its core - but rather to say that the emotional breakthroughs only happen once our protagonist's hardened armor is broken through. Hosoda expertly mirrors the emotions of our protagonist through the film's narrative, but these narrative choices can be challenging to a viewer hoping to emotionally tap into the film early on.
Thankfully, our emotional window in the story isn’t constricted to Scarlet - and Hijiri is a perfect foil for the apathetic and self destructive Scarlet. Hijiri looks for the beauty in all those who wander through the otherworld, and finds a community in an elderly caravan made up of various peoples from different cultures and timelines. As Hijiri engages in the communities around him, it prompts Scarlet to open up - and offers up the emotional depth I’d been yearning for in the story.
It all leads to the most beautiful moment in the film, a fireside conversation between Hijiri and Scarlet that challenges our protagonist, and changes the genre of the film. The Otherworld is a surreal place that mirrors Scarlet’s own emotions and beliefs - the genre, action, emphasizing the only way she knows to gain control in her fight with her Uncle. In this brief conversation, the film shifts genres into a musical number - and it was the moment that caused me to cry.
Scarlet (2026) is a phenomenal animated picture that begs the viewer to think about it after the credits have ended. Its action and - on its surface - simple plot should prompt the viewer to merely dismiss it as junk food film content. It’s enjoyable to watch, even for the people that live to say “the curtains are blue because they’re freaking blue”. But for the one who wants to earnestly listen to the film, to understand what Hosoda is trying to say by adapting Hamlet - Scarlet (2026) is a well of water in the desert - an oasis about why life is worth living. It’s a film about forgiving the self and learning to fight for a better world - and I think we all need a bit of that in these trying times.
