Diary of Tortov Roddle, The Review

story 9/10

When I first picked up Diary of Tortov Roddle, I had no idea what it was about. Studio 4C is my favorite studio and the group JollyRoger has put out many of their works and shorts. Thus, when they released this newfound gem, I knew I had to watch it. Luckily, it was just as good as I had hoped it would be.

Shown with no dialogue whatsoever (except the printed words of Tortov's diary), Diary of Tortov Roddle follows a thin and wiry man named (you guessed it!) Tortov Roddle, on his adventures through whatever mystical land he inhabits. We are treated to six different quiet adventures, including visiting a land where a movie is being projected on the back of a giant bear. This might seem comical, except the fact that Tortov himself has a giant spindly pig as a companion. Throughout the six locations we are shown, there are beautiful landscapes to be seen, beautiful discoveries to be made, and in general, a beautiful and quiet story.

Admittedly, Diary of Tortov Roddle probably isn't for everyone. Fans of Kino no Tabi will eat it up with a spoon, and will surely think Diary's positive stance is a refreshing change from its melancholy alternative. But some folks might think it's too boring, too slow and has too little action to appreciate it. Indeed, it is all of those things (except boring, in my opinion), so there probably are people that wouldn't enjoy it. On the other hand, I left the viewing with a sense of childlike wonder and excitement, so I feel that, in a way, there's something for everyone with this anime. Though only sixteen minutes, I was genuinely interested the entire time and wanted to see more.

animation 10/10

Truly, Diary of Tortov Roddle is one of the most interesting and beautiful things I've seen, largely in part because of the unique and interesting art style. Imagine Tim Burton, Cat Soup and a dash of color combined and you can probably imagine the art. Characters are spindly, tall or overgrown, with mild expressions. Backgrounds and scenery are beautiful and comprise the majority of the anime, showing us everything from striking lit up cities at night (carried on the backs of frogs, no less) to a wonderfully drawn cafe with a mysterious visitor in the coffee cup. Imagine Kino no Tabi with more color and a more abstract look. The animation style itself is very minimal and looks like pieces of paper are simply being flipped consecutively and quickly. This interesting style along with the already unique and wonderful character and background designs makes for a fantastic viewing experience. The point of Diary of Tortov Roddle, I believe, was to portray a sense of wonder and excitement, and the animation truly helped make that happen. In a way, watching this reminded me of playing Spleunx back in the day, or an early Myst.

sound 9/10

Hands down, the music sounds like it comes straight out of Amelie. Or, for that matter, anything directed by Jean Pierre-Jeunet. Accordions abound and a light piano melody accompanies the other instruments, in general creating the perfect atmosphere for the lighthearted story. I can't think of how better music could have been created for the mood of this anime, and am glad they went with the unusual instruments for the soundtrack.

characters 8/10

It certainly is difficult to try to review the characters in a sixteen minute anime -- especially since there's no dialogue -- so I'll make this brief. The two main characters are definitely Tortov Roddle and his meaty companion. I appreciated both of them, if only for their appearances and quiet actions. In each episode, additional characters are introduced to us, but are only around for the same episode they are introduced in. The giant bear and his trainer are an example, as well as the lovely girl with a flower. Although no dialogue is exchanged between any of the characters, we still can see their communication on an unspoken level. In general, I really enjoyed the characters. Their quirky nature and odd appearances made them all a delight to see, even if it was only for a few minutes for each character.

overall 9/10

I really enjoyed this set of shorts. While some silent anime bores me, Diary of Tortov Roddle did just the opposite and was intriguing. Each short clip will remind you of adventure games or interesting dreams, or anything in between. Though hardcore action fans might not be able to appreciate this as much as others, I still think it's worth a watch, even if only once. Who knows? You might walk away feeling just as refreshed and jovial as I did, and that's never a bad thing. Pick it up, watch it once, and revel in the imagery.