Kubo And the Two Strings is a 2016 American made claymation film. It is being included by popular demand as it is based in Japan.

Oh... my... God.. this is one of the saddest movies I have ever seen.

Let's start by looking at all of the positives with Kubo And The Two Strings before we delve into story content.

For starters, the visuals are breathtaking. This is claymation at it's finest. The CGI is very sparingly used and when it is shown, it's used to accentuate the film, not to overtake it. The direction, the way the faces are animated, the entire feature feels alive. It's very easy to forget that these are not wood and clay dolls racing across the screen. While the DVD print looks great, this is one of those films that Blu-Ray was invented for.

Second, this is what I like to call a "Tween Empowerment" film, one where the tween not only is the star, but is depicted in the same light as a heroic adult character. Tween Empowerment is still a scarce film genre, so a film like this ought to be applauded.

Third, the writing flows pretty nicely. Every single plot point ties into another, and no character is ever really forgotten. Film students should consider adding this film to their study library.

Fourth, the characters, specifically the villagers, come across as intelligent. This is a high point for me, as so many films involve characters with trust issues, characters refusing to take common sense orders and characters trying to take control where it isn't needed. For example, when a shadow of death creeps into the village and Kubo tells the villagers to escape, there is no question of Kubo's orders. Nobody tries to diminish or make fun of Kubo and nobody tries to outclass him in terms of "you're just an imaginative kid". They just pick up their belongings and RUN. It's very refreshing to see this in film, as it is alarmingly rare.

Fifth, there seems to be some respect towards Japanese culture. While it is aggravating how few Japanese actors were actually in this film, at least nothing stereotypical is shown or heard.

But there are a few things parents might want to be made aware of before renting this film. 

For one, the film's title isn't accurate. There are segments where Kubo alternates between one and three strings, but the bigger thing is that the title should be Kubo: Nothing Nice Ever Happens To You.

And for another, there is some extreme, magical violence. This is a film better suited for tweens as younger kids may freak out at much of the imagery. From sad to scary, there are too many segments to mention that younger children would not be able to handle.

Kubo And The Two Strings follows a 12 year old boy who takes care of his ailing mother Saraitu, an ex-assassin who abandoned her family and her life of crime for the love of Hanzo, a samurai who fathered Kubo and is considered to be dead. Kubo is missing his left eye, because his estranged aunts and grandfather ripped it out of him when he was a baby. HOLY CRAP, dark much?? Did we just totally forget this was supposed to be a kids film?

Kubo discovers there is a festival for dead family members. He attends, but gets angry when his father's spirit is a no-show while everyone else gets to play with their lost loved ones. But before he can figure out why his dad is a deadbeat even from the great beyond, his long lost aunts appear, hoping to rip pout his right eye. WTF??

Kubo's mother seemingly sacrifices herself to protect him, only to come back to life immediately in the form of Monkey, a charm Kubo held which has been turned into a snow monkey. While as a human, Kubo's mother was reserved, Monkey is much more strict and talkative, proving to be his best ally, though it doesn't take Kubo until the midway point to realize who she really is. The two are joined by Beetle, a human-beetle hybrid samurai with amnesia, who has no idea he's really Hanzo, Kubo's father. The three go on an adventure, seeking Hanzo's armor and a way to defeat Saraitu's twisted family.

The ending is just plain brutal. If you're curious, I have a white spoiler box where you can highlight the text. But if you'd rather not know, scroll very fast past the white box.

This is a film that forgets it was supposed to cater to children under the age of 13, trying very hard to appeal to adult YouTube critics. But with amazing visuals and an unexpected cast of characters, it stands on it's own as a true original. Kubo And The Two Strings is not suitable for sensitive children or those suffering from depression, but is a powerful film nonetheless.

Thunderbolt Fantasy currently airs on Crunchyroll Fridays at 12:00 pm EDT. Each episode runs for 23 minutes. New episodes air for Premium users first and free users one week later. The series is preceded by a behind the scenes special.

This.... is... eye candy!!

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Set in a fantasy version of the past, the story follows a group of vagabonds and outcasts trying to take down the evil Xuán Guǐ Zōng clan. The action is frequent and intense and blows out of the water previous puppet shows.

The show begins with the bloody defeat of Dān Héng, older brother to lead character Dān Fěi. In a battle featuring blood spurts and dazzling special effects, he dies, protecting the ​Tiān Xíng Jiàn, a legendary sword that the evil Xuán Guǐ Zōng clan is after. Fěi escapes with the sword, and ends up being rescued by wandering swordsman Shāng Bù Huàn, who reluctantly agrees to help her on her mission.

He is joined by Guǐ Niǎo, a beautiful young man with flowing silver locks, a gorgeous pipe and a laundry list of people who hate his pretty little guts. As of this writing, we're six episodes in with no sign of his full back story yet, but more is to be revealed before the 13th episode.

Along the way, they are joined by Xíng Hài, a demon woman on the laundry list of people who hate Guǐ Niǎo, who is putting aside her evil ways for now to tend to the mission of taking down the Xuán Guǐ Zōng clan, and by sworn brothers Shòu Yún Xiāo and ​Juǎn Cán Yún.

The story is simple enough for new fans of this genre to grab onto, but offers depth in it's characters. But nothing I could write here properly captures the elegance of the visuals. Each doll graces the screen in long, elaborate costumes and life-like expression, while the animation harmonizes the doll bodies with breathtaking CGI. Computer effects are used properly, to a minimal effect and with as much delicate grace as was put into the costumes. You can feel the love the developers have put into this show with each detail.

Thunderbolt Fantasy is action packed with vivid colors and an expansive story. This is the best stop-motion animation series in decades and delivers must-see viewing!