PLAION Pictures and Anime Factory take us into the world of Poupelle of the City of Chimneys, an animated film by the Japanese studio 4°C, directed by Yoshimoto Kogyo and with a soundtrack by Youki Kojima and Yuta Bando. In this tender story we find ourselves in a city that recalls Paris, surrounded by the black smoke of the factories, the ground is strewn with concrete and rails, there is not a tree to adorn it, nor the Moon to illuminate the nights. A thick blanket of smoke blocks the inhabitants’ view of the sky, the inquisitors hunt down those who turn their gaze upwards, those who ask questions, those who want to know what lies beyond.
And so, in terror of a system that oppresses the population and forces them to lower their heads, little Lubicchi, a professional chimney sweep, seems to be the only one who has not lost hope. His gaze is full, vital and always turned upwards. Lubicchi has the world against him, no one believes his stories about the stars, no one except Poupelle, a weird garbage monster who comes to life on Halloween night.
Thus begins the journey of their friendship, of a child who dreams of the impossible, and a monster scared of the world. They are both “different” in their own way and will fight to find their space in the world, to give voice to their aspirations, their dreams and become a guiding light for those who feel lost in a world of lies.
Original title: えんとつ町のプペル (Eiga Entotsumachi no Poupelle) Italian title: Poupelle of the City of Chimneys Japanese release: 2020 Italian release: 25 January 2024 (Blu-ray, DVD) Genre: drama, steampunk, dystopian Duration: 101 minutes Animation studio: 4°C Publisher: Anime Factory Adapted from: Picture book by Akihiro Nishino
Language: Italian, Japanese
We reviewed Poupelle of the City of Chimneys via Blu-ray provided to us free of charge by Anime Factory.
The film opens with the fall of a meteorite on the city on Halloween night, a special object from deep space that assembles parts taken from the landfill and gives life to a being made of garbage. Due to his naivety, the being soon gets into trouble, until he meets Lubicchi, a curious young boy, who saves him from certain death.
Lubicchi immediately doesn’t seem to be surprised by the appearance of the “monster”, he has a pure heart, which is why he ends up giving him a roof to live under, a name, Poupelle, and therefore offering him his precious friendship. The junk man will soon become fascinated by the child’s tales of the stars and the world beyond the smoke screen. Stories that Lubicchi heard his father tell before he was killed by the inquisitors.
Together they will begin to dream of a world without limitations, a world to explore, which goes beyond their beliefs and knowledge. Obviously this will immediately attract the attention of the inquisitors who will try in every way to stop them.
A modern fairy tale that successfully mixes elements of the best tradition of children’s cinema by Steven Spielberg with Tim Burton-style atmospheres. Made by Studio 4°C and box office hit in Japan with over 21 million dollars, nominated for the Animation Excellence Award of the year at the Japan Academy Awards and presented in competition at the main international festivals including the Annecy Festival 2021, Poupelle of the City of Chimneys, arrives in Limited Edition Anime Factory Blu-ray and DVD + Cards + Booklet. In the city of chimneys the air is perpetually gray due to the countless chimneys that constantly emit smoke. Residents have long abandoned any belief that anything exists beyond this sad blanket of ash. Except Bruno the tailor, who always told stories of a sky full of stars, until he suddenly disappeared. Bruno’s son, Lubicchi, works as a chimney sweep. A lonely boy until he meets Poupelle, a friendly monster made of garbage. Buy Poupelle of Chimney City on Amazon and support Akiba Gamers!
I topics
The film proceeds through very simple and well-represented themes and is therefore aimed at a young and childish audience. The first thing that emerges is that this is a film that talks about aspirations and how important it is to pursue them with all the means you have. Even though Lubicchi has the world against him, even though he feels alone and oppressed, the light in him shines intensely and risks burning everything. His charisma is contagious and ignites anyone who has a spark inside, this is in fact his role, exactly like his father, that is, to share enthusiasm for discovery and for what lies beyond the gaze of individuals. Because the power of a dream can become great when shared, and its impact can literally change the world.
Alongside this, the figure of Poupelle introduces a second very important theme, that of inclusion. In fact, Poupelle is a mysterious being made up of a handful of rubbish, in fact he often disgusts those around him due to the stench he gives off, so much so that he is considered by everyone to be a walking bad luck charm. This is why the figure of Lubicchi becomes so crucial in the journey of the garbage man. Lubicchi is literally the first person who, despite noticing his diversity, welcomes him as if nothing had happened, calls him a friend and gives him a name. A simple, direct message that invites us not to judge an individual based on their appearance. It teaches patience in relationships, which cannot flourish immediately but require attention and care to make them blossom.
Finally, a theme linked to the importance of aspirations and dreams, the film also wants to convey a message against injustices and how they must always be faced head on. The inquisition present in the city in fact enjoys the fear it arouses to put control over the people, without considering that it uses lies and secrecy to limit the knowledge of the city’s inhabitants. Their power therefore collapses the moment the people raise their heads, the moment everyone realizes that ignoring a problem does not allow anyone to move forward. This is also a very direct and simple message but it means only one thing: fighting for injustices is easier if there are many of you doing it.
Direction and animation
We now come to perhaps the worst and most criticizable aspect of the entire film, namely the animations and direction, from the rhythm to the photography. Although Poupelle presents itself as a film with excellent aesthetics, with great attention to design and settings, the narrative performance is not the best.
Starting from the photography, the camera movements and shots are very standard and make the narrative not very fluid. In fact, we move on to scenes of dialogue or introspection with a fixed camera and therefore very static, up to rather confusing action scenes, marked by a very fast pace and full of scenographic elements that flash before the reader’s eyes. Often these scenes are peppered with soundtracks and songs that make everything very colorful and pompous.
From a rhythmic point of view it is therefore very fluctuating and often uses redundant elements necessary for the story but which often break the rhythm causing a loss of attention in the viewer. A clear example of this are flashbacks, which are very important for narrative purposes but which are often positioned and not blended very well into the narrative.
Despite some flaws in the direction which does not enhance the story, the aesthetics and design are well taken care of and certainly represent the strong point of the whole film. The setting of the city, a sort of steam-punk Paris, full of lights and factories is definitely very evocative and fascinating. Likewise, the character designs are fun and very nice, starting from Lubicchi and Poupelle who are recognizable and funny, up to secondary characters like Scoop.
The box set and the Italian adaptation
The film was distributed in Italy thanks to PLAION Pictures and Anime Factory. The adaptation and the Italian dubbing work well, it has no particular differences with the original dubbing except for Poupelle himself which is, in my opinion, characterized even better than the original. Even though it is not excellent, the dubbing absolutely does its job and gives dignity to the Studio 4°C product.
The box set that we received, however, is a very aesthetically beautiful edition, a modest collector’s product that satisfies the needs of the most interested. The disc, in addition to the classic Blu-ray case, has an external hardback box with a very beautiful print depicting the two main characters on a roof in the city of chimneys. Furthermore, attached, there is also a descriptive booklet of Poupelle’s world and some postcards with different prints on them. A high-quality edition at a modest price for those who love keeping their films in plain sight on the bookshelf.
To whom do we recommend Poupelle and the city of chimneys?
For those who want to spend an hour and a half in peace, with a simple and entertaining story. For those who believe in the most impossible dreams, a perfect film for a Sunday afternoon, perhaps together with a younger brother or sister, or a nephew. An unpretentious children’s film capable of leaving a smile on the face of those who watch it.
Very evocative setting. Nice and light
Slightly chaotic direction. Not very engaging pace
Poupelle and the city of chimneys
In thick smoke, far from the stars
In a concrete city, shrouded in a blanket of dense cloud, the inhabitants have forgotten the stars. By now the clear sky is a distant fairy tale. Although the inquisition is keen to keep this legend alive, Lubicchi and Poupelle want to discover at all costs what lies beyond, they want to see the clear sky with their own eyes. Will the strength of their dreams be stronger, or the strength of repression?
