SHORT REVIEW: ZEN - GROGU AND DUST BUNNIES

4/5

My Neighbor Grogu.

4 Mins. Directed By: Katsuya Kondo  Created By: Lucasfilm & Studio Ghibli. 

Here it is, your moment of 'Zen', like you were Jon Stewart or Phil Jackson. Last year, when 'Star Wars' unsheathed its 'Visions' series (set to continue next calendar), anime and galaxy far, far away fans rejoiced...together. Lucasfilm hailed the Jedi masters of Japanese anime to bring us a dynamic and diverse range of animations and storytelling in the 'Star Wars' lore. You see, this force of a franchise was always inspired by samurais and shoguns as much as it was saloons of western duels for your spurs. Fans of feudal Japan and the future wars of the stars had only one hope. That the most legendary Japanese animators, Studio Ghibli (home to 'Princess Mononoke', 'Ponyo' and so much more) got involved. You love them. I know. But don't despair, may the force of an epic collaboration be with you now. 

X marks the spot, and this by sign is the popular trend in Tokyo and the Far East beyond for collabo crossovers. Only last week, Miyashita Park in Shibuya was proud to promote the lifestyle brand KITH teaming up with the New York Knicks and the basketball bible SLAM magazine for a court crossover of apparel and a special edition mag that served as a catalogue to this collaboration. But nothing can catch up to the hyperdrive of this. Baby Yoda...excuse me, Grogu (still doesn't feel right), popular he is, is by far the biggest thing to come out of George Lucas' world since the Death Star. Beyond kawaii (that means cute in Japanese, nothing to do with the Fun Guy basketball player), Grogu is so adorable the adoration has us thinking 'The Mandalorian' should be renamed 'The Mandalorian and Grogu', just like 'The Book Of Boba Fett' show that Mando and the galaxy's cutest outlaw stole. 

Now as we adore 'Andor', during it's lucky for us 13-episode run, Grogu teams up with the only thing quite as "aww" inducing as him. Those lovely little, delightful Dust Bunnies. Made famous by the Ghibli classics 'Spirited Away' and 'My Neighbor Totoro'...although they have a new Mister Rogers now asking, "won't you be my neighbor." And as beautiful and lovely as that day in the neighbourhood that America's Dad Tom Hanks played, or the book of quotes ('You Are Special'...truly) from the sweater and sneakers sensei that I use to start each day, word for wisdom. This is perfect. Directed by the 'Castle In The Sky' of manga artist Katsuya Kondo ('Nisshin Seifun', 'Ocean Waves') and hand-drawn on paper as traditional as a ryokan, this is a rich delight. And it just works as the bunnies hop to a meditating Grogu with an offering from sakura season. It's as simple as that. Don't sneeze at it. As cute as the shorts of 'I Am Groot' on Disney +, 'Zen-Grogu and Dust Bunnies' is your new inner calm in a mad world. Wonder how you could write about something that clocks in at just under five minutes? Well, here it is. TIM DAVID HARVEY. 

Further Filming: 'The Mandalorian', 'My Neighbor Totoro', 'Star Wars-Visions'.