Lu Over the Wall

This quirky spin on classic folktales follows an introverted teen musician's growing, platonic bond with a sweet, music-loving mermaid. Vibrantly colored and imaginative, Lu Over the Wall is sure to charm any moviegoer who enjoys Japanese anime or mermaid stories. Some characters lack depth (several of the supporting roles are aren't very well-rounded), but the movie is still simultaneously humorous and substantive. It isn't the kind of anime drama that will evoke a deep outpouring of feelings, like many of Studio Ghibli's best offerings, but it's compelling to see how the villagers handle Lu's presence -- and how easily they turn on the merfolk once the merfolk stop being perceived as a tourism opportunity and start to feel dangerous.

The voice acting is well done, but there are a couple of times when Lu's high-pitched, squealy voice might be difficult to decipher in the dubbed version. Luckily, she doesn't say much that isn't monosyllabic or repeated many times ("friends, friends" or "like, like" or "happy, happy"), so it's not difficult to pick up what she says on the second or third try. Kai's angst (and cluelessness about Yuho's crush on him) can get a bit grating by the third act, but Kunio is a breath of fresh air as the comic-relief friend (who's head over heels for the beautiful Yuho). The action sequences are impressive, especially when the merfolk band together to save the villagers from rising waters. Parents with tweens and teens who enjoy foreign animation will surely want to add this to their family movie night rotation.