RahXephon: Pluralitas Concentio

Did You Know?

• The film was theatrically released in Japan on 19 April 2003.
• The theme song 'Tune the Rainbow' was composed and produced by Yoko Kanno, with lyrics by Yuho Iwasato.
• Tomoki Kyoda had directed six episodes of the TV series (1, 8, 11, 16, 22 & 26) before directing this film.
• One prominent distributor promoted the movie as an 'encore' — an extra performance at the end of the series, rather than as a replacement.

Plot

Ayato Kamina and his classmate Reika Mishima are a young couple in middle school, dealing with awkwardness. Visitors from an alternate dimension called the Mu appear, and Tokyo is enveloped in a giant hemispherical Absolute Barrier resembling Jupiter, separating the world inside from the outside. Three years later, Ayato, now a high school student inside the barrier, has been taught the outside world is obliterated and his memories of Reika feel distant.

When invaders attack, a woman named Haruka Shitow appears and tries to take him outside, promising to tell him the truth. She is actually his former girlfriend Haruka Mishima, now 12 years his senior, because time inside the barrier was delayed by Ayato's mother Maya Kamina, leader of the Mu. Ayato is the tuner of time, able to reform the torn world. He awakens during escape, is drawn to the giant god RahXephon, and boards it.

After destroying a Mu super-weapon called Dolem, he escapes Tokyo with Haruka. A cruel fate awaits: when Ayato fully awakens and becomes one with RahXephon, the world nears destruction. To prevent this, Haruka must kill the Ayato she has finally found again.

Characters

Ayato Kamina, 17, is an instrumentalist who can synchronize with the giant god RahXephon and has both Mu and Earth blood. Haruka Shitow, 29, is a TERRA Intelligence Division member who infiltrated Tokyo Jupiter and led Ayato outside; she is the grown Haruka Mishima. Quon Kisaragi, of unknown age, sleeps buried in flowers in the Chamber of Eternity and is another instrumentalist. Maya Kamina, Ayato's mother, is a Mulian who lost her qualification as an instrumentalist and leads the Mu. Hiroko Asahina, 17, is Ayato's friend who secretly cares for him; her blood has turned blue.

Production

For the film, Tomoki Kyoda took the director’s chair, having previously helmed six episodes of the TV series and co-served as assistant director with Soichi Masui. Yutaka Izubuchi was credited as Chief Director but had a limited role in the actual production. The movie was put out by Shochiku, with most of the original TV series staff returning. The producing team consisted of Masahiko Minami, Shiro Sasaki, Maki Horiuchi, Kenji Shimizu, and Tatsuji Yamazaki.

Unlike the series, which took its time, the film lays out its mysteries right away and alters the story. It opens with a new prologue showing events not seen before, then moves into a few explanatory scenes. The biggest changes and fresh footage come in the final half-hour, capped by a new epilogue. The rest largely condenses original series scenes, sometimes swapping out characters or giving them different motives and lines. One major distributor pitched the film as an “encore”—a bonus performance after the series, not a replacement.

Reception

Pluralitas Concentio received more mixed reviews than the TV series. Christian Nutt, not excited about the series, found the movie better despite too much cutting and chopping, calling the last scene very touching and a big improvement. Efrain Diaz Jr. of IGN called it a valiant effort but preferred the series, questioning why to bother with the movie. Carlo Santos of Anime News Network recommended it as an endcap to the series and as a sample for those yet to watch.

Chris Beveridge recommended it as an addition but not for newcomers, as revelations are given away quickly. Reviewers unfamiliar with the series complained about lack of coherence. Mitchell Hattaway of DVD Verdict got lost about ten minutes in and considered it a waste of money except for completists, stating Bones Animation Studio is guilty of contempt for its audience. Janet Crocker of Animefringe was confused but less so on second viewing, calling it intellectually refreshing and visually beautiful, recommending it even to non-mecha people.

The film was a nominee for the Seiun Award for Best Dramatic Presentation in 2004, losing to The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.