JUNK WORLD lured me in with a promising film still and the fact that it’s a stop-motion animated film. Luckily for me, JUNK WORLD is a prequel to Takahide Hori’s 2017 film Junk Head, so I didn’t need to rely on any prior knowledge of the film’s characters (since I have not watched Junk Head yet.) The film is set 1042 years before Junk Head, and follows a society of an emancipated clone workforce called Mulligan that live underground away from human society above-ground. The two opposing forces have maintained an alliance and are looking to explore an anomaly, with the human team led by Tris and her accompanying robot Robin, and the Mulligan team led by the original clone named Dante. However, their alliance and plans are interrupted by a cult-like subgroup of the clones called the Gyula Cult.

The film throws a lot of lore from the start, and I did find myself a bit disoriented and confused, especially trying to keep up with subtitles while simultaneously trying to appreciate the film’s intricate stop motion. However, as the film progressed, I was able to grasp my head around everything I was experiencing, which was a lot. There’s so much to look at, and although there are a handful of characters, you soon encounter a variation of each when the introduction of alternate dimensions comes into play. Not only are there variations of each character, but the birth and death of whole civilizations.

The film has a mix of action sequences and crude humor that continued to keep me engaged. There are plenty of fight sequences right from the start, and since this was my first time watching anything from Hori, I had no clue what to expect; I was thinking the film would be a more serious, action-centered film, so when the humor came, I was definitely surprised. Especially when the alternate realities and characters come into play, we’re exposed to an even more layered comedy.

Speaking of the alternate realities and characters, I thoroughly enjoyed each of their designs. While there are super cool characters such as Tris and the robots, there are really cute and silly characters as well. Robin’s, I guess you could say “true” or “inner” form was quite cute, as well as a character that is later revealed to be Princess Bestat. I was also in awe by the grand sets and internal and external environments that the characters encountered.

Overall, the film is a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it. If you’re a fan of stop-motion, and elaborate stories sprinkled with crude humor, definitely check this one out. After watching JUNK WORLD, I’m ready to watch Junk Head and look forward to watch Hori has in store next!