Japanese animation--the globally acclaimed, family-friendly theatrical
features are the exception rather than the rule for a TV-oriented
industry that has been pushed into late-night slots in an era of
fragmented audiences. When only three titles among fifty might turn a
profit, topping the charts is hardly an overambitious aim.
Yet as three women, a producer, a director, and an animator, survive in
a business infamous for its murderous schedules, demoralizing
compromises, and incorrigible men, moments of uplift emerge against all
odds--and how. More than just a window into an entertainment niche,
here's a kickass ode to work.