Anime
Supremacy! (Original title: Haken anime!) | 2022 | 2h 9m
Genre:
Comedy/Drama | Country: Japan
Director:
Kôhei Yoshino | Writers: Yôsuke Masaike, Mizuki Tsujimura
Cast:
Riho Yoshioka, Tomoya Nakamura, Asuka Kudô
IMDB:
6.7
My
Rate: 7/10
Hitomi Saito makes her debut in the anime world to defeat her idol, Chiharu Oji, and claim the title of Haken (Supremacy). But that ambition isn’t as easy as she imagined, especially when people underestimate her ability and determination.
Warning:
Strong languageSynopsis:
Saito
leaves her job as a government employee and jumps into the anime world for one
purpose: to defeat her idol, Chiharu Oji. Captivated by Oji’s work that once
touched her heart, she wants to do the same in her own way. But her idealism is
shaken when she faces the harsh reality of a production world that’s far
tougher than she imagined.
Her
limited experience and the fact that she has no background in anime make people
look down on her. Meanwhile, her stiffness makes the production process even
heavier. Saito also has to deal with technical issues that she didn’t expect to
be part of her responsibilities.
On
the other hand, Oji, who has long been in the industry, has his own problems:
the weight of his past success. And then he suddenly disappears without a trace
in the middle of production, causing panic among the entire staff. His manager
receives threats and pressure from the company.
In
the end, is this struggle really about the title—or about rediscovering the
reason they create something in the first place?
Review:
Would
you quit a stable job just to chase an ambition that sounds crazy to other
people? That choice might sound foolish to some, but not for Saito in Anime
Supremacy!. This film, adapted from Mizuki Tsujimura’s novel, pulls back
the curtain on the anime production world, showing a creative process full of
pressure and conflicts that viewers rarely see.
The
promising tension appears right from Saito’s line in her interview. However,
the introduction of the characters is a bit confusing at first, though slowly
each one finds their place. The Haken (Supremacy) title—the core of the
competition that frames the story—is explained simply, making the plot easy to
follow.
The
conflict starts to build when idealism meets reality: Saito gets overwhelmed by
the production world that’s far wider than she imagined, while Oji struggles
with the burden of his past success. The friction from the supporting
characters is also presented in parallel without distracting the main story.
The tension around winning the Haken title is also portrayed in a unique way.
The
film’s resolution is fairly satisfying. The character development is shown
gently, revealing how each of them begins to understand their roles in creating
an anime. The message hits just right—about how some people get too focused on
ratings and profit that they forget the most important thing: the quality of
the story itself.
Even
so, there are elements that feel lacking. Oji’s work—the reason Saito enters
the anime world—should’ve been shown more clearly to strengthen the emotion and
relationship between them. The personal conflict between Saito and Oji, which
was built well at the start, unfortunately gets pushed aside by the focus on
rating competition, leaving its depth not fully explored.
Technically,
the film works well. The added animations that boost the tension are
interesting, supported by camera movement, music, and solid color
composition—even though no performance truly steals the spotlight.
In
the end, Anime Supremacy! reminds us that anime isn’t just about pretty
visuals or cute characters, but also stories that can touch the heart. A gentle
reminder that ambition, idealism, and quality often have to fight against
industry demands that want to be first without caring about the meaning inside.
Memorable Scene:
Saito
wants to change the ending of her story, a decision immediately rejected by the
company. But in the middle of the chaos, the creative team stands by her—they
know the story was born from Saito, and only she understands where her feelings
want to take it.
In
reality, there will always be voices doubting our steps. But as long as our
heart is steady, there’s no reason to fear. Life—like a story—is something only
we live through, not those who shout from afar.
Memorable
Line:
“Create an amazing ending that no one can deny.”
Ending:
Happy
Ending
Recommendation:
Worth
to Watch
(Aluna)
 – The Anime World We Never See){kind=link}
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