Usually the case for anime movies deriving from series, is that they are essentially prolonged episodes with better production values. This practice, on occasion, has led to truly impressive productions, with “Jujutsu Kaisen 0”, “One Piece Red” and “The First Slam Dunk” being some of the most recent samples. “Saga of Tanya The Evil: The Movie” definitely falls under this category.
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The story continues the one from the television anime. In 1926, Tanya and her battalion return home from their last skirmish with the Republic's army. Although hoping from some break, they almost immediately find themselves back to the front once more, as reports about a massive mobilization near the border with the Russy Federation have reached the Empire. Meanwhile, an international volunteer army spearheaded by the Commonwealth sets foot in Federation territory. As they say, the enemy of an enemy is your friend. They suffer through misfortune purely out of national interest, and among them is a young girl. She is Warrant Officer Mary Sue, and she takes up arms hoping to bring the Empire, who killed her father, to justice.
All of the elements that made the first season a success are here in abundance. The cute little girl who is essentially a blood-loving, God-hating killing machine who spews phrases like “they're commies, blow the shit out of them” is evidently the central one, with the ‘blasphemy' here being as permeating as it is entertaining. The political machinations and what happens behind the battle fronts is present too, resulting in another series of very intriguing episodes that are also the main source of Tanya's failure to finally get a break and be away from the action.
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At the same time, the differences here are what make the movie truly stand out. The action is frantic, but this time it is rather more impressive, with the magicians fighting not just among them and the normal soldiers, but also with airplanes. These unique dogfights provide some of the most impressive scenes in the movie but are not the only. The massive battles between scores of enemies are also remarkable, while the apogee of the action is met in the fighting in the city, with the images of disaster being truly outstanding.
The most significant aspect here, however, is the presence of Mary Sue, who provides, for the first time, a rather worthy opponent for Tanya, with the latter, also for the first time, receiving so much punishment. Particularly their battle within the city, the suddenness of its finale, and as usual, the connection with religious elements deem this one of truly epic proportions, as drama and agony meet technical prowess in an astonishing mixture.
The animation by Nut and the overall editing also find their apogee in these sequences, whose quality is definitely a level above the series. The drawing, and particularly of the background is also exceptional in the movie, with the different settings and especially the city featuring detail of the utmost degree, resulting in a series of great images. Yuji Hosogoe's character design follows the same tactics with the drama, with the characters fostering distinctly European characteristics. Probably the highlight of this approach is when the faces of Tanya and Mary Sue contort, with the excessiveness working particularly well, as both look rather scary.
“Saga of Tanya the Evil: The Movie” is an excellent entry to the franchise and an overall great movie.
