Studio Madhouse returns with their second film in two years, this time animating an adaptation of Nao Iwamoto's manga, “Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom”. Directed by Kotono Watanabe, here making her feature debut, the film is a mish-mash of forbidden love story and diplomatic thriller.
Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom is screening at Nippon Connection
The nations of Alhamit and Balkari have been in a feud for hundreds of years. As a means of putting conflict to rest, Alhamit agrees to send its most beautiful woman and Balkari its cleverest man, both of whom are to be wed in the opposing nation. However, when stubbornness triumphs over a sincere move toward peace, bride and groom recipients Sara of Alhamit and Naranbayar of Balkari are left empty-handed. Fortunately, the jilted pair find one another by chance and, via a budding relationship, navigate a treacherous political landscape in an attempt to bring prosperity to their respective kingdoms and prevent all-out war.
There's a surprising amount of politicking in “Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom”, with backstabbing and hidden agendas dotted throughout. Alhamit's behind-the-scenes power struggle is more akin to “Game of Thrones”, complete with familial divides, poisonous advisors, and faceless assassins. Naranbayar's attempts to quite literally bridge the gap between the kingdoms are met with fierce resistance, which leads to some of the film's more exciting, action-driven sequences.
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The divide between the two kingdoms makes up the backbone of the narrative, with the shady political elements taking up a surprising amount of time. However, there's no real meat on the bones to this feud. Aside from some knee-jerk insults and assumptions, it never feels as though there's any real danger of a war breaking out between the kingdoms. On the contrary, the citizens of both Alhamit and Balkari are quite warm and welcoming towards both Sara and Naranbayar.
Of course, there is a love story at the heart of the film, although it's one that takes some time to gather steam. Sara and Naranbayar appear to fall for each other more because the plot demands it rather than as a result of a carefully built-up relationship. Sure, things are sweet enough, but Naranbayar appears to be more concerned with diplomatic relations than he ever does with Sara. The princess from Alhamit is reduced to little more than a lovelorn maiden, eventually fading into the background with the other second-rate side characters.
As well as being at odds politically, Alhamit and Balkari couldn't be further apart in terms of their appearance. The lush, medieval Europe-leaning Balkari is riddled with poverty and rundown buildings, while the technologically rich Alhamit features Ottoman-like architecture and is surrounded by a dry desert landscape. This visual juxtaposition makes for an obvious distinction between the two kingdoms, but each side of the divide has its visual charm.
There's something vital missing from “Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom” that makes it hard to become truly invested in the film. The political intrigue scattered throughout is enticing in spates, but it's bogged down by an overly careful narrative that's more concerned with comfortably guiding you to an inevitably happy ending.
