Where many anime features try and look as futuristic as possible, Steamboy takes a different tact: the world in the film is much like ours was in the 19th century, except for fantastical technology built around the concept of the steam engine. (Think steam-driven tanks, robot suits, steam planes, etc.) And it’s a new advance in steam power that fuels the plot of the film; when Ray Steam, a third generation steam scientist, comes into possession of a spherical source of power he finds himself caught between two countries who want to use the orb for military superiority. The only problem with Steamboy is that it runs a bit longer than necessary and the characters really aren’t that engaging. Not a bad movie by any stretch, but the premise of steampunk anime gets lost in the shuffle. Hopefully another film will pick up on this theme and deliver a masterpiece.

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