220https://i.ur.com/62GvYit.png MMM SO GOOD Is what I thought when looking at the trailer for this movie. Not only did the food entice me but I also found the visuals and vagueness of the plot quite engrossing. For my first time watching an anime film in a local theater I must say I was thoroughly delighted with my experience. If you have family members that you feel make it their mission to embarrass you and are looking for a film that empathizes with you look no further than Fortune Favors Lady Nukiko. So is this film all that Im talking it up to be or were my opinions swayed due to the unique circumstances surrounding my viewing experience? This film follows the everyday life and tribulations of a girl named Kikuko and her mom Nukiko. Who is larger than life in more ways than one and is the antithesis to her daughter excluding their kind natured personalities. Throughout her life Nukiko has been taken advantage of and bullied for her silly kindhearted and often dumbfounded nature by many men. Often extorting money from her before getting out of dodge. Throughout her many expeditions Nukiko and her daughter finally settle down in a small fishing town/district where Nukiko runs a restaurant. Standing out more than ever before. As mentioned earlier upon seeing the trailer for this film the vagueness of the story was piquing my interest. So coming into it I figured the central plot/conflict would be revealed. I mean the run time was twohours so there had to be something in terms of a plot right? I was wrong but was pleasantly surprised by that as well. After the film finished I came to my senses and realized that I had just watched an Iyashikeisol film in theaters. Now Ive seen my fair share of Iyashikei shows and films up to this point Natsume and NNB reign as some of my favorites in the genre but I went into those knowing full well what to expect. But when I discovered the film is composed of several small stories shown with beautiful and calming scenery and visuals with no real central conflict other than Yukikos mom being a goofball I was surprised but delighted. 220https://i.ur.com/BLkuT9E.jpg And in case you didnt know an Iyashikei is a genre of anime/film that evokes a sense of healing in the viewer. The anime is calming has a relaxed atmosphere most of the time and usually has little to no score aside from flowing river banks smooth ghasts of wind and summer time cicadas humming along to a sun addled field of green grass. They are also usually episodic with conflicts that vary from episode to episode in terms of severity. Or in a films case chapter by chapter. This is the case with this film where even the more intense scenes or moments still take a more liberal approach to how theyre displayed. For example theres a scene where we see a woman working the streets before working at a strip/dance club. Were shown this through a heavy blurred filter where the casinostrips street lights luminescence is exacerbated so much that the scene feels dreamlike and not as intimidating as it mustve felt for Yukikos mom. This scene is followed by a strip/pole dance montage where we see neon silhouettes of two women one of which were familiar with doing their moves. Something about the imagery of this flashback sequence stuck with me. Maybe it was the fact that it put their line of work through a different lens than what Im used to. In various media Im used to seeing dance/strip clubs in a somewhat vilified manner or at the very least portrayed in a less than stellar light. The way this scene portrayed that environment and form of expression was done very tastefully with beaming colorful visuals to boot. Another example of an intense scenario presented in a calm tasteful and respectful manner is when Nikuko is describing the circumstances surrounding the events of one of her late husbands. Nikuko and co. are presented as shadows traversing a canvas that visually reminiscent of hieroglyphics. In this scene were shown a man on a patio smoking. His figure looking down on his luck slouching over chin resting on hand. Moments later Nikuko describes that the man left a letter saying he was going to go kill himself at his home town. She describes her venture to find and save the man but to no avail. While a depressing scenario indeed it is very brief and shown through a lens that shows that though Nikuko loved him and out of her partners he was the one who treated her the most respectfully were not given enough information to feel a strong emotional attachment to him. I felt that was intentional and the emotions I felt watching that scene were meant to reflect that of Nikukos and her daughters towards him. 220https://i.ur.com/beZ7Yoc.png Im not going to describe the beauty of each and every scene because at that point Id be spoilering the entire film and I dont want to do that. But just know that whether the scene is of a penguin at a zoo whos filled with visceral hatred towards the human race a young boy making silly faces or a talking amphibian just know that its done with great attention to detail and has a calming aura to it. To round out the things I love about it so much Ill close off my praises by giving credit to the voice acting Nukikos seiyuu Shinobu Otake in particular. What a performance giving Nukiko such a boisterous and voracious voice. Only adding credence to how much space her personality in a room takes up. I found her panicking in the sports day event to highlight this performance the most as shes constantly switching from forgiving others for her clumsy nature to panicking not knowing where to find an item all while retaining a lovable momlike quality that doesnt become annoying. Speaking of actions that become annoying was there anything in this film that I felt fit that criteria? Yes I have two gripes with this film and they intertwine with each other. I felt that there were relationships between and plot points werent explored to their fullest potential. Whether that be with her friends or spoiler her real mom. Because the way this movie is set up is like your average Iyashikei show. Episodic and not necessary to watch sequentially until the last few episodes. This movie is the same way and I wish that we saw more of her interactions with her friends instead of just being one and done after their conflict is resolved. 220https://i.ur.com/hG137us.gif This issue only gets worse as we reach the final act which Ill spare you the details on. But let it be known that the ending is just too abrupt. It didnt ruin the film or lessen the impact it had on me. But it did make me audibly goWhat? That was it are you serious? Its been awhile since a show or film left me so dumbfounded. The most confusing part was checking my phone and seeing that there were 15 20 minutes left in its runtime and this is even proceeding the aftercredits scene. Its because there was a series of shorts calledDeiji Meets Girl playing right after it. I didnt know this until the preview played right before the film and even then I didnt think itd share the run time of Fortune Favors lady Nukiko. This film caught my eye due to its unique and captivating visuals as well as its ability to make me crave food thats not even in my dimension. Having a family that I feel at times go out of their way to embarrass me at times made me relate to the main character only furthering my intrigue. Did this film manage to be all that I hoped it to be? Yes and no. But thats because it exceeded my expectations by going full Iyashikei when I wasnt expecting it for the better might I add. Though this hindered it at times namely in the ending which left my mouth ajar and my head squandering to make sense of what I just witnessed. Had this been a show Id be eagerly waiting for a second season wed never get. But as a movie I eagerly await a sequel that I know well never get. If the novel furthers the plot more than the film then Id pick that up. 220https://i.ur.com/8MlFBIA.png