Movie · 2006 · Action, Adventure, Animation · 1h 43m · R · Japanese
Curator score: 8.1/10 (54.4K ratings)
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Overview
Two penniless orphans, Black and White, struggle to survive on the mean streets of Treasure Town. When a megacorporation threatens to tear down the town to build an amusement park, Black and White engage in the fight of their life.
Ratings
Curator score: 8.1/10
IMDb: 7.5/10
Letterboxd: 4.12/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 77%
Metacritic: 65
TMDB: 7.4/10
Director
Michael Arias
Production
Aniplex, Shogakukan, STUDIO4℃, Asmik Ace Entertainment, Beyond C.
A visually explosive, emotionally bruising animated crime fantasy that pairs feral energy with a surprisingly tender core. It can feel overstuffed and chaotic, but the world-building, momentum, and sibling bond make it a standout for viewers who want animation with real bite.
Best for
fans of bold, surreal animation
viewers who like dark coming-of-age stories
people drawn to sibling or found-family dynamics
fans of urban fantasy and crime-inflected action
viewers who don’t mind narrative fragmentation in exchange for atmosphere
Skip if
you need a clean, tightly plotted story
you prefer straightforward adventure over tonal shifts
you dislike violence mixed with child protagonists
you want a more conventional anime style
Overview
Tekkonkinkreet is the kind of animated film that feels like it’s vibrating at a higher frequency than most movies. Treasure Town is a dense, decaying, neon-smeared organism, and the film throws you into it with the confidence of a street kid who knows every alley. The result is exhilarating: a fever dream of gang warfare, urban myth, and childhood survival that rarely sits still long enough to be safe.
Worth noting
At its center is the bond between Black and White, which gives the film its emotional gravity. Their relationship is playful, protective, and heartbreaking, and it keeps the movie from becoming just a showcase for wild visuals. That said, the adaptation is messy in places, with story beats that can feel rushed or scattered, especially if you want a more traditional narrative arc.
Bottom line
Even so, the animation is extraordinary enough to justify the ride on its own. The film’s rough edges feel part of its identity: a feral, handmade energy that matches its themes of innocence under siege, corruption, and the struggle to hold onto tenderness in a brutal city. It’s not tidy, but it is unforgettable.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Chris 🍉 (5★) · 429 likes
"Don't worry, Shiro. Nobody will ever break us apart."
don't let the poster fool you this is actually really dark and i cried at least 5 times but it is a masterpiece nonetheless and i love my gay children Shiro and Kuro
Vera Drew (5★) · 368 likes
Fucking beautiful. Wrecked me. Friendship will save your soul.
theriverjordan (3.5★) · 340 likes
“Tekkonkinkreet” renders the bursting emotional expression of youth through the vivid violence of a surreal cityscape.
Similar to how its district of Treasure Town stacks architecture from across time and space to form a modern Babylon, so too is “Tekkonkinkreet” a movie of many influences.
Directed by an American, Michael Arias, but derived from a manga series - the work renders aspects of Japanese philosophy and history through the Westernized lens of youth street culture.
The film’s unwieldy name comes… more
Jason Alley🏳️🌈🐻 (3★) · 180 likes
While I cannot say that TEKKONKINKREET held my interest on a story level, taken purely as a visual experience it's one of the most staggering films I've seen. Nearly every single frame is stunning in some way. It creates a fascinating world that feels completely imagined and then lets us explore it with the characters.
There was a time, albeit a short time, that I was really into anime and probably would have given this 5 stars purely for the visuals and ideas. Nowadays, however, I need a more solid narrative to hold onto, and this one just kinda lost its thread in the second half.
D C 🍐 (3★) · 175 likes
Yakuza: We're going to take over this town with our superhuman hitmen
Two homeless kids: Bet 😁✌️
1995 · Action, Animation, Science Fiction · 1h 23m · NR · Curator 8.7/10 (568.8K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Shares the same interest in a living city, identity, and a sleek but haunting sci-fi atmosphere.