Hirune Hime / Napping Princess / Ancien and the Magic Tablet

[El_Fez]

So here I am, 15 days into the Seattle International Film Festival and among tonight's viewing was Napping Princess - and it was really, really (several more reallys here) good. A bit of Castle In The Sky, a bit of Gundam, a bit of Yamato and Lupin - and did I mention that it was really top shelf?

Ancien and the Magic Tablet - there's an app for that! - YouTube

Here, the synopsis from the SIFF program guide:

Welcome to the world of machines. Not so far from our present day, a young woman, Kokone, is having trouble staying awake while studying for her college entrance exams. As she naps, her strange dreams reveal a land of magic-wielding princesses and machines at war, and she is surprised by occasional hints that her family may be involved. But her father, a brilliant mechanic who spends his time repairing and modifying cars, is too busy to notice her, much less address her questions about any truth behind the family connections. As the dreams continue to grow in intensity, Kokone realizes that there may be stronger connections between her dreams and reality, leading her closer to her family history than ever before. Napping Princess has all the features of the best anime films, expertly layering its narrative to fuse two worlds that appear separate on the surface. Young viewers will be immediately engrossed in the world that director Kenji Kamayama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) has created, continuing his specialization in crafting unforgettable stories about the nature of society.

And I thought I'd share with you guys. If you have a chance to catch this on the arthouse circuit, do so.