The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim: considering how expansive the universe created by J.R.R. Tolkien is, it’s surprising that there aren’t more films or series based on his work. (There is a reason, of course, as his estate is very protective of his legacy.) KAMIYAMA Kenji’s anime comes to change that; it tells the story of an attack on his land that a king must face. The film fits well within Tolkien’s lore, echoing the themes and filling holes not covered by the material; the protagonist is essentially a new character, and she is a winner. Energetic and smart, but retaining her humanity, she never turns her strength into a bad attitude; as such, she is a very easy character to root for. It is a very fine performance by Gaia Wise. Brian Cox plays her father, projecting all the authority that the old king has. Luca Pasqualino is fine as the vengeful villain.

The animation is beautiful, using the same blueprint used by the Jackson trilogy as it creates the environment; the characters are all nicely drawn, all attractive and readily identifiable. The action sequences are exciting and suspenseful. The editor, SADAMATSU Tsuyoshi, gives the film a very nice rhythm. The film’s composer, Stephen Gallagher, makes liberal use of Howard Shore’s work in the trilogy, something that helps to set this film into a known universe.