Short Stop: LOCA! paints the post-apocalypse in warm hues

You might expect a movie about two girls living in the ruins of human civilization to be a tough watch. It's the kind of material that often fuels thrillers, horror movies, gritty dramas. But the absolutely charming LOCA!, which is available to watch on YouTube for a limited time (how limited I do not know), approaches the post-apocalypse from a different angle.

Haru and Tamo might just be the last two humans on the planet, but theirs isn't a journey of woe. We don't see them mourning the people left behind or fighting for their survival. Instead, they're exploring the world with curiosity and excitement. It's such a cute and clever way to tackle a familiar setting in a fresh new way. It makes the vast empty world feel cozy, safe, full of possibility. There's no danger of a zombie popping out or a gang of marauders threatening them for scant materials. This version of the world is too sunny and kind for that.

A lot of great anime that I love is drenched in the sights, sounds, and flavors of summertime Japanese countryside. Small towns, lazy days, bugs buzzing. Lying on the floor drinking a soda, riding a bike through town. Those kinds of stories inspire in me a nostalgia for a world that isn't mine, and never will be. But they feel so homey and so idealistic that they kind of burrow their way right into your DNA. Ironic, since I'm sure some of the people who live in those actual places probably find their lives a bit mundane or boring. Or maybe those places attract people who thrive in the sticky stillness, the quiet calm. I'm sure it depends on the person.

But LOCA! has that kind of feel to it. It's the kind of thing that I wish there was more of. The short is about 20 minutes long. God, how I wanted more. I could spend hours and hours wandering through the streets with these girls, watching them discover new bits of technology that they can tinker with and hopefully get to work. It's tempting to call this wistful, but there's no feeling of sadness or loss here, at least not for me. Instead, it feels like an embrace, one that there's no risk of losing. I was held tight in the warmth of this wonderful short, which is my favorite of the year so far.

Anyways, I can go on, or I can just link to the video here and embed it below so you can see for yourself. Hopefully, by the time you're seeing this post, it's still live.