I just got this animated feature from Funimation on an impulse buy. It was only about $15 for the Blu-ray combo pack at Walmart, so I figured it wasn't too much of a gamble at that price. I remembered the movie getting a glowing review from the Anime News Network, too, but I wasn't prepared for how much I genuinely liked it.

Oblivion Island tells the story of a young high school girl who lost her mother at an early age. She remembers fairy tales that her mother used to tell about fox spirits who stole human items that were mislaid or neglected. One day she sees one of these creatures trying to swipe a toy airplane that some children left behind, and she gives chase into a magical kingdom that just shines with beautiful CG visuals and characters. It's equal parts Alive in Wonderland and The Book of Lost Things, with powerful themes and incredible action scenes.

I know the plot might make it seem like a Studio Ghibli film, but this movie had a very different feel to it. It actually felt more like a vintage Don Bluth movie than anything else. Which is kind of appropriate, because like Don Bluth films, it really offered me something fresh and emotional as an alternative to the well-worn style of Miyazaki, Japan's Walt Disney in terms of animation dominance.

It's a new release, so it might not be on Netflix for awhile; but since you can get both the Blu-Ray and the DVD for the price of a single movie, I say there's no sense in waiting.