Some anime are able to find the unseen beauty in the ordinary, and The Concierge is one of them. Yoshimi Itazu’s anime film directorial debut brings to life the Hokkyoku Department Store, where anthropomorphic animal patrons roam the aisles in this breezy yet emotionally charged feature. Balanced across several lighthearted vignettes, The Concierge crafts a larger picture, examining our own humanity through the eyes of a concierge.

Based on the manga The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store by Tsuchika Nishimura, the film tells the story of Akino. After becoming enamored by the department store as a child, Akino now finds herself working there as a trainee concierge. But in this whimsical world, the Hokkyoku Department Store caters exclusively to animals. So, under the scrutiny of her floor manager and with the help of her fellow concierges, Akino tries to fulfill the needs and desires of the various unique creatures she encounters on her way to becoming a full-fledged concierge.

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The movie itself is a bit light on story as the plot progresses through a series of what feels like, at the time, standalone shorts. Each of the vignettes gives the film an episodic feel as Akino not only learns the basics of being a concierge but also gains confidence in herself and her abilities. Each of the mini-stories offers different things to the overall film, but their strength is that they illustrate the scale of the environment to the audience, allowing us to really understand the multitude of animals wandering this department store.

What the film may lack in overall story it makes up for with its beautiful animation. Animated by Production I.G, with Chiyo Morita serving as chief animation director as well as handling character designs, the warm colors and stylized animations bring the film to life, creating a sort of whimsical air about the whole thing. Each new character introduced has its own style and design that further adds to the diversity of the world around them and brings more and more life to the picture. But the multitude of influences never goes overboard. Instead, they work harmoniously together to illustrate the beauty of the store.

One area in which the film lacked was its development of deeper concepts, such as consumerism and conservation. In the movie, the Hokkyoku Department Store is meant to meet the needs of its animal patrons in an attempt to make up for the damage consumerism has done to the environment, but this idea is presented more as an aside. Given the lighthearted nature of the rest of the picture, it makes sense why this isn’t further explored, but the fact that it is brought up and then quickly dropped feels rather abrupt. Seeing this idea fleshed out could have offered some interesting discussion, but at the same time, it may have taken away from Akino’s journey, so its exclusion does make some sense.

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With so much going on between its various vignettes and characters, The Concierge maintains a consistent tone throughout. The lighthearted nature of the stories allows the characters to shine and creates a whimsical and breezy air. This stays consistent over the course of the film, but what really works about it is that it helps to highlight the more emotional moments.

While light on story, The Concierge makes up for it with its lively animation and joyful spirit. By centering on Akino’s journey and development as a trainee concierge, the film is able to explore the vast world of the Hokkyoku Department Store. Lighthearted yet emotionally impactful the film reminds the audience of the often-overlooked magic and absurdity of helping others.– Jacob Campbell

Rating: 7/10

The Concierge comes to theaters for one night only on September 11.