Released on VHS & DVD in 2000 in Japan, and in the U.S. by ADV Films (R.I.P.), SiN the Movie is loosely based on the game of the same name that came out around that time (October 31, 1998 to be more specific). Usually at this point, I explain the basis of the story, but I can't. Most of the time a release from ADV Films (R.I.P.) tends to have a good story, or a wacky story that somewhat makes sense, but this is one of the few titles that I've watched from the company that doesn't have a good story at all. Right below is the list of how the story in this movie plays out:
1) A funeral tended to by the main character that involves a character that received little screen time.
2) A dark, seedy meeting between the main character and a side character that has some obscure connection to him. Also, one of the main characters that joins in later is spying on the 1st main character in a effort to trying and bring him down for killing the insignificant character that died at the beginning.
3) A mysterious character (in this case a little girl) reappears (don't ask) to add some mystery and move the rest of the story.
Actually, I'm not going to type the list anymore. To put it bluntly, SiN the Movie's first problem is that not only is the story predictable, it is somehow confusing as hell. The story bounces all over the place, and you have little time to react and pay attention. Even if you do pay attention, you'll still be confused by the placement of things.
If that doesn't make you feel some kind of pain, let it be known that just about every single character that appears on screen is about as entertaining as standing in a line at the the DMV. It doesn't help the fact that the voice acting sucks (I'll get to that a little later), but even if the voice acting didn't suck, the character's just don't have much put into them. Their personalities are flat, and they simply aren't likable. There is only one character (the main villain) that has personality & depth, but even then it's just a sliver of each, and any interest in the villain quickly disappears.
So, we've got the crap story out of the way, and the characters are not worth the time. Next up is the voice acting, and let me tell you, it's amazing...not! I've definitely watch my fair share of dubbed animes. Most of them had great dubbing, and a few had okay dubbing. This is perhaps the first show in my entire life that has the worst dubbing. It's not bad because of the translation, cause I think they got that right. It's bad because there is simply no emotion in the words spoken. Basically, they voices are like themselves: flat & un-enjoyable. It also doesn't help the fact that when the characters try to sound serious, it just feels fake and cheesy. Once again, the main villain has some strength behind her voice, but then again it's only a sliver.
Lastly, the thing that I'm willing to put down about SiN the Movie's flaws is it's mix of 2d & 3d. At numerous points throughout the show, 3d effects are used to display building, computer screens, etc. Now, the idea sounds good in theory, but it ultimately fails completely. The 3d animations look like they were from the late 80s & early 90s, not from the late 90s where 3d animation is starting to look good and improve. This is perhaps the only negative that I'm willing to forgive, but even then I'm not going to be forgiving. If you're looking for an anime that mixes 2d & 3d, then go for Blue Submarine No. 6. Trust me on this.
By this point, you're wondering if there's anything good about SiN the Movie. I'm mean, I've been pretty brutal and honest about this show. You're thinking "How can there be any good in this!?" Well, surprisingly, there are some good things about SiN the Movie.
For starters, the show matches the game. Loosely, but it matches. It's dark, gritty, despair inducing, and is perhaps one of the most blood soaked things I've ever seen. The game is pretty gory, but the show somehow kicks the violence button up a notch. The show's blood content puts it up there with shows like Ninja Scroll and Higurashi, and I don't think it'll ever be dethroned.
Secondly, SiN the Movie lasts for one hour. If you've taken in the bad things I've said here, then you'll be glad to know about how long this lasts. Even if this show didn't suck, a one-hour movie is always good to watch on a slow afternoon or evening.
Finally, if you want to subject yourself to this mess, there are plenty of copies on Amazon. I bought a used copy of the Collector's Edition for $6.99 (The Collector's Edition comes with a soundtrack of the show, a card, and a few extra features), but there's the original 2000 release, the Collector's Edition release in 2001, and a re-release in 2009. I should point out that new copies of the 2000 release go for just one cent. That's right people, all you need to pay for this is a single penny! Even the used copies start out at one cent. That should prove to you that SiN the Movie was a psychotically poor excuse for a show. However, new copies of the Collector's Edition (there are 7 in total on Amazon as I'm typing this) start at a little over 12 dollars, while used copies (8 in total as of right now) start at close to 6 dollars. The 2009 re-release (there's 14 right now), on the other hand starts at $3.69 new, and used copies start at 3 dollars. If you for some reason are a masochist, and enjoy inflicting pain on yourself, then I suggest you pick this up.
SiN the Movie gets a 3 out of 10. The story is predictable and is hard to pay attention to, the characters are practically unlikeable, the voice acting is horrible, and the 2d/3d mix is just awful, but it loosely matches with the game, lasts just for an hour, and is plentiful and cheap.
See you next, when I will fortunately review a good series. Until then, stay Otaku!
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If you interested in SiN the game (which is far better than the movie), then take a look at the link below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin_%28video_game%29
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