Chimney Town: Frozen in Time, on ANA

Lubicci remains an orphan, but he is now a respected member of society, thanks to his efforts bringing down Chimney Town’s dystopian regime. Nevertheless, he is still a sad orphan, because he continues to mourn the loss of his friend, Poupelle, the magical junk man. Lubicci’s grief indirectly leads to his next adventure in Yusuke Hirota’s Chimney Town: Frozen in Time, the sequel to Poupelle of Chimney Town, which currently screens on ANA’s in-flight entertainment system.

For a year, Lubicci tried to rebuild Poupelle, but to no avail. Admittedly, the waifish but popular chimney sweep has plenty of friends now, but he cannot help missing Poupelle. Naturally, when a mouse snatches the bracelet that served as Poupelle’s heart, Lubicci gives chase, right through a portal to the realm of the Millennium Fortress.

Much to their mutual shock, Lubicci finds himself in a boat with a messenger cat he eventually dubs “Fluff,” who is delivering the soul-like clock of a newborn to the Fortress, for safekeeping. (To give you an idea of Fluff’s grumpy personality, it is easy to anticipate either Awkwafina or Natasha Lyonne voicing her for a potential English dub.) As long as the clocks keep ticking, the people they represent keep on kicking. Yet, ironically, the Fortress has its own timekeeping problem. The master-clock above the fortress has frozen, leaving everyone below confused as to the accurate time.

Consequently, the fortress’s ruler offers Lubicci a deal. If he can fix the clock, she will return him to Chimney Town. Of course, most clockmakers are intimidated by such a public repair job. Lubicci will have to recruit two brilliant but wildly eccentric outcasts. Yet, the problem runs even deeper, harkening back to the star-crossed romance Hirota and screenwriter Akihiro Nishino slowly reveal through flashbacks.

Initially, Frozen in Time seems so different from Poupelle of Chimney Town, it will throw fans of the original sleeper hit. However, they need to stick with it. Hirota and Nishino bring all their deceptively disparate elements together rather brilliantly. When they do, iIt all packs a staggering emotional wallop, especially for viewers who adored the first film.

Consequently, Frozen in Time ranks as one of the best written animated sequels in years. It is not “more of the same,” but it speaks directly to fans of the first film. Although the trappings are more fantastical than steampunkish, Studio 4ºC maintains the same level of baroquely detailed animation and richly realized world building.

Chimney Town: Frozen in Time is unusually ambitious for a sequel. If you enjoyed Poupelle of Chimney Town, the sequel will blow your mind and choke you up. Honestly, this film will remind a lot of people of why they became anime fans. Very highly recommended, Chimney Town: Frozen in Time has yet to screen widely in American, but it currently streams on ANA flights.