Gravitation: Lyrics of Love

In the gay-themed anime Gravitation: Lyrics of Love, rock singer/lyricist Shuichi Shindo is experiencing a major creative block due to chilled relations with his lover Yuki. Shuichi's bandmates and management need him to write some new hit songs pronto, but he is in such a blue funk that nothing comes to mind (it's apparently no accident that the name of the group is Bad Luck!). But why is Yuki being so mysterious? Whenever Shuichi tries to find out, Yuki abruptly changes the subject. The root of the problem and subsequent solution isn't long in coming—this is only a two-part, one-hour production—but Shuichi's drama queen-style depressions (which often seem closer to an operatic diva than a hip rocker) are amusing, and while there is no big payoff for all of the fussing, the film scores with its parody of the music industry and wonderfully apology-free depiction of a gay couple in a minor crisis, all set to a solid Japanese pop/rock soundtrack. Presented on a dual-language disc, and rated 16-up, this off-the-beaten-anime-path entry is recommended. Aud: P. (P. Hall)