Another World (2025) Review: A Haunting Afterlife Tale Rich in Ambition

This Another World review starts with a simple point: few recent animated features from Hong Kong aim as high as this one. Directed by Tommy Ng Kai-Chung, it is a dark fantasy about death, grief and anger, and it asks a lot of its audience. It is beautiful, but it is not an easy watch.

Another World Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Another World plot centres on Gudo, a Soul Keeper whose job is to lead the recently dead to a great waterfall, where they pass on to reincarnation. Souls can only cross if the threads of their lives are free of knots, and those knots come from resentment and anger gathered over a lifetime.

Gudo's latest charge is Yuri, a young girl whose early death has left her cursed with unresolved rage. If her soul is consumed, the destruction could reach both the human world and the spirit realm. The tagline puts it neatly: to save the future, they must uncover her past.

The film adapts Naka Saijō's 2012 Japanese novel Thousand Year Ghost. It began life as a 14-minute short in 2019 before growing into this feature. The Another World release date was 29 October 2025, and it runs 112 minutes in Cantonese.

What Works in Another World

The animation is the headline. Critics have praised the way hand-drawn 2D artwork and 3D elements sit together, and the result feels cohesive rather than showy. It gives the afterlife a haunting, painterly quality that suits the subject.

The film also has real ideas. It treats anger as something that can tie a soul in knots, and it takes that metaphor seriously. The creature design for the monsters of rage, known as Wraths, is grotesque in a way that fits the theme.

The relationship between Gudo and Yuri gives the story its heart. A spirit who barely understands human emotion is paired with a child overwhelmed by them, and that contrast drives the best scenes. The film earned a selection at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, and Wikipedia notes a Golden Horse Award win in 2025.

If you enjoy animation movie reviews that aim at adults, this belongs on your list.

Another World Cast and Performances

The Another World cast is all voice work, and it is solid across the board. Chung Suet-ying voices Gudo, and Christy Choi Hiu-Tung plays Yuri. Louis Cheung voices Dark Sky, Kay Tse On-Kei is Goddess Mira, Will Or Wai-Lam plays Keung, and Yeung Nga-Man voices Goran.

The central pairing carries the emotional weight. Gudo's reserved, curious tone plays well against Yuri's raw, wounded edge. Kay Tse brings a calm authority to the goddess who sets the task in motion.

Where Another World Stumbles

The biggest complaint is structure. The story jumps between the afterlife, medieval warfare, a starving village and the Wraths, and the non-linear approach does not always make things clearer. Viewers who like a clean, linear plot may feel lost.

The tone is another hurdle. Reviewers describe the emotional weight as heavy, and some viewers found the plot relentlessly nihilistic. There is little humour to break the gloom, so the 112 minutes can feel long.

The action label also needs context. There are battles and monster fights, but this is a contemplative fantasy first. Anyone expecting a fast, bright adventure will be surprised.

Is Another World Worth Watching?

Yes, if you are open to a serious, slow-burning animated drama. Critical reception is generally positive: Metacritic lists a Metascore of 74 from five critic reviews, and IMDb users give it 7.2 out of 10. The praise centres on the animation and ambition, while the complaints target the tangled structure and bleak mood.

The question of whether Another World is worth watching comes down to patience. If you can handle a puzzle-like narrative in exchange for striking visuals and a moving central bond, it pays off. If you want something light, look elsewhere.

Fans of dark fantasy movie reviews will find a lot to chew on here. For a very different kind of action spectacle, see our take on Blades of the Guardians. More background is on the Another World Wikipedia page).

Who Will Enjoy Another World

• Animation fans who want adult-oriented, hand-drawn artistry.

• Viewers who like philosophical stories about death, grief and reincarnation.

• Audiences who enjoy challenging, non-linear storytelling over easy thrills.