Dead Leaves
Amnesiac aliens turn a lunar prison sentence into a hyperkinetic eruption of anime mayhem, grotesque comedy, and rebellious escape.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Breakneck
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- irreverent
- frantic
- vulgar
- late night viewing
- cult movie marathon
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film’s action and comedy are built from frenetic editing, exaggerated character designs, and relentless visual motion.
Amnesiac aliens, cloning technology, robots, and a lunar prison are presented with absurdist escalation rather than realist logic.
Retro and Pandy awaken without recollection of their past and discover themselves through crime, captivity, and escape.
The infamous lunar penitentiary and its prison regime provide the central obstacle and target of the protagonists’ resistance.
Films like Dead Leaves, and why
FLCL
kinetic anime action, anarchic humor, exaggerated violence, and irreverent science fiction
Redline
adult animated science fiction, chaotic visual energy, absurd comedy, and unconventional storytelling
Mind Game
stylized anime action, bizarre world-building, slapstick brutality, and cult sensibility
Dredd
prison escape dynamics, gonzo action, dark comedy, and heightened genre spectacle
Movie Details
- Director
- Hiroyuki Imaishi
- Release Date
- 2004-01-16
- Runtime
- 52 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (145)
Cast
- Kappei Yamaguchi
- Takako Honda
- Mitsuo Iwata
- Kiyoyuki Yanada
- Nobuo Tobita
- Wataru Takagi
- Yuko Mizutani
- Eiji Takemoto
- Hidenobu Kiuchi
- Hiroshi Shimozaki
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Dead Leaves about?
- Amnesiac aliens turn a lunar prison sentence into a hyperkinetic eruption of anime mayhem, grotesque comedy, and rebellious escape.
- What is Dead Leaves like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Dead Leaves as breakneck, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Dead Leaves violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Dead Leaves as graphic.
- Which films are like Dead Leaves?
- Films with a similar feel include FLCL, Redline, Mind Game, and Dredd.
- How long is Dead Leaves?
- Dead Leaves runs 52 minutes.
- Where can I watch Dead Leaves?
- In United States, Dead Leaves is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
