Kenji Koiso is a teenage math prodigy and social zero who gets recruited by his secret crush Natsuki for the ultimate summer job - he’s to pass himself off as Natsuki's boyfriend for four days during her grandmother's 90th birthday celebration. But when Kenji solves a math riddle that’s sent to his cell phone, he unknowingly breaches the security barricade protecting Oz, a globe-spanning virtual world where millions of people and governments interact through their avatars, handling everything from online shopping and traffic control, to nuclear launch codes. What makes matters worse is that there’s a malicious AI program called Love Machine that’s hijacking Oz accounts, growing exponentially more powerful, and creating chaos and destruction in its wake. With the virtual and real world on the verge of destruction, it’s now up Kenji, Natsuki, and her extended family to band together to try to stop the mayhem.

REVIEW

“Summer Wars” is a warning for what may happen to users that depend on a virtual environment to work and play. We live in a society that’s becoming more and more disconnected from physical and verbal interaction with other people. Set in the not-too-distant future, this sci-fi anime thriller takes you on a journey of life, love, and loss. The storyline is based on today’s social networking experience which makes this plot both relevant and intriguing. The 2D and 3D animation complement each other and act as a guide through the separation of worlds. “Summer Wars” takes you on an emotional roller-coaster that’s both fun and exciting. This movie is a must see and available on Blu-ray and DVD just about everywhere. It’s certainly worth renting, and truly deserves a space in your anime collection. “Summer Wars” is definitely an instant classic!

~Dana Da Designated Hata® aka Nobody' Fan®