Disclaimer: This review covers the 2023 anime movie "The Concierge," also known as "The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store." It never ceases to amaze me that some Japanese anime might premiere in Montreal before their wider release in domestic Japan. But that's the case at the Fantasia Film Festival, and 2023 included a North American premiere of "The Concierge," before its scheduled release in Japan a few months later. To the delight of the audience, it was a charming feel-good movie, and was one of my personal favourites of the Festival. Based on a short manga series, the story features Akino, who begins her first day as a Concierge (think "help-desk" staff member) at the upscale Hokkyoku shopping mall. We see how she's inspired as a child by the wonderful patrons and colourful items for sale, and by the beautiful, kind, well-mannered and well-dressed staff. But Akino's a little clumsy and self-concious; can she really aspire to be a successful concierge? Aside from being a slice-of-life workplace comedy, there's one magical twist: all the customers are animals! Walking, talking, dressed-up animals. That includes the mall's president, a short penguin-like bird (who Akino accidently steps on in her first meeting). The movie hints early on that all the animals are in fact endangered species, which ties to a poignant ending about this metaphor of humans serving them. It might also be educational for children, who will leave wanting a plushie toy of a species that you probably can't pronounce. But aside from the messaging, the movie is just a lot of fun. The story is a little bare, with separate arcs of Akino helping a new customer or two (like a ferret trying to please his company's clients on a shopping trip, or a cat looking for a specific perfume), linking them together at the concluding arc. But each story is cleverly written, with a simple but difficult problem and Akino's considerations for the customer at hand, and sometimes surprising resolutions that highlight her unique potential, or the resourceful teamwork of her coworkers. Able to be both fast-paced and exciting as well as quiet and thoughtful, as well as knee-slappingly funny or serious, the movie juggles tones well. While it could certainly be expanded into a larger series (the arcs cut nicely into the lengths of a television episode each), there's no particular reason to, and the movie stands well on its own. 
The art and animation feel very different for Production I.G., better known for science-fiction series like "Psycho-Pass" and "Ghost in the Shell." Character designs are cute, light-hearted and stylized, giving a lot of character to the animals (and to certain humans). Animation is comically cartoonish, best represented in Akino's exaggerated apologies and frantic dashes across the mall. To apply this to humans is one thing, but anime doesn't often get the chance to animate this many animals, which was no doubt a particular challenge. Vistually, it's all successful, and I attribute that to the new director Yoshimi Itazu and his preferences, along with character designer Chie Morita (both attended this Festival screening, illustrating a character each on hundreds of autographed posters for viewers). Music and the Japanese acting were pleasant and fitting, with the shopping mall commercial theme song being noteworthy for its authenticity (the director had to explain what "television commercials" were to a young audience of Netflix subscribers). "The Concierge" isn't particularly ambitious, and a little more could have been done with the ending for a truly emotional conclusion. But it still does a lot within its scope, and is largely successful at what it sets out to do - a charming adventure in the world of service work with customers big and small, and some even a little exotic. Any viewer can't help but leave with a smile on their face.