The Concierge

Yoshimi Itazu's 2023 Japanese animation is set in a department store that serves only animals. At the North Pole Department Store the customers are furry and feathered, and every one of them belongs to a species that no longer exists. Akino is a concierge in training who has to meet every request: a sea mink is looking for a particular gift, a laughing owl wants to please his wife. The film takes seriously what it means to serve; Akino makes mistakes constantly, panics and learns. The subtext is plain: all these customers are species destroyed by human hands, and the store stands for the care they were owed. The design leans on the classic hand-drawn anime tradition and is extremely detailed. The tone stays light, but the sadness behind it sits in every scene. Who it's for: viewers who like gentle, good-hearted anime and hand-drawn animation. Who it's not for: anyone looking for tension and plot; the film proceeds in episodes.