Judging by the team at the reins, I had high hopes for “The Deer King.” It’s the directorial debut of Masashi Ando, who has worked as animation director on films such as Hayao Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away,” Satoshi Kon’s “Paprika” and Makoto Shinkai’s “Your Name.” And it’s co-directed by another filmmaker with an impressive resume, Masayuki Miyaji, who has helmed series such as “Xam’d: Lost Memories.”
Despite the pedigree of its creators, however, “The Deer King” often feels like a weak echo of the films on which Ando made his name, although it delivers a few nice moments.
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