First Squad: The Moment of Truth (2009)

First Squad Anime Cover — *Poster for First Squad: The Moment of Truth* (Source: IMDB).

Collaborations between Japanese and foreign studios aren’t unheard of, whether it’s Sean Connery fighting ninjas in You Only Live Twice (1967) or Akira Kurosawa’s Ran (1986) being a Franco-Japanese production. The same is true for anime works, and not simply in terms of outsourced labor either. Shows like the Samuel L. Jackson-produced Afro Samurai (2007) and the Netflix original DEVILMAN crybaby (2018) are among the more notable examples out there, though they’re by no means the only good ones. Amidst these is a rather curious piece of Russo-Japanese cooperation: First Squad: Moment of Truth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2DHEwlEbT4

Released in 2009, the film is a joint production between Studio 4 °C and Molot Entertainment, with Yoshiharo Ashino (whose portfolio includes work in the 2011 Thundercats series and One Punch Man) serving as the director. Although it earned accolades in Russia, notably winning the Kommersant Weekend Prize at the Moscow International Film Festival that year, this historical fantasy movie has developed something of a divisive reputation. Over a decade on, however, does it deserve such a rather mixed reception?

All Hijinks on the Eastern Front

First Squad Anime Key Visual 1 — The opening stages of the “Great Patriotic War”, as Nazi Germany advances mercilessly. (Source: IMFDB)

Set during the Second World War (known to Russians as the Great “Patriotic War”), First Squad: The Moment of Truth doesn’t waste time throwing you onto the battlefield. The year is 1942. Hitler’s war machine is relentless as it advances ever deeper through the USSR, leaving death and destruction in its wake. The Soviet efforts to stop the Germans, however, proves far more stubborn and deadly than the Third Reich anticipated. Casualties soon escalate across the Eastern Front, both sides seeking victory at any cost. It’s in this cold nightmare that an orphan girl named Nadya finds herself dragged back into the conflict. As it turns out, she’s the sole survivor of First Squad. Part of the Red Army’s Sixth Division, it was a special unit of teenagers trained to use mystic powers against the Motherland’s foes. Now, she’s called upon to stop a SS General and his Ahnenerbe mystics from summoning forth the evil Baron von Wolff and his undead knights, before they can bring all under the Nazi flag. Or so she thinks.

Despite what the trailer or the stylized opening credits may suggest, the film is very reserved, to put it lightly. While you’re given snippets of the brutality that characterized the Eastern Front early on, a sizable portion of the film comes off more like a cerebral look into Nadya’s shell-shocked mind; that the girl in question, despite her reputation as some hardened soldier, spends that time largely amnesiac and utterly frail, doesn’t help. Even when the fantastical elements start coming into play about the halfway mark, the anime’s more content with exposition and contemplation, with only brief combat scenes to compensate. It’s only on the last leg, showing an alternate take on a Soviet counterattack, that much of the action and carnage takes place.

First Squad Anime Key Visual 2 — Soviet soldiers bracing themselves for a brutal battle against the Nazis. (Source: IMFDB)

A more glaring issue, though, is how First Squad can be rather disjointed to watch. Nadya’s flashback sequence, for instance, wouldn’t be too out of place in a slice of life show, complete with an almost stereotypical bicycle ride through a rye field. On the other hand, some of the more contemplative scenes, especially involving the lead protagonist’s mind, seem to harken to the trippy, if not horrific imagery in some Russian works, like the Metro or Night Watch series. Which isn’t getting to how the film tries to place these alongside the gritty backdrop of the Eastern Front, with the war itself only taking more of a spotlight towards the end. Beyond the jarring clash of cultures, the pacing also stumbles about. There’s quite a bit of exposition and lore presented, such as on what the “Moment of Truth” actually means. Less attention is paid on fleshing out most of the cast, especially the rest of the titular squad. It can feel at points like the anime is simultaneously dragging and rushed.

First Squad Anime Key Visual 3 — The lead protagonist, Nadya (Elena Cherbakturkina, Cassandra Lee), spends a sizable portion of the film amnesiac and shell-shocked.

Add in a cliffhanger ending and a soundtrack that isn’t quite sure if it wants to be gung-ho or harrowing, First Squad can come off as rather messy. Simply put, the overall execution doesn’t quite succeed in gelling its myriad elements together. Those looking for a serious, conventional war-themed anime or something more akin to The Saga of Tanya the Evil (2017) may be in for a letdown.

That isn’t to say that this collaboration is a failure. If anything, setting aside those expectations can make its brighter points shine.

For the Motherland

If there’s one thing that makes First Squad: The Moment of Truth stand out, it’s the visuals. Each character, whether it’s Nadya or the Germans after her, looks the part and is distinct; even the masses of Russian soldiers towards the climax don’t come off like clones. There’s attention to detail seen throughout. From the grandiose Stalinist metro stations and more traditional folk attire, to rugged Soviet uniforms and the use of authentic firearms, the Eastern Front is brought to vivid life. Even the fantastical technologies present, such as the Sixth Division’s mystic radar, are suitably industrial-grade and bulky, befitting the era. At the very least, you could tell that the filmmakers did their research and that they clearly made an effort to be consistent with the art’s quality.

First Squad Anime Key Visual 4 — Nadya and the titular First Squad in happier times.

While the more esoteric elements can be divisive, First Squad certainly makes an effort to make them unique. Whether it’s Soviet research into the paranormal (which infamously lasted as late as the Cold War), the Ahnenerbe being derived from a real Nazi SS group dabbling in the occult, or the undead based on the Teutonic Knights felled at the medieval Battle of the Ice, there’s deep inspiration behind the film’s premise. Combined with elements of Slavic mysticism, these simultaneously lend their own kind of grounded reality and otherworldly flair that isn’t usually found in other anime.

First Squad Anime Key Visual 5 — Zena (Ludmila Shuvalova, Carrie Keranen), Marat (Damir Eldarov, Tony Oliver) and Valya (Irina Savina, Bryce Papenbrook) holding back the undead in the Eastern Front (Source: IMFDB).

There are points where First Squad manages to impress. The animation, especially during action-laden moments, is crisp and flowing. Amidst the clashing of blades or the din of gunfire in the brief combat scenes, the detail remains crisp in motion, down to the bullet casings expended. Meanwhile, most of the war snippets are treated with an appropriate atmosphere, combining dread, brutality, and glimmers of patriotic valor. More than fodder for fan-made music videos, you could see the potential for something better, if not grander.

At its best, First Squad: The Moment of Truth showcases what Russo-Japanese collaborations are capable of. By that same token, it leaves much room for improvement. And given its divisive reputation, the likelihood of any proper sequel in the foreseeable future is almost nil.

First Squad Anime Cover 2 — Another poster for First Squad (Source: IMDB).

That being said, Molot Entertainment and publisher eigoMANGA plan on releasing an English version of the anime’s graphic novel adaptation by Fall 2019 (by manga artist Enka Sugihara). Perhaps it’s not too late for Nadya and company to sally forth once more.