Twitch gives Mamoru Hosoda’s (The Girl Who Leapt Through Time) Summer Wars some very high praise:
Make no mistake, Summer Wars is gorgeous to look at. The surprise success of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time means that Hosoda had far more resources at his disposal for his second film and seemingly every penny was put into spreading lush visuals across the screen. But while filled with dazzling images — particularly in the OZ sequences — Hosoda never, ever loses sight of what really makes this train go. He is director fully capable of delivering flash but not particularly enamored of it. His films may contain sophisticated concepts and thrilling set pieces but they are never about them. No, Hosoda may generate gorgeous visuals but he never gets lost in them. The important parts of his films aren’t the flashy bits but the quiet ones, the little asides, the subtle nuances of his characters. And with his sophomore work Hosoda has perfectly balanced the need to entertain via the visuals with the rich and satisfying character work that separates him from the massive pack of quality technicians to establish himself as truly a master story teller.
For what it’s worth, Summer Wars is right up there with Neon Genesis Evangelion 1.0: You Are (Not) Alone as my most anticipated anime title.