We continue our series of reviews chronicling all of the (non-Studio Ghibli) animated films distributed by GKIDS Films — some of the most original and breathtakingly beautiful animated films from around the world — and how they hold up for a young American audience.

The entire retrospective is found here, and this time we’ve got…

Patema Inverted (2013): Yasuhiro Yoshiura, director

What’s it about?

The year is 2067. Scientists are experimenting with gravity… somehow… and, inevitably, a disaster occurs. Gravity is reversed, and entire cities – and populations – float into the sky. It’s a catastrophe that completely redefines the Earth and those who are left.

Fast forward a generation or so, and the great catastrophe has become something of a mythical event. Nevertheless, Earth’s population has been split in half. Those who live on the surface – Aiga – are under the thumb of an authoritarian regime that wants everyone to keep their heads down, not look to the sky, and submit to the will of a ruthless dictator bent on consolidating all power onto himself. The rest of humanity lives in a vast network of underground tunnels and is subject to reverse gravity.

In short, each population is upside down with respect to the other. Don’t think about the physics too hard.

There are “danger zones” that connect the two worlds – and where gravitational pulls intermingle – but the populations have zero contact with each other. Until a young girl named Patema accidentally slips through and meets Age.

Cue unexpected adventure, love story, and the dismantling of established power structures in a grand revelation of capital-T Truth.

What are the cultures at play? And how about the languages?

This is a Japanese film (the Blu-ray release has an English dub for those who are into that sort of thing), but since it’s set about 100 years in the future, it’s not necessarily based on any sort of recognizable Japanese culture. The two populations in the film have formed new cultures, given the situations in which they live. As a result, there aren’t any cultural barriers to understanding.

Will my kids like it? Is there anything objectionable for young kids?

There’s almost nothing objectionable about the film. There are some relatively minor scary situations, but there’s no violence, no blood, and only the most innocent of romances. This should be a solid choice for any family movie night.

Will I like it?

It’s a gorgeously animated film with a unique story. Your eyes will thank you for watching it, even though the character development could’ve been a bit more robust. There’s also a twist toward the end you probably won’t see coming, which elevates the film beyond a unique love story.

If the plot sounds somewhat familiar, it’s probably because it’s reminding you of Upside Down (with Jim Sturgess and Kirsten Dunst). Though the two films are about a world with competing gravitational forces – and a love story that crosses those forces – one didn’t necessarily rip off the other. Upside Down came out in 2012, the same year as the animated short on which Patema Inverted was based.

Also, one of the most powerful sequences of the film includes a scene that MUST have been an inspiration for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The most memorable scene of that film – the moment when Miles becomes Spidey and is “falling up” into New York – has its roots here in a scene of Patema and Age falling up into an unknown and seemingly limitless sky. It’s stunningly gorgeous.

How can I see it?

GKIDS and Cinedigm released a Blu-ray edition of the film with a few special features. Included is a feature-length audio commentary (with the producer and voice cast), an interview with the director, interviews with the Japanese voice cast, a Q&A session at the film’s Japanese premiere, and some trailers. The disc also has both the original Japanese and a dubbed English audio track. It’s available from all the usual outlets, along with a streaming digital version.

Final word?

Yes. My final word is yes. You should watch it. The end.