Returned Sun Review: A Weirdly Creepy 1943 Soviet Cartoon

Is this worth your 15 minutes?

Honestly, if you like old animation that feels a bit haunted, then yeah. It's perfect for a rainy afternoon when you're bored of everything on Netflix.

People who need everything to be high-def or have a lot of dialogue will probably hate it though. It’s very quiet and the colors are kind of muted, like they’ve been sitting in a basement since 1943.

The whole thing starts with the sun just... disappearing. Some big, ugly monster decided he wanted it for himself, leaving everyone in the North freezing there butts off.

I like how the movie doesn't spend twenty minutes explaining the physics of how you steal a star. He just took it. That's it.

Then we meet Itte. He’s just a little guy, but he’s got more guts than most of the adults I know. He just puts on his gear and starts walking into the white void.

The animation style is really the star here. It doesn't look like those slick Disney movies from the same era. It has this rough, woodblock print feel to it that makes the snow look dangerous.

There is this one shot where Itte is walking against the wind, and the way his little body leans into the gale feels so real. You can almost feel the cold coming off the screen ❄️.

I've seen big epics like The Phantom of the Opera that try to be scary, but this little cartoon monster is actually creepier in a weird way.

He’s this blocky, dark shape that just sits there. He doesn't have a complicated motivation. He’s just mean and greedy. Sometimes that's all you need for a villain.

I did find myself thinking about Hay Fever while watching the snowy parts, mostly because the atmosphere is so thick you can practically sneeze from it. It’s very heavy.

The Middle Bit

Itte meets some animals along the way. Usually, in these kinds of stories, the animals are super annoying and talk too much. But here, they just kind of exist alongside him.

The reindeer has these huge, expressive eyes. They look a bit sad, like he knows the world is ending but he's gonna help anyway.

There is a moment where the kid has to use his bow, and the tension is actually pretty good for a 1943 short. Itte would of been a great action hero if he was in something like Anything Once.

I noticed a small mistake in the drawing around the seven-minute mark. The monster's arm seems to flicker for a second, or maybe that was just the old film grain acting up. It makes it feel more human, though. Like someone actually sat at a desk and sweated over these frames.

The way the light starts to return is beautiful. It isn't just a sudden switch. It’s like the color is bleeding back into a world that was black and white for too long.

I wish modern movies understood that less is more. We don't need a three-hour backstory on why the monster hates the sun. He just does.

• The monster looks like a pile of angry rocks.
• The snow looks like it would actually hurt to touch.
• The music is a bit loud, but it fits the "epic" vibe.

One thing that felt a bit off was the ending. Once the sun comes back, every single animal and bird starts dancing. It goes on for a bit too long.

I get it, they’re happy. But after ten seconds of birds spinning in circles, I was kind of ready for the credits to roll.

It’s almost like the filmmakers were so relieved to be done with the dark scenes that they just went wild with the "rejoicing" part.

It reminded me of the energy in What Every Woman Wants, just very theatrical and over-the-top. A bit much for me personally.

Still, you can't really fault a movie for being too happy about the sun coming back, especially given when it was made. Things were pretty grim in 1943, so I bet people needed that long dance scene.

Itte is a cool protagonist. He doesn't say much. He just does the work. We need more characters who just shut up and do the thing.

If you're looking for a deep dive into history, you could probably find something more factual like Sam Davis, the Hero of Tennessee, but for pure vibes? *Returned Sun* wins.

The hand-drawn birds are a bit clunky in their movement, but there's a charm to it. It feels like a labor of love.

I’m glad I watched it, even if the ending made me roll my eyes a little bit. It’s a nice reminder that even the smallest person can fix a big problem if they’re brave enough to walk into the dark.

Anyway, it's short. Watch it while you eat lunch. You won't regret the weirdness of it.