A Coffee Vending Machine and its Sword, if the name sounds a bit weird, you are feeling right.
A South Korean short film released in 2007, it explores a not-so-deep plot about a boy who reincarnates as a coffee vending machine and fights his enemies who pop in and out in modern world scenes. He also falls in love and can switch between his boy-like body and a coffee machine with arms and legs.
2D animation from the CJK region has a distinct style and is usually classified as “anime”. While this film follows the anime style guide, the characters have distinct shapes, variations, and proportions compared to traditional and 2000s anime styles, hinting at its non-Japanese origins.
The film has received mixed reviews. While some viewers consider the film funny and a decent one-time watch, others have straight-up labelled it dumb.
The film also exhibits questionable scenes that blur the line between cute and creepy.
In his vending machine avatar, the dispensing slot keeps changing position. At times, the slot is relatively lower, close to the abdomen or zip area.
Other times, it moves slightly upwards in the chest area. Additionally, the slot can open and close.
On the night he meets the girl, he retains the vending machine form, and they sleep together. Not sex, they just sleep side by side, and the dispensation slot positioned fairly low in his body opens up. Much later in the film, the slot moves up, closer to his chest.
It is difficult to grasp the director’s and the storyteller’s intent with the film. The relatively new K-Pop Demon Hunters showed Korea’s competence in animation. A Coffee Vending Machine and its Sword – not so much. Not recommended unless you really want to waste your time.
AD
