Film

ODDTAXI in the Woods

Name: ODDTAXI in the Woods
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Mystery, Crime
Released: 2022
Cast: Natsuki Hanae, Riho Iida, Ryohei Kimura, Kappei Yamaguchi, Suzuko Mimori

Crime

A feature-length film that recaps the acclaimed *Odd Taxi* anime series while launching a new mystery set after its finale. It's a clever-puzzle crime drama with an animal cast, blending sharp dialogue, intricate plotting, and dark humor. For fans of the show seeking closure and new threads; newcomers should start with the original series.

TMDb rating

3.2

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like mysteries that unfold through small talk and wandering side characters, where a taxi ride can hold a town's secrets and the comedy keeps undercutting the menace.

Skip it if you want a tidy, fast-moving whodunit; this one is talky, meandering and happy to sit with its characters for long stretches, and at over two hours it can drag.

What it asks of you: Settle in for just over two hours, with a slow build, a tonal shift between gags and unease, and attention spent on dialogue as much as on the puzzle.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Baccano!2007

An ensemble crime caper told in fractured timeline, where every character matters and seemingly random details solve the puzzle. The energy and ambition are close cousins to *Odd Taxi*—everyone's chasing something, everyone has a secret.

But The narrative structure is deliberately confusing for the first half. Subtitled anime isn't accessible to everyone, and the violence is occasionally graphic.

Knives Out2019

A murder mystery where the fun is watching the puzzle get dismantled layer by layer, and every character has been hiding something. The plot mechanics and humor match *Odd Taxi* even if the tone is glossier.

But It's a whodunit where the solution matters more than emotional stakes. Some find the self-aware style exhausting rather than charming.

Only Murders in the Building2021

Three misfit strangers become amateur detectives in their apartment building. It shares *Odd Taxi*'s pleasure in rewarding viewers who pay attention, with strong ensemble chemistry and a mystery that actually holds up.

But The first season is stronger than the second. It relies on your affection for the leads, which takes time to build.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from ODDTAXI in the Woods

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Great Pretender2020

Both use animal-adjacent character design or creative aesthetics to offset heavy plotting. Like *Odd Taxi*, it trusts you to follow multilayered conversations and finds humor in characters being smarter than their situations.

A globe-trotting heist anime with gorgeous art, sharp dialogue, and a jazz score that makes everything feel cool. Characters constantly outwit each other through conversation, and the show never condescends to explain why we should care.

But It's episodic and somewhat plotless—a collection of capers rather than a driven narrative. The aesthetic smugness and uneven voice acting can grate.

Memories of Murder2003

A procedural crime film that plays with genre expectation and lets the mystery pull you through. The investigation feels lived-in and morally complex in ways that elevate it beyond puzzle-box entertainment.

But It's a bleak film about an unsolved case. Subtitled Korean cinema with a deliberately ambiguous ending will disappoint those wanting neat closure.

The Gentlemen2020

Guy Ritchie's crime ensemble told through interlocking narratives full of sharp talk and plot reversals. Characters constantly mislead each other (and us), and the pleasure comes from seeing the layers peel back.

But It's a macho fantasy that depends entirely on charm to make morally dubious characters likeable. Some find the knowingness obnoxious.

Steins;Gate2011

A sci-fi mystery where tiny dialogue details become massive plot points. Watching fans rewatch it to spot what they missed mirrors *Odd Taxi*'s appeal: a story designed to reward obsessive attention.

But The first half is slow-paced comedy before it becomes thriller. The anime style and some clunky early writing put people off before the story catches fire.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King2003

An ensemble finale that spends three hours honoring established characters and threads while bringing a sprawling story home. The emotional and structural confidence resemble what *Odd Taxi in the Woods* attempts.

But It's three hours long and very much in fantasy-epic register, not crime mystery. The extended editions test patience even among invested viewers.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King poster

Agatha Christie Poirot1989

David Suchet's portrayal of the meticulous detective is the gold standard for mysteries where listening and observation solve cases. The procedural satisfaction is cousin to *Odd Taxi*'s structural pleasures.

But It's episodic and often straightforward in a way that feels quaint after modern prestige TV. The period setting and tone won't appeal to everyone.

In Bruges2008

Both subordinate plot to character voice. *In Bruges* achieves through dialogue what *Odd Taxi* achieves through listening—the writing itself is the substance, not window dressing.

A dark crime comedy where two hitmen wait in a medieval city after a job goes wrong. The dialogue is obsessively clever without feeling written, and the plot's moral logic is as airtight as any mystery—everything connects.

But It's a film about guilt and consequences, not a puzzle to solve. The indie sensibility and violence won't connect with everyone, and its melancholy core resists easy entertainment.

Paprika2006

Both are animated films that trust the audience completely. Where *Odd Taxi* rewards attention through plotting, *Paprika* rewards it through visual and narrative fragmentation—both require you to stay locked in.

A psychedelic thriller about dream technology where the narrative surface keeps shifting. Visually dazzling and narratively complex, it demands attention and rewards it, assembling itself like a puzzle revealed in real time.

But The story is deliberately disorienting and the plot summary won't help you. It's challenging in register (surreal and abstract) rather than straightforward genre entertainment.