Writer Sion Sono has made his mark on the history of Fantasia with major, often darkly humorous works such as SUICIDE CLUB and LOVE EXPOSURE. So when it was announced that he was making a mainstream musical in the spirit of Christmas, fusing good-natured humour, fantasy, romance, J-pop and a huge kaiju that unintentionally messes up Tokyo, all the while addressing real social issues, there was a certain amount of scepticism. To say that the North American premiere of LOVE & PEACE was a pleasant surprise at Fantasia 2015 would be an understatement, as it won the Gold Audience Award for Best Asian Film following a raucous screening where the enthusiasm was palpable. The adventures of an introverted office worker who blossoms into a popular music star, inspired by his beloved turtle lost in the sewers where a homeless man brings abandoned toys to life and gives him a candy that makes him grow, is heartwarming and deserves to become a Christmas classic. As is its soundtrack, which will surely make you sing out loud