Name(s): A linchpin / Kanamewo / カナメヲ
Format: Original net animation [ONA] (1 5-minute episode)
Studio(s): N/A (unknown)

A linchpin is a 5-minute short film detailing a young adult woman who comes across a shrine spirit that has escaped from its shrine that’s being demolished. It is a shrine spirit, but it looks more like a blue alien toddler. Initially, the woman takes care of the alien spirit like a daughter, teaching it how to be human, but they get a little too frisky and they start making out and have sex. Then the spirit dies.

The film is free of dialogue and all audio is the song Lust for Summer Blues by Adustam. It’s an extremely obnoxious dissonant, off-key electronic/rock soundtrack that made me wish I was on a PC with an easily adjustable volume knob and not a laptop. Overall, just kind of a quick “what the fuck” thing with solid animation quality that just lacks a distinctive style, and the story it presents appears arbitrarily bizarre and lacking in emotional weight. I can’t think of a particular reason to recommend this.