The War of the Rohirrim regrettably indulges one of anime’s worst tendencies by eroticising the appearance of its teen heroine.

The War of the Rohirrim may be more enjoyable when consumed not as spin-off but rip-off – a fantasy anime epic that just so happens to share some elements (and music cues) with the Tolkien world.

The characters, executed in clean-lined 2D, are lifeless, oddly stiff in their movements.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is a nostalgic expansion of Middle-Earth, presented in breathtaking animation. However, even the gravitas of the familiar landscape and score cannot sustain this rushed attempt to capture Tolkien’s voice.