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Oct 11, 2017scribby rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
At first this seems like an odd patchwork of more than one, unrelated storyline, in different styles – until it all falls into place about a quarter of the way through the movie. Taeko is recalling memories of her childhood (not all of them good), and the children in her memory are helping her through some difficult adult feelings. One storyline, that of her childhood, is drawn in a standard anime/manga style. The other, of her adult life, is more realistically depicted, almost as if it tries as hard as possible to not be an animated movie. …Which brings up the question: why did they make this as an animated film, not a “live action” drama? The answer is, I believe, that animation can be great art. As much as “live” acting. In this Studio Ghibli film, they’ve taken topics not usually done in animation, and made a spectacular piece of art from it. The detailed background drawings alone (in an atmospheric, semi-Impressionist style) are enough to qualify it, and the emotional depth of the character depictions is without parallel. It’s probably too slow-moving, nostalgic, and thoughty for kids, but I recommend it for adults.