Giovanni's Island (2014) User Reviews

The consequence of the WWII on the two Japanese children.

[Reno-Rangan · 7/10 · 24 September 2015]

The latest Japanese anime, based on the fictional account. Following the Japan's surrender during the World War II, the narration concentrates how the people are affected by the consequences of the war. The movie opens with the two elderly people heading towards their childhood village, recalling their memories. The entire movie was from the children's perspective of what they have seen.

The story of two young boys living in a remote island of the Japan. Who are obsessed with the toy trains and hopes see them in real one day. When Soviet invades the island and forced to live under their rule with coexist. The life remains unaffected, the children go to the school as usual, where these two boys meet the young Russian blonde girl and befriends. What comes after is the struggle that becomes a lot tougher by the days come and surviving becomes challenging.

It was not a top notch anime as I was expecting, but had a decent storyline and the characters. Still, it was a traditional presentation and so pleasant to watch. Somewhat it reminds the 'Grave of the Fireflies', but comparable with that, it was only the less emotionally appealing. The end really got me, I felt the depth. The strong conclusion was the movie's strength, otherwise I would have not liked the flick this much. Yet, I am not sure whether everybody going to like it or not, but still I suggest it only if you're convinced by other than my review too.

6½/10

japan war history

[WeAreLive · 8/10 · 6 February 2021]

A dramatic yet heart-warming story of cross-cultural friendship among children in the aftermath of WWII, presented by Tokyo-based award-winning animation studio Production I.G. Based on true events.

I thought the movie was good and emotional. Thats all there is to it.

Modern Japan vs awesome japan

[kkuhn-44960 · 6/10 · 19 April 2021]

Nice story. It's very humorous. I'm enjoying it. It's pictures a lot how idealistic Japanese class rooms look like.

It's awesome picture for people who like traditional Japanese and further continuation.

It's less westernized than today/modern japan.

Touching

[Sh31kh_H0kv5 · 6/10 · 29 April 2023]

Beautiful tale, as is am not sure if it's history to be precise, cannot say neither it's a concept derived from both sides though the source is quite telling the structure is entirely real, anime adaptations over the years is at a breakneck speed mostly the fact that they captivate you in a sense of belonging that keeps the thrill there for you pleasure, in that instance your thoughts begins to collect data from different facets of the same anime prediction is pointless that's why all i do keep on is my attention to details so i can make a good remark and as far as remark goes this one hits the spot.

Beautiful, Affecting Anime from Japan

[alisonc-1 · 10/10 · 27 July 2014]

Junpei and his little brother Kanta are growing up on a small, far- northerly island of Japan, near the east coast of Russia, during and after World War II. After the Japanese are defeated, Soviet soldiers and their families take over the island, forcing the Japanese inhabitants to live in barns and to get by on small rations of rice smuggled to them from their former military posts. At first, Junpei and his family resent the Russians, but then he and Kanta meet Tanya, the daughter of the Soviet commander who is living in what was once their home. Children being children, they soon are playing together, learning each other's language and maybe, just maybe, falling a little bit in love. But when Junpei's father is betrayed to the Soviets, Junpei blames Tanya, believing that she told her father a secret with which he had entrusted her. There are other possible suspects, but by the time Junpei learns the truth, he and all the other Japanese are being moved off the island into internment camps, far away from Tanya....

This is a really beautiful animated film, filled with both humour and loss, all told on a human scale where nobody is all-good and nobody is all-bad. One of the most affecting scenes involves the Japanese schoolchildren singing a folk song (in Japanese, of course) while in the next school room, Russian children are singing a Russian folk song; by the end of the scene, the Japanese kids are singing the Russian song and vice versa. Just one example of how this film shows the resilience of youth and the common humanity of everybody in the world. Perhaps my favourite film at Montreal's Fantasia Festival this year; a real gem.

Powerful, Heartbreaking and Sweet at the Same Time

[arorashadow_2003 · 9/10 · 18 January 2015]

"Giovanni's Island" takes cues from other acclaimed movies such as "Grave of the Fireflies" and "Barefoot Gen" telling a wartime movie from the perspective of a child. This film is set in the first two years following Japan's defeat and surrender in World War II and how the Soviet Union occupied the northern island and with troops have come their families. This evolves into a a story of childhood friendship between brothers Junpei and Kanata who give their names as Giovanni and Campanella from "Night on the Galactic Railroad" by Kenji Miyazawa and a Russian girl named Tanya. What evolves from there is a seemingly simple story of a boy-meets-girl friendship crossing cultural and language barriers. For the first half, the second half of the movie goes into the deportation of Japanese residents and the boys desperately wanting to find their interned father. While the story does divide into two different plots it still keeps the emotion and power going.

The magical feeling between the children's relationship is captured with the visuals as the boys emulate and recite their favorite story of "Galactic Railroad" showing all the imagination of small children. Playing with the train set for the first time just gives that magical feeling that will leave you feeling uplifted.

The heartbreak and tragedy all come out in the second half of the movie as the boys lose their father as a prisoner, are forced to deport their home and eventually little Kanata dies of a serious illness. But the movie rebounds with a uplifting ending of seeing the older survivors return once more to their old homeland to be given their diplomas for primary school and we see Junpei unite with Tanya's daughter and grand daughter.

The film is visually striking being a very stylish hand-drawn animated film even with hand drawn and painted backgrounds. The character designs are all unique and will bear a resemblance to those of Studio Ghibli's work. The imagination and fantasy sequences are beautiful and will capture your own imagination.

Personally I would have liked to have seen a little more time with Junpei and Tanya. We get a fair amount of time with them but the second half of the film they are torn apart. It's understandable but I think that portion of the film could have been a little shorter. We never did get any real closure on the fate of Junpei's father either.

The film goes the extra mile by using real Russian and Japanese dialogue intermixed with each other but at times it seems the characters understood each other just a little too well.

"Giovanni's Island" is a very inspired and impactful post-war character drama with a few minor flaws but otherwise it is a wonderful film that will tug at your heartstrings quite a bit I know it tugged at mine.

Heartwarming..

[bookworm1747 · 10/10 · 24 September 2018]

I just finished watching this about ten minutes ago, and I'm still feeling like I'm about to sob my eyes out.. This movie was so beautiful, I am amazed at the intensity of the storyline. It's sad to see that this was only a taste of what the Japanese went through during this time, but it opens your eyes to the reality through this anime. I'm kind of in awe of how moving this was to me. I watched it thinking it would be a cute little movie, but this was definitely 10/10! Worth watching a hundred times more. I hope you decide to watch this and become as amazed at the beauty of it as I was!!

When the war ended...

[stronzocappello · 9/10 · 2 May 2022]

We have plenty of films depicting WW2, but not as much about when it ended. For the surrendering countries, the end of the war didn't mean peace. Despite the war being over, returning soldiers were still taken as prisoners of war by Soviets, shipped to Siberia as mentioned in the film; families were separated, taken to interment camps, and the conditions killed many.

This movie encapsulates and beautifully illustrates the Japanese experience of the 'end' of WW2. Each character represents a different attitude taken at the time towards duty and country, giving each attitude its justice without bias.

It's amazing to see the history of my German great grandparents reflected in this film, despite it being about Japan; this history is often entirely neglected since they were the bad guys, but through stories like these, we experience these hardships and sufferings overlooked by the world. The film represents both the Japanese and the Soviets as humans, likewise important despite the harm the USSR did to Japan.

The impact is great yet simple, a very enjoyable film, not too heavy yet plucks a few heartstrings still and leaves an impression. The animations is lovely and drives home the themes of the movie.

I'm surprised no one wrote this!

[serene_h · 5/10 · 17 November 2023]

The movie is very beautiful and toy in all aspects except one big awful idea, which is normalizing with barbaric occupation and befriending the enemy who took their house and eventually forced them to leave the island due to hunger and humiliation!

It's absurd! I'm sure no American will give it even 5 stars, if the displaced boy and his family were American!

It's sad how Japanese children are being raised to accept all that.

I can't believe it! It's THEIR Island, yet after 50 years, it was still occupied and that was totally acceptable by the protagonist when visiting the island. He was sad only because he didn't find his Russian friend.