Children Who Chase Lost Voices (2011) User Reviews

Flawed but with immense beauty

[kennethd-3 · 8/10 · 9 September 2011]

Since Hoshi no koe I've been a big fan of Makoto Shinkai and I always find his movies so beautiful that make him the only anime producer who is comparable with Miyazaki Hayao. For his latest work "Children who chase voice from deep below", the story settings and the characters are quite different from his previous works. The idea is likely inspired by the many old myths like the story of Orpheus, who traveled to the underworld and by his music softened the hearts of Gods. Yet "Children who chase voice from deep below" keeps on the track with Shinkai's previous works in discussing loneliness of human beings, but unlike "5 centimetres per second", with hope and love this time.

The music, once again, is perfect and the scenes are delicate and tender. When watching this you find yourself immersed in a dream-like situation where the sky and the trees and the world are of the beauty that far beyond your imagination. Shinkai created perfect environments, the moving wind and the colourful insects, every single detail in every single scene is fantastic. The plot line is a romantic imagination. It portrays a journey of finding hope and love after the every loss throughout our life. It's a reflection of life with fantasy elements. To recover from immense sorrow and stand up again and look forward to the future. I love the message the movie brought to me. However, the story does have flaws. The pace of some parts is too slow while of some parts is too fast. It can be explained by looking at the length of the movie, which is of the longest in Shinkai's works. And obviously, he still has to look for better ways to deal with a "long" movie. Besides it is a pity that Shinkai abandons his talent on talking about modern city life but tries to give a tribute to Miyazaki Hayao by duplicating many elements in Ghibli's anime movies. I have this impression because while watching I thought of Miyazaki Hayao's works like "Princess Mononoke" and "Laputa" in several occasions, yet not as good as those works. A good try with rooms for improvement. After all,however, I still love this film. It reminds me of the beauty in our life. I am particularly touched while on the edge of death the girl Asuna recounts every person in her life she is loved by and says, "After all it was only because of my loneliness." It moves me so much that how our every day will be if we treasure the people still beside us instead of looking for someone or something that is so abstract and beyond our reach. If you love Shinkai, go watch it. It is, definitely, a touching piece for all of us.

A stunning work of art.

[KemeticScience · 8/10 · 10 December 2011]

So I guess I wasn't the only one really excited about Shinkai's new release, "Hoshi o ou Kodomo". With his previous work like "Kumo no mukô, Yakusoku no Basho", "Byôsoku 5 Senchimêtoru" and "Hoshi No Koe" Makato Shinkai has never ceased to impress us with the visual detail and animated scenery, a wonderful blend of color and light that breathes life into the dreamlike landscapes. If you're familiar with his previous films you know what to expect visually, but now to the actual content.

Unfortunately, "Hoshi o ou Kodomo" doesn't share the same uniqueness as say "Kumo no mukô, yakusoku no basho" and "Hoshi No Koe". I could notice resemblance and inspiration from a couple of films, especially Miyazaki's "Spirited Away" and "Princess Mononoke". I even thought of Andrei Tarkovsky's "Stalker" at some points, with the resemblance of the two main characters setting out on a journey through unknown, otherwordly plains, being lonely and in mourning, seeking to make their strongest wishes come true. This is of course the case in most films and in the creation of any aesthetic work, the artist creates something new under the influence of others whether they want it or not. Especially when it comes to film, which affect us on many levels, changing our thought patterns and point of view. The story was compelling and had me engaged from beginning to end. I'm weak when it comes to these spiritual and existential messages and symbolism often presented in Japanese cinema, especially in animations.

"Hoshi o ou Kodomo" is certainly no exception with a centered theme of life and death and the mysterious rumours of a world within the Earth, a place where ancient knowledge and memories dwell, and ancient divine entities wander the land, who used to give guidance to humankind. This film can be interpreted in many different ways, this was mine. The soundtrack is both ethereal and powerful, intertwining with the visuals in a flawless way.

To summarize, Shinkai's new work is a touching and compelling tale of friendship, love and hatred, truth, deceit, but foremost about letting go.

"Hoshi o ou Kodomo" is without any doubt a worthy addition to Makato Shinkai's previous works.

My rating: 8/10

Beautiful Animation, Lackluster Plot

[truemythmedia · 6/10 · 23 May 2019]

"Your Name" ended up being one of my favorite movies of last year, and one of my favorite anime of all time, so I went into this film with relatively high expectations, and as a result, I was slightly disappointed. Don't get me wrong; this movie has a lot of things going for it. I loved the melancholic, almost lazy piano music that plays for the majority of the film- it creates a magical atmosphere that works wonders with the animation style and overall arc of the story. The way that characters and creatures are designed is memorable, and sometimes it's even a little bit frightening and bizarre, but that totally worked for me. The landscapes are beautiful and sometimes strange (though we never quite reach the level of artistic mastery that came with "Your Name"). There were some parts where I really felt for the characters, and then there were other times when I was quite bored.

You may find the tears hard to resist

[howard.schumann · 9/10 · 3 March 2012]

According to Japanese anime director Makoto Shinkai, his latest film Children who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below is a study of "how people are connected" and the relationship between individuals. Although the film is designed primarily for a young audience, adult themes of love and loss abound in its story of mourning lovers attempting to reach out to them across the dimensions. Its theme can also be said to encompass the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism: Life is full of suffering, suffering is caused by attachment, release from suffering is attainable, and there is a path to the end of suffering. Here, the path is setting your loved one free and "saying hello" to a world without them.

Nominated for best animated feature at the Asian Pacific Screen Awards in 2011, the film takes us on a journey to a land deep below the surface of the Earth, the legendary country called Agartha where it is rumored the dead can be brought back to life. Unlike other visionary depictions of mythical kingdoms, Agartha has no magical cities of gold with tall towers and futuristic technology, but rather a rural environment of towns and villages in which mundane life appears similar to those who are called the "topsiders", those who live on the surface (us).

Supported by the ethereal soundtrack of Tenmon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpRFbY189bo, the plot centers around the quest of a young girl of around 11 or 12 named Asuna Watase (Hisako Kanamoto) to find the mythical Agartha, talked about by her substitute teacher, Ryugi Morisaki (Kazuhiko Inoue). Mirroring the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice and its Japanese equivalent, the myth of Izanagi and Izanami, Morisaki longs to travel to Agartha to find his deceased wife Lisa and bring her back with him to Earth. Asuna has also lost a loved one. Her father died when she was little, compelling her mother to work long hours as a nurse. Lonely and withdrawn, she spends her time after school in her private mountain retreat listening to the crystal radio her father had given her.

One day, after hearing beautiful and strange music from her radio, she meets a young boy with supernatural powers named Shun (Miyu Irino), who saves her from the attack of a ferocious bear-like creature. Returning the next day, Shun tells her that he is from Agartha, a land deep inside the core of the hollow Earth. Surprised by a blessing from Shun in the form of a kiss on the forehead, Asuna leaves suddenly but when she comes back the following day, she learns sadly that Shun, while trying to reach for the stars, has fallen off a ledge and died.

Telling her story to Mr. Morisaki, the teacher informs her that in the ancient times, humans were guided by creatures known as "Quetzalcoatls," a name we know from Mesoamerican history as the Aztec God called the "Feathered Serpent" who, according to legend, promised to return one day to lead his people. When Asuna once again returns to her hiding place, she discovers a boy who looks like Shun but who claims to be his brother Shin (Irino). Morisaki poses as a warrior of the group called the Arch Angels, those who want to reach Agartha but are interested only in its wealth and superior knowledge. Morisaki, however, simply wants to find his dead wife Lisa.

Using a device known as a "clavis," he and Asuna enter the underground realms and begin their travel to the Gate of Life and Death, "the undiscovered country from whose bourn no traveler returns." The journey through the subterranean realms is filled with both beauty and the obligatory horror, the norm for sci-fi adventure stories for children. Asuna and Morisaki are attacked by fearful long-toothed monsters (children must have their nightmares), and have to rely on the powers of Shin to save them, even though he had been given the task of retrieving the "clavis" which they possess.

The remainder of the film is filled with numerous plot twists and turns that introduce other characters and some of it can be confusing. The viewer is treated, however, to ravishing visuals that invoke the experience of dimensions far beyond our limited reality. Ultimately, Morisaki and Asuna are forced to choose whether or not they wish to pursue their goal in Agartha or let go and surrender to the wisdom of the universe, and the theme song of the film by Anri Kumaki, "Hello, Goodbye and Hello," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgWb2YSTovA exquisitely embraces the conflicting emotions the characters feel.

Whether or not you have recently lost a loved one, you may find the tears hard to resist. Lost Voices is the first of Shinkai's films that I have seen and it definitely encourages me to see more. Comparisons of Shinkai's themes and style have been made with those of Hayao Miyazaki, but since I have only seen one of Miyazaki's films, I will leave the comparisons to others and just enjoy the warm glow of Shinkai's stunning achievement.

Remarkable work

[J-bot6 · 8/10 · 9 July 2016]

This film was a pleasant surprise to find and watch. The story is compelling, the Japanese voice acting is excellent, and the level of imagination is fantastic.

I was struck by the sheer attention to detail in this film: gradual changes in daylight within individual scenes, subtle dirt and weathering, precise animation of water effects, accurate animation of wildlife, and excellent use of light and color. These little extras did not go unnoticed. All of this helps to create a richer visual experience.

The characters were interesting and quite nuanced and the musical score suits the film well.

Now here's what really surprised me.... This is the director's first full-length feature and first time working with the larger-scale studio system. Couple this with the fact that he's a young director and you have someone with a very strong career ahead of him.

The style of this film is similar to that of Miyazaki, and this is intentional. Miyazaki's style was chosen because it is recognized worldwide and it has proved itself effective for dramatic story-telling. Watching the behind-the-scenes information for this film was fascinating and it was amazing to see how young the crew were. Certainly there is a great deal of talent in Japan today -- talent willing to make 'classic' high-production-value anime. And for that I'm grateful. The next generation is sure to enjoy animation of the level that I enjoyed in my youth.

In summary, I like this film a lot and I highly recommend it. If I were to nitpick this movie, I'd say that a few scenes were cut short a tiny bit too soon. I recommend the director watch the director's commentary for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. In there is a discussion about holding the camera at the end of a scene and why it's important for dramatic shots. I should also mention that although this is an animated film, there are scenes of violence and some sequences that children may find frightening.

So if you're a fan of Miyazaki's work or simply a fan of imaginative drama and fantasy films, be sure to check this one out.

Opens On A Promising Note But Ends Up Overstaying Its Welcome In The End

[CinemaClown · 1 January 2018]

Blending elements of fantasy, sci-fi & romance into an ambitious coming-of-age tale, Children Who Chase Lost Voices truly astonishes on a technical scale but it's also marred in the storytelling department, for its structure is a mess and the plot is overlong. And the longer it goes, the more tedious it becomes. An extravagant effort from Makoto Shinkai that unfortunately isn't as rewarding as expected.

Pleasant, but leaves some loose threads

[cherold · 7/10 · 11 February 2014]

This is a nice little movie notable primarily for its visual beauty. The story is loosely constructed but engaging, the mythical creatures are imaginative, and the whole thing is, while not especially memorable, generally enjoyable.

On the other hand, I felt the movie kept implying things and then just dropping them. A mysterious boy's statements to the girl seem fraught with meaning, suggesting some back story that is then never revealed. A strange crystal also must have some sort of history, but what? It's as the movie has unplumbed depths.

This may be the reason that at the end I didn't have the feeling of satisfaction I experience at the end of other movies (like the films of Miyamota). There is something absent from this one. But it's still a nice movie.

A Beautiful Story, Gorgeously Told

[alisonc-1 · 8/10 · 20 July 2012]

Every culture has a story about the Underworld, where the souls of the dead reside and where, sometimes, the living can find their way in hopes of bringing a loved one back to life. In "Children Who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below," Agartha is the name of that Underworld, and when young Asuna (voiced by Hisako Kanemoto) finds herself interacting with a boy from Agartha, Shun (voiced by Miyu Irino), her whole world is changed. Shun saves her from a frightening creature, but then he himself is killed. In the meantime, the substitute teacher taking over for the regular teacher of Asuna's class, Mr. Morisaki (voiced by Kazuhiko Inoue), is all-too-familiar with stories from and about Agartha, and he is determined to get there in order to bring his wife, dead 10 years, back to the world of the living. But the balance of all the worlds depends on such things not happening, and there are many forces arrayed against Mr. Morisaki and young Asuna who has willingly joined him in his quest, for she hopes to find a living Shun. Instead she finds Shun's younger brother, Shin (also voiced by Miyu Irino), whose loyalties and desires are not perhaps favourable to Asuna....

Anime is Japan's version of "cartoons," although they tend to be much more complex and beautiful than Hanna-Barbera ever thought of, and this is one very beautiful piece of work. The images are exquisite and the colours are wonderful, the underworld of Agartha is just as real as the everyday world Asuna initially inhabits. And the storyline, essentially a meditation on letting go of the past while still being free to mourn lost loved ones, is much more resonant for adults than for kids. The writer and director, Makoto Shinkai, has been compared with the great anime master, Hayao Miyazaki, and while those are mighty shoes indeed to fill, Shinkai's work has the same kind of gentleness and beauty; he is surely a talent to watch for in the coming years. A beautiful film, and well worth seeking out.

Japanese

[google-632-622436 · 7/10 · 8 May 2013]

I discovered Shinkai's movies because of 5 centimeters per second. A film that struck me deep, and which I really loved because of it. I bought his earlier works, but didn't like them as much. I had high hopes for his new movie, this one, but seeing the themes and the more magical world it would play in, I was a little disappointed. Still I did watch it, together with my brother, because we also enjoy Miyazaku movies.

The movie is visually very stunning. It's the best animation I have seen, so pretty. I would give it a 10 for that.

The story, like many other Japanese movies, contain a lot of "what the heck ?" moments, where sudden emotional states of the characters are totally not relatable, or feelings seem weirdly suddenly deep. It makes you wonder about how Japanese people/culture handles emotions and feelings, and if Japanese people themselves can relate to the characters in the movie. Miyazaku movies have the seem issue, like protagonists feeling sudden love for someone they just met for a few seconds...

The story itself contains some mythological elements, and it left me wondering if those elements are more familiar to Japanese people or are embedded in Japanese culture. However, it's always nice to see a more unfamiliar story arc. Negative point is that much is introduced without really explaining things, and therefor you are left with a lot of questions about things.

I thought the minor violence in the movie is a bit negative because of the graphical display of it. I don't think that was needed.

It's not as good as 5 centimeters, but bearable. Really hope Shinkai will return to it's non- fantasy setting in his next movie.

Beautiful, Dark and Enchanting

[ragbisalwa · 10/10 · 10 February 2013]

I have been such a huge fan of Ghibli studio that i was not aware there was anything that could compare to such classic masterpieces the likes of Mononka and spirited away. But Makoto Shinkai, children who chase lost voices was amazing. It is very similar to Ghibli although different at the same time.

I love the animation, the storyline is very mature and deals with difficult issues such as, loss of loved ones, independence and making life changing decisions. I can imagine this would perhaps be a little scary for a young child to watch. I am 26 and thought at times it became a little too dark and intense. Such an original story line and original characters.

I prefer Japanese animi to Disney and American movies as the content is usually very childish and brain dead. Japanese animi really does deal with issues that some contemplate often. Life, death, love and friendship.

I can not wait to watch more from Makoto Shinkai. I rate this in the top 10 best Japanese animi :D

Mythical

[nicolechan916 · 7/10 · 18 May 2016]

First off, the animation and visuals in this film are quite stunning. The landscape shots are spectacular and breathtaking. The colours are vibrant and really bring the world of the film to life. The human characters, though are seemingly normal, is what Japanese anime is known for. To have average looking human characters that imply could be anyone. The other creatures in the film are appropriately strange as characteristic of Japanese anime.

The narrative is also equally strange. It has a very dark tone to it, and the topics of life and death add to the darkness. What I like about Japanese animation is that they aren't afraid to make the characters 'human' in the sense that each and everyone of them has flaws. You might think you have grasped a character, but then the film goes deeper and adds another element to them. Unlike Hollywood characters who are usually one dimensional (what you see is what you get), these characters show sides of themselves that are unpredictable and that come up at the end.

Additionally, a popular theme for Japanese anime films is that of the coming of age story - especially involving female protagonists. I don't think I actually know a coming of age anime that has a male protagonist...I'm not sure what this implies. Going off that, there is a lack of important female characters in this film (apart from the protagonist) which I dislike.

The soundtrack is, for the most part, soothing and complements the narrative well. With the fighting scenes, it sometimes felt like an action movie. Those scenes are well done in terms of animation, visual effects and music accompaniment.

Overall, an interesting film though it did at times make me wonder what in the world I was watching (Japanese cinema tends to make me think that). The animation is great and the characters likable. However, it can be quite slow at times and may be hard to get absorbed into the narrative.

It's okk

[narendrkumarspl · 7/10 · 12 September 2021]

This anime is not too bad nor too good you can try it but I think you can find more anime which is better than this . Anyways this is my personal review some people may like this anime but for me it's just okay.

The Most Beautiful Film i Have Ever Seen.

[Agartha87 · 10/10 · 29 April 2012]

This is Shinkai's finest film to date, a hard feat to achieve given his previous work. From the very first scene to the very last it is a visual masterclass that puts all other Anime Films in it's shadow in terms of beauty. Shinkai has really gone to great length's to make this film come alive with colour, artistry & technicality that will take your breath away.

Tenmon is a regular in Shinkai's works & as always his soundtrack is perfect, beautiful in places & even more beautiful in others it is a real gem that will tug on your heartstrings which brings me nicely to the story of this film. This film is all about losing someone & how hard it is to say goodbye to them, it will move u emotionally (like all of his work), even with the moments of happiness & lightheartedness thrown in this is still a serious film about loneliness & the grieving of losing loved ones which is not going to be to everyones taste.

if u have watched Shinkai's previous works then yes this is as good as u hoped & more so, it is part Shinkai & part Miyazaki, it is an Epic Fantasy Adventure crossed with the Poetic Ethereal beauty u come to expect from Makoto Shinkai films.

This film will have it's critics like all films do but like all films U should be the one to make your own mind up, i think this is the best film i have ever watched & in my honest opinion it may only be bettered by Makoto Shinkai's next work, what ever it may be :) 10/10.

PS. To all the people comparing parts of this film to parts of Miyazaki's best works please listen to what u are saying... anything that can be compared to those films needs to be applauded & i'm sure that if Miyazaki has seen this film he will be happy that he has left a legacy of film makers that will continue to produce stunning Anime Films like this one for many years to come.

awesome setup and then ... meh

[A_Different_Drummer · 7/10 · 8 November 2022]

Great start. Had so much going for it. The style of the anime is "golden era" classic. The outdoor scenes are lush and green. The characters are appealing. The story starts well. The exposition on Inner Earth is solid. There is the promise of great things to come. But it never does. Not only is the second half of the movie a let-down, but on reaching Agartha we learn that it itself is crumbling ... and yet we never learn why? ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

Excellent Miyazaki ripoff

[jose-cruz53 · 9/10 · 13 January 2013]

Shinkai is one of the most talented auteurs working in the medium of animation. This is his third feature length film and it is his longest and most complex film to date. Instead of the more current anime style of 5 centimeters per second this one features the classic japanimation style of Ghibli's films.

The best thing about this film are the visuals: indeed one of the most beautiful films I have ever watched, each second of this film is pure visual joy. However, the rest of the film is not up to the standards set by the visuals.

Indeed, this film is a homage to Miyazaki in every way possible. The main plot is derived from Castle in the Sky (which I think is Shinkai's favorite film), while there are several scenes taken directly from Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa. The cat/creature mimi, for instance, is obviously derived from Teto while Asuna looks almost like Satsuki from My Neighbor Totoro.

However, despite being highly unoriginal the film works very well. It is not as powerful as 5 Centimeters per Second but it is richer visually and thematically.

A Top Secret Unit of Elite Fighting Comparative Mythologists

[BabelAlexandria · 8/10 · 19 July 2020]

This movie, with its gorgeous animated vistas and hopeful if melancholic feel was impressive overall, even if it suffered from plot incoherence. This is a trend we've noticed in some recent (non-Ghibli) Japanese anime. It also shares a typical feature of these movies, the shy, introspective girl who is drawn into a fantastic world (e.g. The Cat Returns, Wonderland). Here the goal is to explore the underworld, which seems to be a post-mortem realm filled with dead people and gods, vast and yet declining, vulnerable to human infiltration. And that is precisely what happens here, the girl chasing the voice of a love interest she will never really have, and her teacher, who collects lore about the afterlife from ancient cultures, who is looking to retrieve his dead wife. If that sounds like Orpheus, the ending certainly reflects it in some ways, but otherwise there are actually very few allusions to traditions about the underworld, beyond a few monstrous guards, and a steam-punk ancient Mesopotamian aesthetic reminiscent of Castle in the Sky. Despite the awkward plot, my kids and I were drawn in by the amazing visuals and sense of foreboding that is present at the start and only grows as the adventure continues.

Sienna's rating: 7 or 8 stars Paul's rating: 8 stars Seb's rating: 8 stars.

Hard to believe Ghibli did not make the film

[siderite · 8/10 · 25 September 2015]

A young adolescent girl that is both virginally cute, intelligent and strong willed goes into a world that anyone would have believed it a fantasy, filled with weird and wonderful beings, demons and guardians alike. Sounds familiar? It is incredibly difficult to believe this is not one of Ghibli's productions, as it copies the character, story and animation styles from Hayaio Miyazaki's films, like Princess Mononoke or Howl's Moving Castle.

The story, however, is a little bit lopsided. The apparent gravity defying feats of characters that otherwise are completely human or some of the underworkings of the hollow Earth world of Agartha are completely unexplained. Some things seem to happen just because they need to and some happen without any relevance to the story or mood of the film.

Still very good animation and storyline, though. I recommend it.

Thrilling Adventure, Amazing Animation & Beautiful Meaning

[sisubalan · 10/10 · 10 August 2022]

I rarely rate full stars but this movie deserves it all. Despite this movie released on 2011, the quality of the anime still better than any other recent movie. Surprised that isnt made by studio ghibli. Amazing animation, outstanding sound scores and effects, interesting original storyline with amazing world building aspect. Amazing voice casts and characters design fit perfectly with the tone of this movie and the plot. Thrilling adventure and great action scenes. Exciting horror part of this movie. This movie got everything that you could ask for. Great representation of certain culture and myth. Brought me to tear at the end. ' Staying alive is a blessing, so live your life with no regrets and stop chasing after the ghosts from your past. Move on'. Not to forget the end credit scene song was so calming and sounds beautiful. Highly recommended, not a typical movie for underage children due to horrific scenes.

One of the Finest Fantasy-Based Animes I've Seen

[zacharywoodman · 10/10 · 19 March 2014]

Makoto Shinkai is the rising star of the past decade in the anime world. Those who are familiar with his previous films, such as "Voices of a Distant Star" and "5 Centimeters Per Second" know him for his borderline photo-realistic animation and bittersweet stories of unfulfilled love. In many ways, this film continues that dialogue, however in a manner that is far more comparable to the traditional anime.

The story, based heavily off of the Japanese myth of Izangai and the underworld (Shinkai studied classic Japanese literature in college), tells of a young girl who hears a distant tune through her radio receiver as she escapes monotonous, lonely everyday life in the woods. One day on her way to her hide out, a "bear" (who is really a spiritual guardian) attacks her on the bridge and she is saved by a mysterious boy. The boy receives an injury during her rescue, and is found days later dead in the river. She ventures into a fantastical underworld-- Agartha--with her teacher, who is seeking to revive his lost wife. The story beautifully conveys the permanent loneliness of loss.

Many have compared it to Studio Ghibli's films, calling it a "ripoff" or "copy" of Hiyo Miyazaki's masterpieces. While, no doubt, this is inspired and comparable to Miyazaki, it is very different in many, many ways. First of all, it is a bit more mature thematically than most of Miyazaki's works. Second of all, the animation is stylistically different (opting more for light-oriented realism) and the plot develops a lot slower and more deliberately than what one expects from Miyazaki.

Thus complete par- for-par comparisons between the two are misguided. If you approach the film expecting a Miyazaki aspiration, you will be disappointed and that's not the point. It is more like a wondrous marriage of Shinkai's signature melancholy, introspective, cerebral style and Miyazaki's fantastical grandeur. Despite the differences, with this film Sinkai has shown us that if there is one director that can take the tradition Miyazaki and Ghibli has established into the next century it is he.

The strongest points of the film include Shinkai's greatly improved character rendering--though, not perfect, far better than his previous efforts. Wonderfully executed plot that develops in a slow, well-thought out manner. Sometimes in such stories of fantasy, directors let the plot get away from them, progressing it far too quickly; however, Shinkai kept the pace at the established rate. The character development was incredible as well.

He also absolutely wonderful scenes of what film critic Robert Ebert has deemed "pillow scenes"--short, inconsequential shots such as a dragonfly on the water, or bird in the sky, or tree out a window--to take a quick breather in between important scenes. They are not only absolutely wonderfully animated, but put in to make the plot feel more natural, progress more realistically and, in this case, give the film a cerebral aesthetic which only adds to the movement of the audience. Though an important feature of many great anime movies, this is probably the film I've seen them used the most effectively. In his past films, Shinkai's over-used them, but had just the right amount in this one It's partially Shinkai's masterful control of lighting and photo realism, I found myself pausing and rewinding at times just to admire an inconsequential butterfly or shimmering sky.

This is probably only the third anime movie I've given 10 stars, but it deserves every last one of them. Highly recommended.

A visual masterpiece full of vision and attention to detail.

[artificeprime · 9/10 · 16 October 2013]

It is extremely rare to find animated movies that are both intimately beautiful, while also being mature, epic and imaginative. This is one of the very few anime movies of this level that is not made by studio Ghibli. The story starts out in a simple setting but even the simple scenes are so beautifully illustrated that they are just as interesting as the grander ones. The attention to detail is astounding and the environments are the type that you wish you could live in.

The supernatural story blends seamlessly into the plot by taking advantage of real world mythology and mixing existing cultural symbolism with imaginative ideas. There are so many fantastic mythological references throughout the film that will probably go unnoticed by most people but for those who are looking they are there to appreciate.

The the characters are all very believable and deal with complex emotions. The themes of the movie are also deep and thought provoking.

This is a visual masterpiece with a concept and story that are equally inspired. While the movie clearly pays homage to Ghibli films it also stands on its own merits and style. One of the best Animated films ever made.

Coming back to something familiar

[NewYorkNewYork2019 · 9/10 · 9 January 2012]

The visuals alone with their rich colours and excellent direction would command a 10 out of 10. It is a very rare treat to see such beautifully animated films anymore. It is wonderful the Japanese stick to tried and true animation and do not go for the dreadful CGI animations the Americans tend to churn out (Do not get me started on TINTIN).

That said, the story was not as strong as I had hoped. Without spoiling anything, I will leave it at that. However, I would say that as far as the animation goes, it ranks up there with my favourite Ghibli films.

After the screening, I was lucky enough to hear the director talk about the film and I found it interesting to see where he got his idea from. One thing that struck me and made a lot of sense is that he talked about leaving home (Japan) and then coming back home and he realised how he really felt about home. After he said that, I felt like I connected with the story more.

Beautiful visuals and emotional storytelling at its finest

[bradencheney · 10/10 · 19 January 2020]

Now, I'm not the kind of person to pay attention to the details when it comes to anime or other kinds of media, but this little piece of art here changed that. The first time I watched this, I cried. I cried for a solid ten minutes. And I found myself sitting in pure awe, admiring every single scene, and listening to every bit of story. I was purely captivated by it all. This is how it should be done.

Beautiful Setting and Plot

[jibranahmad · 9/10 · 16 December 2016]

The movie plot was very thought out and deeply emotional. The plot itself was simple but with a mixture of elements and tools of delivery that made it complex and beautiful. The idea of magical elements, connection between characters, and their adventure was very beautiful if you can connect with the characters and their situation. This is the type of movie you have to truly immerse into to appreciate. The detail and settings is what have given me the memorable feelings. The meaning behind each element have enhanced the emotions as well. Some aspects could have been approached better, and some introductions and twists depend a bit too much on the viewer, but overall I loved it!

Quite a letdown

[vincentlfh · 1/10 · 27 May 2016]

Feels like it's trying a bit hard. The plot i thought was quite terrible and too dramatic. Several parts(or let's just say most of it) of the film just felt like it wasn't quite in place. Like the storyline wasn't very well put together. His earlier films were better, kind of more, ambiance like feel. This one does, feel like it's trying hard to be something it's not. Also, i think visually it wants to be Ghibli-ish which is not necessarily a bad thing. You can see the characters, resembles characters from ghibli movies the girl from "whisper of the heart", creatures that look like it's from "princess mononoke", and "spirited away". Watch just for 10 minutes and you might have feel some of these things that i did.

Still my favorite Shinkai film

[k-gordo17 · 8/10 · 24 April 2023]

Hot take: this is still my favorite Shinkai film, and the one that made me explore the rest of his filmography. While this film is flawed, this is the one from him that emotionally resonated the most for me.

I've called it the depressing "Spirited Away", since it takes the concept of that movie but focuses on heavier subject matter of loss, grief, and regret. Some of the plot elements are half baked or incomplete, but this show has a vibe that has stuck with me upon first viewing.

I also believe this has the best animation of all his films. His later films have a modern and glossy look to them that rely more on CGI. His earlier films on the other hand were janky as they were still working with new technology and a lower budget. The animation for this film is right in the sweet spot of fully utilizing the technology without relying on it as a crutch. It looks amazing on blu-ray.

On top of that, this film contains the best score from his films. The scale of this world they enter feels so grand and large with the music soaring it'll give you goosebumps every time. Half of the credit for the emotional scenes should go to the score. I wish he continued working with this composer.

As mentioned, the biggest flaw is the story elements. While you do connect with the main character the entire way and understand her motivations, everything around her is somewhat underdeveloped. The ending is abrupt; I wish the resolution was expanded on a little more.

If you are not a fan of Shinkai at all this likely won't win you over. However, if you are a fan of Shinkai, I would not overlook this one.