Taeko Okajima is a 27-year-old, independent woman who spent her entire life in Tokyo. Looking to unwind from the rush of the big city, she decides to visit her family in the country to help out during the harvest.
On the train there, Taeko vividly recalls her memories as a schoolgirl in the initial stages of puberty, as if she is on a trip with her childhood self. A young farmer named Toshio picks her up at the station, and they quickly develop a friendship. During her stay, Taeko forms strong bonds with family and friends, learning the contrasts between urban and rural life, as well as the struggles and joys of farming.
Nostalgic and bittersweet, Omoide Poroporo takes on Taeko's journey as an adult woman coming to terms with her childhood dreams compared to the person she is today.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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YourMessageHere
Now and again, I find I'm being asked why I like anime, and what's so special about it. One answer you hear given quite often to questions like this is "it's not just for kids, anime is for grownups too". I used to say this too, but in the case of much of what's out there, after much thought I realised that's not really accurate. Sure, there's anime out there that's full of sex and/or death and/or 'mature themes', and a lot of things that are more complex than children are thought to be able to deal with, but not much anime,if we're being honest, deals with proper complex issues. Or at least, not in any more complex a way than your average US live action TV series like 24 or Star Trek; anime might not all be for kids, but precious little isn't primarily aimed at teenagers (which is an observation, not a criticism, of course). However, there are a handful that are; the odd thing that really stands out and can be held up as an example of how mature and subtle and truly notable anime as a medium, a style or a genre (call it what you will) can be. I'm happy to now be able to add Only Yesterday to that exclusive group.
First of all, Ghibli. I don't really believe in brand names as a rule, but if there's one name that I feel like I can safely and consistently associate with the highest standards and best quality, it's Studio Ghibli. In this case, the famous Hayao Miyazaki is producer rather than in charge, and Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies) is director. In this combination, they are as good as one can expect, but not quite in the way one expects.
The resulting film isn't really as child-friendly as other Ghibli films, in that it's not full of the fun characters and exciting situations that kids will love as they do My Neighbour Totoro or Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds. A glance at the tags area will show you that "slice of life" is the most popular description of this film, and this is even more accurate than the label usually is; it's simply 27-year-old office worker Taeko's mixing of her working holiday on a farm with her reminiscence of her 10-year-old self, and the way this experience makes her question the direction her life is taking. It's also among the best implementations of such an approach I can think of; this slice of life is gripping, and pulls no punches, in its own domesticated but quietly gut-wrenching way. But it's a rare child that appreciates the drama of family relationships, and will stay glued to explorations of the niceties of urban versus rural ways of life and adult versus child ways of thinking. What I'm trying to say is, you may well bore your kids if you mistake this for typical Ghibli and stick them in front of it, but you yourself may be too wrapped up in it to notice.
For those who are striving to convince a sceptic that anime isn't just huge-eyed, twinkling Majikal Girls, spiky-haired swordsmen, giant robots, cutesy animal caricatures and the odd smattering of tentacled obscenity, this is a prime counter-example of "for grown-ups" anime. The acting is superb; Miki Imai as the adult Taeko, Toshiro Yanagiba as her friend Toshio, and Youko Honna as the young Taeko are all natural, believable and thoroughly excellent, and the rest of the cast all just about as talented. The script is possibly the best I've ever encountered in anime, one that's so good it makes scriptwriting look easy. It manages to use naturalistic dialogue to communicate a masterful grasp of the power and impact of memory, of the way tiny things stick in your mind like thorns years down the line, of the way things you learn now can change your personal history utterly at a stroke. This is very much a film that strikes a chord for me; I may be male, English and hate gardening, but as a 26-year-old, I see myself in Taeko, in that I too have memories of childhood that, for some reason, just won't go away sometimes - I think everyone with a little life experience does.
The visuals, too, are of a usual stellar Ghibli standard, with an interesting twist. As I watched, I was partly slightly bothered and partly wondering at the faces of the characters; there's something different, something out of the ordinary, just a bit odd about their depiction, and it wasn't until I watched the DVD's 'making of' extra that it fell into place. What Takahata and crew have done is concentrate on muscles; all the adult characters have realistically sculpted cheekbones and other facial contours that aren't usually present even in the most exactingly drawn anime. It manages to pick up tiny nuances of facial expression that give characters a much wider and finer emotional range than normal. The effect is one of hyperrealism; in this very rare instance, I found I was able to read faces as if I were watching live action, and I was forgetting this was hand-animated. Other details, such as the incredibly fine use of colour, are more like standard fare for Ghibli but none the less impressive for this. One standout scene is a sunrise over the field in which Taeko is working, which is both gorgeous and technically amazing. The slight but notable use of faded earthy colours and reds for scenes from Taeko's past and the bright, predominantly green-blue scenes of the present-day are very well executed; it's never unclear when we are seeing.
Music by Masaru Hoshi is, while not astounding, entirely pleasing, peaceful, and highly appropriate, but here to steal the scene from left field, please welcome the Hungarian folk choir! This odd, odd choice is...just right. It's haunting stuff, full of undertones implying the hidden, benign but huge power of nature (another often-encountered Studio Ghibli calling card) and even though it's not really relevant in any logical way, it simply works. The ending song by Harumi Miyako is a lovely bit of music, and for once, it really fits the film it's attached to.
You could conceivably criticise the film simply for being anime; even in 1991, making a live-action Only Yesterday would not be hard; there's no fantastic landscapes or technology, no gravity defying costumes or hair, nothing out of the ordinary in the film at all. But once again, part of the reason that this is impressive is because it's something of a risk that was taken and which paid off; because it would be easy to do as live-action doesn't necessarily make that a better stylistic choice, but that it works as animation by showcasing novel animation ideas mixed with great talent can do nothing but improve it. Also, the way anime creates its entire world gives an animation some advantages. Firstly, a story like this, all about details, draws attention to those details more effectively if you're watching with half an eye on the look out for art style, as many anime fans do - film a woman picking a flower and it's pretty, but animate one that truly compares, and it's stunning. Also, the way viewers suspend their disbelief constantly for animation allows the impossible to seamlessly integrate into the commonplace. This only happens once, at the end, but in practice it's so naturally and gracefully done, and so basically right, that instead of going "yeah, that was a nice idea", the impact of the scene and the emotional lift it gives you are much more pronounced.
If the film has any weaknesses, it would be pacing; for a film that's by it's nature leisurely and gradual, it is perhaps a touch too leisurely and gradual in places, and while almost all of Taeko's recollections are relevant, perhaps one or two are a bit spare and peripheral. While I'll admit I am sort of blown away by it, I also recognise that it's not perfect, hence a mark knocked off; and yes, you need to be in the right mood to get the most from this film. I've been waiting months since I got it for the right moment; this morning was finally it, and it delivered. Other than that, well, the only way you'll have any criticisms of the film is if, having read this, you decide it's not your sort of thing, then watch it anyway, expecting explosions, car chases or gritty hard-boiled action. That's not this film's brief. What Only Yesterday does is subtlety and maturity and real, proper grown-up drama in anime.
Fabio
If you want in any way, to see a family eating a pineapple and simply have an intense emotional reaction, almost cry by quietly staring at the characters just moving, if you are tired of the laziness among animators these days in general then I cannot recommend anything other than the remarkable underrated masterpiece: Only Yesterday. The reason why Only Yesterday might be the most realistic anime movie of all time is that, they did, care about the smallest things, the characters' movements, their eyes, their mouths, how the whole cast reacts to an action, how they gave everyone enough space to experience their opinions without beingrepetitive, how they completed the puzzle and at the same time they focused on our protagonist herself, this is important simply because it prevents predictability, generally helps you breathe with the characters, and doesn't make you feel -disconnected- with their world. Another important reason, if not the most important one, something you might find surprising and was barely done, is that, the audio was recorded before the animation itself which means the movements of the characters would fit their speeches perfectly. The script itself was, without any doubt written by someone who clearly put his soul on this project, to give such attention to the responses and interactions, you might ask what are you talking about but I find it rather simple that scriptwriters these days are lackadaisical.
The movie defines the word "seriousness" in a higher new level, there might be no movie as serious as Only Yesterday, no matter how they try to be, they'll never achieve its level because the most essential way to make a great movie is to never try to be what you want to be, in other words, Only Yesterday's story is so simple, a story about a young girl who travels to the countryside and recalls her memory while she's surrounded with people who love her. The concept is straightforward, but the idea is how to use every detail you have to create something far greater from what you initially started with.
The nostalgic and heart-breaking movie knows how to draw the characters very well with a variety of lines, colors and shades, if you could take a second from your life to stare at one of the characters' faces, I think that would be great and even though I noticed the movie has received countless criticisms about how in some way or another the characters look very similar except for their hairstyles and colors, look no further, to how 'us' look identical, and so I say that the movie has yet achieved another level of realism.
Only Yesterday has never failed to draw a smile on my face the whole two hours thanks to Isao Takahata's great directing skills. The movie is very mature and was released when the word "mature" had no meaning in such films, most anime were filled with blood and action or family oriented or purely directed to kids, I don't think you can give this film to a child expecting to see him knocking at your door the day after explaining how the film has changed his life or anything like that or even expect him to even like it, this was different from Isao Takahata's other works including "Akage no Anne" or "Heidi" for instance cus here, our protagonist is old and in that case, kids didn't get it or appreciate it as much as we did, it was very risky and the idea could have easily been done as life-action.
This movie has realized that it's a butterfly and finally found its wings, but looking back now, maybe it was just flexing them pointlessly.
Only Yesterday, for the people who want to realize that the movies they're watching nowadays are utter shit.
Story/Plot: 8/10
Animation/Art: 9/10
Sound: 10/10
Character: 9/10
Enjoyment: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
Thank you, Isao Takahata.
Valwin
We can notice that there is a tendency to overrate average productions when it comes to their true value. It is probably caused by TV and the fact that the best selling anime are being watched by kids raised on sex and violence occuring in the Internet. Anime based on those two things (sex & violence) shows that it is much easier to make such anime insted of trying to show people something important and valuable. Only Yesterday is one of those "depper" and underrated productions, which can appear on endangered species list soon if that tendecy mentioned before won't be stopped. First, I have saythat I simply love that kind of storyline. Not only that. The tempo of action is great (in my opinion). Main character (Taeko, if I'm not mistaken) starts her travel (which is actually a travel to reach and understad her real needs and feelings). She is in her 30s, probably. At that piont in life, one must recollect his/her hopes and choose his/her path in life. So, Taeko decided to have a break and go to country. All movie is filled with her remembrances from her childhood. Her younger self (which often appears in her mind, as the action goes on) is personification of her apprehensions and also her childhood dreams filled with innocent and simple thoughts about world, and herself. Story is going slowly but it's just like the way normal life is moving forward, so it's ok. The best thing about the plot is that it's peaceful (but not boring - don't get it wrong) and belivable at the same time.
Landscapes are qutie artistic. Move was aired in 1991, so don't expect graphics on Makoto Shinkai's level. Characters appearance is simple along with all visual aspects, but you can feel this Ghibli magic till the last minute of movie. All I can say, is that my eyes were satisfied.
I have to admit that I don't remember any of background music. So it must have been good (I think I would remember if it was awful). Voice acting is on above-average level. The same when it comes to the ending theme. It summarizes the whole fellings you get while watching this movie. (hint: remember to watch anime till the last chord of ending song !).
Characters are complex, but like everything in Only Yesterday, not too much. Just like they should be. Taeko motives are belivable and you can fell that you fully understand her childhood problems - first love, test results, and all this grwoing-up struggle while she is still a kid. Everyone had to go through those things. Other thing - nowadays we often deal with people who live till 8am to 8pm. Work absorbs all of our strength and youhtful passion. Taeko decided to take a break. What about you? Don't you feel the same way?
In the end, I have to say that we don't have so many animes that we can truly rely on. Only Yesterday shows us the simple matter, but beutifully executed. Daily life with it's problems and enjoyments. Only Yesterday impressed me with it simplicy and serenity. We have a romance motive in here, but it is not a heroic and "die-for" emotion (which we saw sooo many times already) but simple affection that is froming between two people in relationship. For me, it is the most artistic vision of our daily life. No guns, no swords, but remembrances and uncertainty about tomorrow. I enjoyed every minute spent with this magical production, and I reccomend it to everyone who look for some great piece of anime, which Only Tommorow undoubtedly is.
Optigisa
Omoide Poroporo, otherwise known as Only Yesterday, is one of the most underrated movies to have ever come out of Studio Ghibli’s discography. It is easily the best made movie in Ghibli’s history when it comes to the visual presentation, and Takahata here showcased how he was a master of both color and visuals. Omoide Poroporo was a movie that was made to be targeted towards women upon it’s release, but due to Isao Takahata’s brilliant directing, the movie managed to become a success around men and women alike. The story surrounds Taiko, a twenty seven year old woman who leaves the city and herwork for ten days to go on a vacation in the rural areas and relax her mind. What really sets this movie apart from the rest of the others is the fact that on the way to her destination, her little self from when she was younger comes along on the trip, and from there on the woman starts to remember all of the nostalgic bits and pieces from her past, both the good and the bad of her childhood. The movie’s narrative transitions seamlessly from twenty seven year old Taiko to the young and innocent Taiko, often with the use of phone calls to convey that the movie has transitioned from past to present and vice versa.
The dangerous thing about this film is that the two sides, her young self and her old self, are contrasting in tone and color, to the point where one would naturally care for a side and not the other, or find themselves caring for one more than the other. Luckily, this movie tried to make the chances of that happening slim. Taiko’s adult persona is very interesting with her introspective demeanor, and her longing for a better life. She finds herself in a place that many young adults her age find themselves in, and that is to still be holding onto the dreams of the youth while trying to work towards her goals of taking care of a family and living up to society’s expectations. That, in turn, makes the child brimming within her to not go unnoticed and makes her all the more relatable towards people who are in the same age gap as her and facing the same issues she is facing. The most interesting part of her family is her father, who seems like he looks down on himself in shame due to the fact that he didn’t achieve his dreams while young. He cannot let go of the past, which contrasts with Taiko letting go of the past while also valuing how it shaped one up to be, and embracing all those moments in life, both the good and the bad.
Every character in this movie felt like a real person, and it was very interesting to see a slow paced, coming of age, female driven drama Anime. You don’t see those often, especially in an Anime, and that is the thing which made this movie all the more of a unique and enjoyable ride.
The audiovisuals are some of the most unique out there, if not the most unique for a Ghibli movie. The contrast of visuals between the life of young Taiko and her life when she is all grown up is interesting and worked on very well. The most striking aspect about Only Yesterday is it’s use of color and visual design to achieve it’s themes about self-discovery through re-discovery, and to grab the viewer into both old and young Taiko’s perspectives of the world around them. Only Yesterday operates on two time periods, those being the past and the present, and Takahata managed to infuse each separate time period with a distinct personality and a life of it’s own. For example, Taiko’s past is filled to the brim with simplistic usage of colors and light colors, and the most used color is the color white, which seeps into the edges of the screen. The past has this nostalgic feel working for it, which creates a striking contrast with Taiko’s present, a present that contains very complex and colorful colors, and very realistic details in both characters and setting. The reason for that is that Taiko’s past is, intentionally made blurry and less detailed, due to her not being able to recollect her full memory on what had happened during certain events of her life. This is not necessarily to say that one part of her life is better than another part, as both of them are equally as good as each other, while providing thematic depth and more insight into the main character’s life. The settings are also affected by the visual decisions as well, since the skies are more clear and white in the past, providing for a nostalgic feel, while the skies in the present are more lively and in-the-moment due to the bright blue colors used. Moreover, what distinguishes past from present in Taiko’s life is the usage of the color red, where everything she wears and uses is red in the past, and red disappears in the present. That is not to say that the red has disappeared completely from her life, but more so that she doesn’t completely let go of the past all the while still holding value to it, which is while she still uses red things, she barely does as often as she did during her younger days.
Taiko now mostly wears blue, and her present is surrounded by blue and green lively colors. That is not to say that she has rejected that past, because her hair tie, for example, is still of the color red, just that it is behind her back, which is to show that she still acknowledges the past while not letting it interfere with her present life. On the journey of her discovering herself though, she finds plenty of red. The plant that Taiko is picking is a flower that is used as a red dye, her love interest wears red and his final scene, and the transport vehicles that she uses during the final scenes are colored red. I can rave on and on about why this is Studio Ghibli’s visual landmark, but I think you get the gist. The main musical theme used here is not as striking as some other Ghibli ones out there, though still good on it’s own nonetheless and conveys the mood of nostalgia and melancholy quite successfully. The end scene is one of the best scenes in all of Anime, and how it ends, and how the credit roll is displayed, is one of the most brilliant uses of a credit roll in Anime history.
If you are a person who is interested in a coming of age story from a female perspective, then this one is a must watch. This is one of the best visually directed Anime movies ever made, and is easily the best the top one in the Ghibli discography, and that is due to the fact that Isao Takahata took a mundane concept such as the life of a young girl and her maturing into a female adult, and turned it into such an amazing and visceral self-discovery journey.
Objectivity_jk
Only Yesterday is a very uncomfortable sit, and I'm not just talking about the twenty minutes dedicated to young girl's periods. The film's world is fairly well animated, but it looks and feels very empty, giving the story a depressing mood as if someone died. I want to mostly talk about the plot generally so I'll get everything else out of the way quickly. Art: Looks pretty good, but the simple style can sometime exasperate the feeling of emptiness Sounds: I like the soundtrack, but a few moments during the film the music is unnecessarily kitschy. Character: Most characters are ether mean spirited, self-centred, kooky, or boring. Ican't even imagine how most of these characters were supposed to be endearing since they were defined by negative traits (besides the dad because he has the best delivery).
Ok the story is absolute garbage. I assume that they were going for some sort of coming-of-age drama, that was supposed to have a nostalgic feel for the audience. Did it achieve that.........no. The flashbacks to Taeko Okajima grade five self seem to have little to no baring on the present day's story other than the fact that she has changed a lot since she was in grade five, so immediately the majority of the film can be disregarded plot wise. The present day is also flooded with thinking about the past or just sitting around feeling good about life with the occasional "decisions are hard" conflict. I have praised a movie like Ocean Waves for having a loose plot and lack of important events, but in Only Yesterday's case it presents everything from Taeko grade five life as being important to the present. Sitting through the movie you feel like you're watching two different unfinished films that were jammed together in the hopes of making it to 118 minutes.
To be fair the grade five parts of the movie if expanded could have been made into something good, same thing kind of goes for the present day. As it stands currently both parts lack a real ending to there plot lines and never create a world you want to stay in.
AnnoKano
There are plenty of films that can impress you the first time you watch them, but there are only a few that impress you more and more with every subsequent viewing. Only Yesterday is just such a movie, one so rich in depth that the first viewing is only as good as a passing glance at the painting of an old master. Taeko Okajima is a twenty seven year old office worker in Tokyo. Summer holidays are fast approaching and Taeko is doing what she normally does, and will travel to work on a farm in the countryside. During the course of her journey she experiencesan overwhelming sense of nostalgia and memories of her childhood. It is an effective plot device that allows us to witness two characters developing simultaneously and the influence one has in the formation of the other. Neither are exceptional in the conventional sense either; both of them are quite ordinary and on the face of it, unremarkable. However they are portrayed in such detail that they become fascinating.
The careful selection of a few key moments in a lifetime, many quite mundane in themselves, and weaving them into a solid depiction of a person that could be real and yet still maintaining the intrigue and direction of a complete story is an incredible achievement. One example is a scene in which the family gather to try Pineapples for the first time: on the face of it an unremarkable experience which most wouldn't care to mention. Yet in this one sequence we can learn so much about the characters: Taeko's father merely sighs, completely isolated from the rest of the family (of which he is the only male). Finding the taste bitter, Taeko and her sisters express their disgust. It symbolises the extinguishing of youthful optimism as one enters the stream of disappointments in adulthood. The transition into puberty is the driving theme behind Taeko's younger self, and the pineapple scene is only one of many illustrations of that difficult period of life.
Even though as adults we have all gone through that stage of life, when it is depicted in cinema it is often hard to take it seriously, and often characters of that age come across as simply bratty. Taeko’s character has these traits too but there is a balance to her character that prevents them from becoming overwhelming. When contrasted with the difficulties one faces as an adult, the problems of pre-teens seem inconsequential; so dwelling on them in cinema usually comes across as insignificant or even worse, just meaningless whining. This problem is alleviated in Only Yesterday by having Taeko’s older self to put them into balance, with her downplaying them after her reminiscence. What is truly masterful though is the way the audience can see their significance to the grown up Taeko, despite her modesty and our internal prejudices. This is what gives her character a sense of realness which I consider unmatched in film.
The overarching plot of the film is a fairly simple love story, unremarkable in itself, but built up by so much and portrayed so convincingly that one cannot help but weep at the beauty of it. Taeko meets a farmer called Toshio and feels quite smitten by his quaint, country ways; his eccentric taste in music, his dutiful politeness that exceeds into awkwardness. He is a representation of what Taeko finds so endearing about country life without being a crass characterisation of it. Yet as her time in the country goes on and her return to Tokyo looms, Taeko is faced with an internal crisis about whether the realities of the country life can match what she has fantasised about for so long, and if she really has what it takes to leave the comforts of Tokyo office life for one which, as she gradually begins to realise, faces a great deal more hardship for much less material reward. The love story is a touching and satisfying one, and it manages to achieve this for its own sake while still having a complexity which is often lacking in romance stories.
While one would be content to say nothing more about this film than the fantastic story and characters, it feels unfair to avoid discussion of the animation and artwork, which is also astoundingly innovative. Studio Ghibli of course have a reputation for the very high quality of the animation they produce, but one can’t help but think of their work as a touch conservative. Beautiful though it is, it often lacks the experimentation one can find in other animation studios. Only Yesterday is an exception to this in two regards- first the difference in styles between the past and the present and the seamless integration of the two, and the clever approach to speech animation.
To provide a visual clue as to the era portrayed in a particular scene, the animation style changes. Taeko’s childhood is depicted in a style similar to a manga of that period- cheerful, simplistic and less defined. Not only does this seem fitting for the time period it also emphasises that these scenes are memories. Areas that Taeko is very familiar with, such as her family home, are depicted more clearly than the places that lack any special significance, like streets in the area. Yet this is subtle, and something one only notices if paying close attention. On the other hand the present day is portrayed in a well defined and realistic manner, with an eye to portraying even the most seemingly trivial details in a true to life form.
The animation of speech in Only Yesterday reversed the typical process, and instead of attempting to match the dialogue to movement of the mouths of the characters, the voice actors recorded the speech first, and animation staff paid close attention to the mouth movements of the voice actors as they recited their lines. This means the characters facial expressions are far more representative of real human emotions than in other animated works, and are not exaggerated or comical. It is further testimony to the realism of the picture that its producers went to such great lengths to integrate these qualities into areas, even defying convention in the process.
Only Yesterday is a work of fiction, with animated characters instead of actors. Yet there is more humanity here than in most cinematic works. It is a work of such wonder and intellect, that it is impossible to escape an overwhelming sense of awe every time you retrace your steps along this magnificent journey into the countryside, and to feel the tears welling up inside when it comes to an end. It is the very essence of all that is beautiful.
davieboy232
there are a lot of things that can be said about this but im just going to point out some that stick out the most. the movie itself is one of a woman who questions herself about her life more or less in a nutshell. the intro and some other music in this movie was calming and made portions of the movie seem serene which was a nice touch. the art work would have achieved a better score if it weren't for one thing and this is just my opinon, but did any one else notice how bizzar looking Okajima looked everytime she smiled? she didnot look 27 at all when she did, but more older.
the story line did not appeal to me as i hoped it would and was bothered by the fact that her life in just the 5th grade was just downright awful and made me wonder and would bring that up a lot and the result of this i started to get bored.this and the the artwork is what resulted in the character's score and the boredom was more or less just left a thought of "why just fifth grade? could there perhaps been worse times after that?" the final thought at the end was that there was a resolve and she was finally able to figure out what was missing in her life like Shel Silversteins book "The Missing Piece". which saved itself from me giving it any lower then a three.
overall: less pity 5th grade. liked the 5th grade her and kids making her move at the end.she should smile less, it creeps me out. i would give it a 3.5 and it would be categorized as a meh.
bergars
Man, that's the kind of movie I needed from Ghibli. There's this melancholy about the film, about growing older, with the most founding memories being from your youngest days. A woman reminisces about her life as a bratty kid that didn't know of her fortune, and misfortunes; of her dismissive parents, her educational, and emotional disconnect from people. It feels larger than life, while being just about one person with a common childhood. Life's problems aren't always because of past problems, but the lack of anything else after them. Nothing stood out, nothing has stood out afterward, but then, what's there in the future? This is amovie that truly explores the harshness of being an adult in cahoots with moving forwards. A small rite of passage, a little holiday to remind her of what she was, and what she can be. A retrospective moment of that long while, nothing but thoughts, nothing but work, and conversations you don't particularly want. It changes people, and just as the main character says, “I'll leave my 10-year-old self home next time”.
Beautifully minimalistic, music only where it's needed, realistic characters, with their proper faults and virtues. Some of them are so nosy I wanted to punch them, but it just reminds you of the ones in your life. The slow face morphs that sat on screen for a moment, so we pondered over what they meant. Disappointment, sadness, weirdness, it's on the slower side, but fully entertaining.
I loved the animation, the story, even if it felt long. Certainly, could've cut some scenes. It was mature, and let me think for long stretches of time. Great movie, that respected the audience and those basking in the slow, methodical pacing.
8.3/10. It seems I was only watching the B-tier Ghibli films.
AnimeBW
It’s a difficult situation to be in when you come across a piece of media that just doesn’t speak that closely to you, despite how much effort was clearly put into it. Only Yesterday is a film of genuine merit and skill, far from a hack production or compromised product. It’s a warmly realized portrait of temporal dissonance, of looking back on the person you used to be and wondering how that person grew up to be the person you are now, what changed, what stayed the same, what you left behind and took with you, and what you wish you could go back anddo over again. And it carries itself with genuine grace, courtesy of the always excellent directorial hand of Isao Takahata, who’s proven himself adept at capturing the reality of the human experience through animation time and time again. But the more I reflect back upon it, the less I feel I got out of it. It’s a film that didn’t engender much of a reaction from me while watching it, and even now writing about it, I’m struggling to come up with some sort of coherent thought it left me with that isn’t just a vague gesturing at something beside the point. It’s like a summer breeze, passing me over with barely a whisper and leaving nothing behind in its wake but the faint sensation of something having occurred at all. And considering how even the weaker Ghibli films I’ve seen have always left me with something interesting to think about, that’s definitely disappointing.
The story follows 27-year-old Taeko, a businesswoman who’s lived her whole life in the city and decides to visit the countryside for the first time, traveling to meet her relatives who work on an old-school farm for dye flowers. As she travels, though, she realizes she’s taking her fifth-grade self with her, and the film begins jumping between past and present as Taeko reflects upon her life at the end of elementary school. The two tracks of story continue side-by-side, the flashbacks rendered in a wispy, hazy fog of memory while the modern day is tactile, lush and grungy. Present day Taeko’s narrative follows a linear track as she meets her relatives and learns how life on the farm works, while the story of her past self jumps between important vignettes and moments that speak to the person she’s become. Over the course of the movie, she reconnects with her childhood dreams and aspirations, considering how they’ve passed her by and if they’re worth trying to reclaim, if it’s even possible to do so. Like much of Takahata’s work, it’s a movie about real people undergoing realistic struggles, however massive or mundane they may be. But unlike the rest of Takahata’s work I’ve seen, this is the first time where the reality of his depiction just didn’t click with me at all.
And look, realism has never been my favorite genre, I accept that. But Takahata’s been able to make this grounded style of storytelling work for me before. Grave of the Fireflies and My Neighbors the Yamadas might not be my favorite films in existence, but the snapshots they capture of life at its most horrific and most mundane respectively carried incredibly powerful intentions with them, ideas and musings that felt like they demanded to be told. I still remember the images of Seita and Shesuko’s struggle to stay alive in the inferno of WW2′s end, of the Yamada’s remarkably familiar family life. Those films made reality feel important by focusing on the parts of reality that tend to carry importance. But I barely remember a single moment in Only Yesterday that feels elevated in the same way. It doesn’t seek to capture the importance of reality, it just wants to be a story about real people. And I can respect that desire, but the end result is a story that feels so stripped down and un-activated that I can barely wrestle a single noteworthy emotion out of it. I absolutely get the point it’s trying to make in showing the conflict between our past and present selves, but the way it makes that point feels so un-dramatized that I find myself wondering what the point was in the first place. It shows you what it’s trying to get across, but it doesn’t make you feel what it’s trying to get across.
Perhaps the problem lies in the structure; something about the jumps between past and present never quite gelled for me into a cohesive whole. The picture we gather of past Taeko comes in fits and bursts through the scattered vignettes of boy trouble, class drama, The Talk, family squabbles and so on, but the individual pieces all have so little to do with each other that I struggle to capture a single cohesive whole that present Taeko is supposedly reflecting back upon. The film frontloads with these flashbacks in such a way that we barely start to get a handle on present Taeko until she finally arrives at the farm about a third of the way in, and even then the jumps between are so common that it takes a while for any feeling of progress to start kicking in. It feels like the story’s jogging in place for the majority of its runtime, killing time with flashbacks to drag out a short film into feature length. It’s only right up against the climax that it feels like Taeko’s emotional progression actually begins, and by then it has to resolve far too quickly to feel like there’s been any significant development that justified the two-hour runtime. I hesitate to use the word “pointless”, because that feels like an insulting degradation of the intention behind Takahata’s choices here, but my reaction to so many of the individual scenes throughout the movie was along the lines of, “So, what was I supposed to get out of that, exactly?” That’s the thing about real life; real life, as it exists, is a boring clusterfuck without much point. Unless you only focus on the parts that matter for the story you’re telling, as Takahata has shown himself capable of doing in the past, the end result just isn’t going to be that fulfilling.
It’s a shame, because there’s a lot to like about Only Yesterday that might speak to people more forgiving of slow-paced naturalism than I am. The animation is nice and paired down without being lazy, the distance between the past and present worlds is very well established, and the characters are all likable enough to justify spending time with them. But considering the heights Ghibli has been able to reach before with this exact kind of material, it's a shame how this one just doesn’t manage the same level of purpose. Only Yesterday isn’t a bad film, but it’s easily the weakest of the Ghibli oeuvre I’ve seen thus far, and I doubt I’ll ever return to it again.
ChidoriCipCirip
I'm not good at writing reviews but i just want to say what i liked about this anime: remembering yourself as a child and the important memories at that age and how they make a person develop. And i was surprised to hear hungarian and rumanian national music on the soundtrack. ^^
Shugocharalover
It's been a while since I've watched this, so bear with me... -Spoiler free- Story- The story switches back and forth between the now grown up main character- Taeko Okajima – and her childhood self. Although many seem to dub the story unoriginal I beg to differ, the setting and style is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Yes I must agree that the underlying aspect of the story; did my life really turn out the way I want it to? - is rather weak. However I like to think that things like whether it’s weak or not can be changed dramatically by directing and art, which this storysucceeds in, therefore supplying the whole story with quite a strong and actually rather beautiful tone to it. I think the story is emotional and quite enjoyable however some may find fault with its more cliché aspects (such as how Taeko’s childhood self deals with parents, puberty and boys) but in my personal opinion the fabulous directing of Isao Takahata moves these aspects away from nauseating and more into heart-touching.
Art-
Although the art may make some people back away (as Taeko is most definitely not a wide-eyed girl whom belongs in a shōjo anime), I think the artwork is actually pretty charming. I praise Studio Ghibli for never having any awkward movement or pauses; everything seems to flow as it would in real-life. Speaking of real-life, this anime definitely succeeds in that area. All the settings and character designs are very believable for the era! Personally I find the young Taeko very adorable and the adults are quite plain which is indeed a good representation of life. With this sort of not detailed yet at the same time detailed artwork you either love it or you hate it, though personally I loved it.
Sound-
I think the music wasn’t bad however it certainly isn’t very mentionable. Quite frankly it reminded me of spa music (very relaxing) however towards the end it was more like elevator music (incredibly annoying). The same goes for the voice actors; they did an okay job but nothing came up that would particularly stand out. Although I would usually be bowing down to Youko Honna for her skills I was a little surprised that her voice sounded so droning, making it not all entirely pleasant to listen to. Never the less I’d say it was decent enough but hardly note-worthy.
Character-
I cannot praise the character’s personalities enough for Only Yesterday; they showed such a range of people with such intriguing words to say. I loved how nothing was vague about the character’s but more open about what sort of people they where, yet through all the character-faults I found an amazing explanation of why I was enjoying this movie so much and that was because I didn’t dislike a single one of the characters. They where all so life-like in their pro’s and con’s that I couldn’t help but feel myself get sucked in their world. It is something I would say you would have to experience for yourself; however the characters are most definitely deserving of a 10.
Enjoyment-
This was a beautiful anime movie that touched upon a disturbing truth that many of us think about day in and day out of our life’s; did my life turn out the way I wanted it to as a child? Was I true to my childhood dreams? I can admit that the whole topic reduced me to tears and was something you could really think about afterwards. I truly did enjoy Only Yesterday and I found it to be cliché yet completely unique. There was never a boring moment...or a dry-eyed moment for that matter. It made me smile afterwards which I am sure is a sign of success for any anime.
Overall-
If you’re hesitant I encourage watching this, not only is it entertaining and romantic but also a real slice of life that will really get you thinking. It’s realistic and sad yet completely cheerful. A real subject that many of us cry over touched upon so gently in such a way only Studio Ghibli could do. If you’re a continuing Ghibli fan then you won’t be disappointed and if this is your first time...well...be prepared to get out the hanker-chiefs.
simplereviewer
Script - Some chick is going to the field to spend some time away from the noisy city and there she reminds of her youth, and well, that's it. It's adapted from an episodic manga and the idea was to gather certain moments of the protagonist's past as a cohesive feeling of nostalgia. Taking a look at the interactions you'll notice they are rather realistic, with uncomfortable silences and stares at every corner. Now, maybe is just me but I grew up in a family where I was the youngest brother and man, that sucks. My two brothers were very close and I felt veryisolated, just like the protagonist. It's a sort of loneliness that's so subtle and quite unnoticed, but as sad as any other, even more if you don't actually have any friends. Now, with that kind of background, I felt intrigued by how subtle is the construction of the sisters' ties and how they work just like I imagine they should. The cold treatment coming from her father and having to accept unfairness because of culture and tradition, yeah, that sucks and happens. More than often you'll remember the opportunities you missed, things left undone and alike. This show is basically about bad memories being somehow inspiring or invigorating. The conclusion is the protagonist making a strong decision that can be right, can be wrong, but it's done. You know what people say, it's better to regret doing something than not doing it. Kind of disagree on that, but part of a character's charm is that they can decide for themselves, going against the idea of fatalism. It's not that poignant, complex, thought-provoking or fun to watch, but as far as it goes it's relatable enough and kind of charming in its naturalism and simplicity. It feels more genuine than most of Ghibli's works.
Cinematography - Takahata is better than Miyazaki, period. The character design is fine, and I do love those dimples on her cheek. I wish more characters could have such a trait to define them more than just 'anime character #001'. The animation is fluid enough and slow, just like I want it to be. The white edges around memories are a quite common visual strategy, but it works just fine. Nothing is really impressive, but it never fails and feels as good as it looks on the cover.
Sound - Are you ready to some catchy Romanian flute theme that'll stick to your head forever? At least it's good, you can't deny. Normal voices? Is this an anime? Apparently not, because they really speak as normal people do. Not just in term of voice acting, but also the lines of dialogue sound so natural and the timing feels so real. You feel like interrupting them at any point due to the level of immersion.
1234 - The ending should've been open, but no, she had to stay with the guy. Don't know if this is how the manga ended, but they had the chance of doing differently and let us wondering what path she decided for herself. It's so rounded that's not spicy.
This show is relaxing af, and while I have no problems with simplicity, I don't think it's that good just because I could relate to the protagonist. I praise the realistic depiction of memories, nostalgia and interactions, but that's pretty much everything to see here. Not gonna lie, felt bored while watching it sometimes. Only by the end my interest raised and the conclusion was really, really just... there. So, to be fair, the depiction of realism always hit me in one way or another, that's it I guess. The End.
Mister_ermo
Despite its name, "Only Yesterday" is not exactly what you would expect. It's not about the decisions and their impact on your life, nor about the sadness of growing and becoming old. It's a pure slice of life. I don't think they did it on purpose, making it "pure slice of life", as you can see many attempts during, especially in the end, the movie to relate the plot to their title or to wake the feelings you would expect to have from a movie with such title. The plot is heavily focused on Taeko Okajima's childhood, and as they succeed to portray the child perspective, theynever actually compared it to her 27 years-old perspectives. We don't know much about her current life, besides minor things that don't point on anything specifically.
Saying that the "messages" of the story aren't connected to the story is not entirely true, they are maybe not as "strong" as you would expect, but they do exist. For example, the movie includes many situations that Taeko Okajima had as a child. When Taeko was a child, those "situations" she had were serious to her. Now, the 27 years-old Taeko, can freely discuss them, as what we viewed as "serious" or "awkward" in our childhood becomes silly as we grew up and gain more experience - good or bad.
With that being said, I still really liked the movie. They maybe never accomplished what they aimed for (or maybe they did, who knows), but they made a very good "slice of life".
Obviously, not everyone can relate to this movie. There are at least 20 minutes that probably girls would find more relatable, and not everyone had a good childhood, if at all. I couldn't relate to most of it and that's why I liked "Only yesterday" so much. The movie describes a very realistic scenario, nothing that couldn't happen, and you have the chance to experience those things you're missing from your own childhood/life. It brought the emotions I was looking for.
Finally, "Only yesterday" is not for everyone. It's for two types of people: for those who can personally relate to the story, and those who can't and they get their dose from the contrast of the story to their own reality - Unless you're a very empathic person, then everything is good for you.
Jesus, do something with Taeko's face. She looks way older when she smiles - way older.
ktulu007
Omoide Poroporo is a Studio Ghibli film from the early 90s. It's based off of a manga by Okamoto Hotaru. I've reviewed a lot of Ghibli films in the past and they do tend to be pretty good. Story: Our narrative follows Okajima Taeko, a young woman in her late twenties. She decides to go help at a farm in the countryside for her vacation since her sister married a man connected to it. All the while, she can't help but reminisce about what her life was like in the 5th grade. Let's start with the big, fundamental flaw with this film. It's exceptionally boring.The characters are basically the dullest, most insipid group you'll ever meet and the events are dull moments from Taeko's unexceptional in any capacity life. Her past and present. Even with the romance, it's between a pair of characters who barely have a relationship and just talk with each other a little bit.
Here's the thing about slice of life. A good slice of life needs to either be entertaining with strong comedy and endearing characters. Like, for instance, Non Non Biyori. Alternatively it needs to be about very complex, interesting characters doing something that's compelling. Like, for instance, Uchuu Kyoudai. You can't make a slice of life work when it's about boring people doing nothing of value. I mean, the film spends about fifteen minutes on the past event where Taeko and her class learned about menstruation. Yeah, it's an ordinary part of life but it's not really interesting and they don't use it for comedy either so it's just a long, tedious stretch of nothing. Rather like this film as a whole.
Characters:
I've already said that this cast is dull as a plastic spoon but there are some other issues. The first is that no one in the main cast is particularly likeable. As a child, Taeko was mildly bratty. As an adult, she's got roughly the same personality as a leaf of lettuce. Another thing that doesn't help matters is that the character dynamics are just kind of contrived and uninteresting.
Art:
The artwork is, by far, the best element of the film. The nature scenes, backgrounds & animation are all gorgeous. The only criticism I could levy against the art is that the character designs are a bit bog-standard. But it's still a lovely looking film.
Sound:
The acting is fine. Honna Youko and the rest of the cast are decent enough. The music is also fine. It's calm and relatively quiet which does suit the incredibly dull aesthetic of the film.
Ho-yay:
There isn't any.
Areas of Improvement:
1. Have some comedy. If you don't want to make your characters complex, at least give them some humorous traits that are good for a laugh.
2. If you must have romance, you need to actually give your leads some quality time together. Not just a few awkward, polite conversations.
3. The whole concept of the heroine reminiscing about the past would work better if those past events actually tied into the present events instead of being just awkward, boring childhood memories.
Final Thoughts:
Omoide Poroporo is a slog. I've legitimately seen fifteen to thirty minute works with stronger characterisation and more compelling narratives. If the idea of the world's dullest lady thinking over her boring days as a fifth grader sounds interesting to you, go ahead and give it a go. For everyone else, I can't recommend it. It's not a bad film, but it's extremely boring. The only thing it has going for it is that it looks pretty. I'm giving it a 5/10.
modernjosei
Only Yesterday understands the nuances of childhood nostalgia. I think to a certain degree we all want to relive the simplicity and easygoing nature of our childhood, but unfortunately reality has other plans. Depending on where we are in life, our childhood memories can play a huge part in understanding where we came from, and why we are the way we are today. Only Yesterday takes this idea and creates a movie out of it, and it’s something that’s incredibly relatable, no matter your age. Only Yesterday is visually breathtaking. As you would expect from Studio Ghibli, this movie is beautiful from start to finish. Thebackdrops for each scene are incredibly detailed, and all the countryside scenes were an absolute marvel to watch. Those scenes perfectly captured the still beauty of Japan’s quieter towns, the small details were all there, and it had some of the most beautifully animated settings I’ve ever seen.
The music was superb, but the quiet moments were perfect. Only Yesterday masters the art of silence. It is in the quiet moments of the movie that I found myself enthralled. Takahata’s direction made the story at the center of this beautiful movie, and through incredibly timed soundtracks that cut to utter silence, the movie highlights the beauty in the quiet details that define our life.
A refreshing watch, uniquely honest and fascinating. This story is in many ways, something we can all relate to. It goes at the pace of real life, and makes the choice of slowly revealing the inner workings of the main character Taeko. It’s through her childhood memories that we see her true personality, and how it mirrors the humble woman she’s become. In many ways we don’t have major personality changes over our lifetime, and our inner child remains the honest voice within us. Taeko is a true embodiment of that, and through understanding her past she comes to know the woman she is today.
To summarize my points from above, the original yet relatable story, the stunning visuals, the incredibly honest direction… they all make this movie a worthwhile watch. I highly recommend this movie for josei enthusiasts, and anyone looking for something incredibly unique in their anime library.
Nyyai030
Man has always been inclined to talk about himself, and personally you will find me talking about myself and what philosophy, art, books, poetry, movies and beauty in general mean to me. You may also find some people inclined to talk about others, it may be in a positive direction, including talking about politics, economics, currency conditions, studies, clothes, the job market, the mall, or more personal matters and what falls within the scope of gossip. All films in general and our conversation, as the films translate our speech and thoughts, were centered around the duality of despair and hope, misery and happiness. But have you everseen a film that does not talk about the above? We always strive to write something that seems noble and purposeful. But why does no one talk about ordinary daily life? ? Is the simple daily routine become rare talk?
This film has a story that I would not describe as unique, but it departed from the idealism of films. It simply tells us about a contemporary woman who lives her routine life at work and then decides to take a vacation to work in the countryside as she does every year. The difference is that the film will tell us about our simple stumbles, our idiotic mistakes and our buried hopes that time buried for us until many became, or let's say, rarely talk about it.
It is a beautiful thing to find a film that reminds us of childish love that does not work, of our first moments of maturity full of embarrassing moments, of our mistakes in school wherever they made us think we are stupid, of our dreams that flew with the whispers of our mouth and were taken away from us by the winds of time, of all our disappointments, sorrows and embarrassing situations. Moments we misunderstood. And moments we understood, but we pretended to be ignorant.
It is a movie that tells us only about moments of failure, embarrassment, stupidity, innocence, loss, tears and crying. Moments that everyone ignores, but they are even more important than moments of joy and success.
Isn't it nice when one of the wonderful anime studios shows you a story full of stumbles in an atmosphere of calm, irony, and a little regret, and makes you remember all your old moments of time!Remembering memories is more beautiful when we share it with someone else.like it was only yesterday.
AchillesWarrior
This is a story about a girl's life in the 1980s, where we get flashbacks to her life as a 5th grader, from where we learn her origin and deeper story. The story is 'good,' and the art is also 'good' but the bewitching part that most often is at the start of movies or longer anime series is not present. Therefore it would be somewhat difficult to get attached to it at the start. This movie was released in 1991, which is impressive for how good it is. But even so, I would still point out the faces in this anime, especially of TaekoOkajima. When the added facial expressions become visible when she smiles, I somewhat become timid of her, because of the fast face shift, it looks like wrinkles appear. Therefore it looks like she aged from a young woman in her late twenties to a 40- or 50-year-old woman. Although the other characters were fine with the added expressions.
The 1991 animated drama film "Only Yesterday" directed by Isao Takahata is a masterful example of how good character development can elevate a movie to a whole new level. The movie tells the story of Taeko, a single woman in her late 20s who takes a trip to the countryside and reflects on her childhood memories, hopes, and dreams.
Through the use of flashbacks and internal monologues, we see Taeko's character grow and develop as she confronts her past, her fears, and her present circumstances. The movie explores themes of family, love, and identity, and we see Taeko's transformation from a woman struggling with self-doubt and anxiety to someone who embraces her true self and finds a renewed sense of purpose.
The effects of the character development in "Only Yesterday" are profound. It creates an emotional connection between the audience and Taeko, making her relatable and empathetic. We root for her and share in her struggles, which culminate in a deeply satisfying and cathartic ending.
First of all, the story. It is not slow in a perception that nothing happens, but in a way that things happen that are not entirely action-filled, therefore it may appear bland. This is a somewhat different style of anime because it does not use many cliches like romance, nudity, or action, which are so frequently used in the new animes that it almost disgusts viewers with good quality taste. This of course makes it unique in its own way.
Final words:
My thoughts about this are that it is a beautiful piece of production, of which they could be proud. I would rate it 8 out of 10. Why? Because in conclusion, "Only Yesterday" is a remarkable movie that demonstrates how well-developed characters can make a profound impact on a film. it is still a very beautiful piece of art, that has a deeper meaning behind it. But after my taste in anime, I was not left with "I would definitely watch it again," because it is very slow and not very active in intriguing the viewer at the start of the movie. But after writing this review I pulled it from 7 to 8 because I realized what was put into this movie.
bboy_OatsnRice
When thinking about the past, we often either exaggerate or ignore certain aspects. Whether that’s dramatizing a petty event, or waxing poetic about receiving a participation trophy. It’s hardly intentional, it’s just a fault of our minds amassing so much information over time that certain life events may get foggy. However Only Yesterday does none of that, it harpoons the most uncomfortable, tragic, and awkward situations of our childhood. And yet it displays the beauty of separating yourself from your trauma and how to utilize it to evolve as a human. So how does ‘Only Yesterday’ manage to portray and vindicate my adolescent self likeno other film has before?
The story follows a woman named Taeka who goes on a trip to her extended family's organic food farm and on the way reminisces over her past as a child. These memories are mostly filled with some of life’s most embarrassing moments. Dredging up recollections of crushes, puberty, being the odd one out, being hit, and being put down. Despite how depressing that all may sound, and trust me it is, the film demonstrates how to eloquently conquer trauma in an optimistic and mature way. Showing how negative events that seem only worse in retrospect, still possess a silver lining. And if not that, then if anything else it creatively expresses the old saying, “what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger”. The film also excels at finding the beauty and hope only found through experiencing tragedy.
This wouldn’t be possible without the emotionally nuanced characters and their growth throughout the story. Taeka is the perfect representation of a child who’s at a point in their life when they’re made to face the emotional hardships of reality. Though somewhat brattish as a child, her cheerful attitude radiates from both her adult and younger self. Maybe that’s why I resonated as much with her as I did. Much like me, she always remained cheerful and optimistic despite life’s predicaments. I felt represented in a way, she embodies very similar traits and trauma as I. The film felt as if it was being empathetic towards me. And that’s not surprising given that Empathy is this film’s central theme, and that’s demonstrated no better than through her brother-in-law's second cousin, Toshio. Who’s also had a troubled childhood and had developed impressive means of overcoming his past trauma as a child. He ends up bonding and empathizing with Taeka throughout her trip.
The bond between them is beautifully conveyed through dialogue so true to life that I could’ve sworn that they animated an unscripted conversation the seiyuu were having. This makes the film feel that much more surreal and interpersonnel to experience. Another aspect that this film unabashedly excels at is in its beauty and atmosphere. That almost goes without saying since this is a Ghibli film. And with that, it’s inarguably Iyasheki because it manages to use its atmospheric silence and ambience to both hurt and heal its audience. For example, there will be a scene displaying an awkward scenario at a dinner table that makes me cringe from second-hand embarrassment. I’m forced to evade my eyes from the screen because it does a great job of communicating the uncomfortable nature of every awkward scenario it presents. Followed by a scene with a confidence ridden Taeka going to work in a beautiful vineyard with only the sounds of summer cicadas humming and birds chirping. Reminding me that the present is the only thing worth focusing on.
Once again, it goes without saying that visuals and animation are stellar. Being that this was produced in 1991, the film has a delicious grain overlay that adds this vintage flair that enamored me. This level of beauty extends to the finely detailed backgrounds. In particular the scenes outdoors are prepossessing and alluring. They also serve more than just my eye’s hunger for beauty. The backgrounds enhance the emotional essence of a scene. For instance, If the scene involves two love birds, you can feel the warmth and levity of the scene even more thoroughly because of the background. How does it accomplish this? Because the background becomes minimal with white as its primary color and light, warm pink as its secondary. It’s these fine details that do an excellent job at making the two love birds stand out from the background and illuminates the characters blushing as they interact. Perfectly personifying the feeling as if you and your crush are the only two people in the world. Scenes like that do a fantastic job conveying the feeling of when you fall in love for the first time. It also falls in line with the idea of how we tend to hone in on certain aspects of an important memory.
Clearly the visual department does more than enhance the way the film presents its themes, but how does the aural department stack up? Though it mostly relies on ambience for its atmosphere, when the music does rear its head, it's a beautiful plethora of enchanting and uplifting Japanese folk music that elevates the film's beauty. I was amazed at the voice acting talent of not only Taeka and Toshio, but also of her younger self and the other children. Yōko Honna and Miki Imai are excellent at convincing me that they are the same person but at different stages in their lives.
When thinking about the past, we often either exaggerate or ignore certain aspects. Whether that’s dramatizing a petty event, or waxing poetic about receiving a participation trophy. So how does Only Yesterday harpoon the bittersweet recollections of our past like no other media has before? Because as perfectly as it exceeds in its beautiful atmosphere, and displaying some of life's most precious moments. More than anything else it exceptionally represents the raw emotion felt in life’s most uncomfortable and awkward situations. The agonizing growing pains that plague our adolescence are represented in grueling detail that is so true to life that I felt the need to evade my eyes from the screen on more than one occasion. The film eloquently demonstrates how to conquer and utilize that trauma in an optimistic and mature way. Showing how terrible predicaments still possess a silver lining. At the very least it shows the audience how to take it in stride and how to properly grow from that event and healthily reflect on it. The film excels at finding the beauty and hope only found through experiencing tragedy. And that’s an accomplishment many films can’t say they have.
Kayzzle
This movie is amazing. It made me feel so many emotions in just one sitting. I feel like i could really feel what Taeko was feeling, when her family bad-mouthed her for having a low score in math, her feeling uncomfortable about puberty, how hurtful it was to have a quarrel with your family, even her regret about her old friend. Everything was portrayed beautifully with the amazing art and animation. This movie is also deeper than it looks, it teaches us about growing up, about human connections and about nature. It is so genuine and relatable too, the characters feel human and acted likereal people. So when Taeko had flashbacks about her childhood and how she added her comments after we jumped back to the present, we can truly feel the emotions of her and people that were involved in that story.
I thought this was gonna be boring because the plot is so simple, a girl going to the countryside to do farm works while reminiscing about her childhood, but i was wrong. It was a very pleasant experience to watch how genuine and relatable this anime is. This is the kind of movie that will be just as good if not even better from second watch, and for that reason i give this a 10/10.
