On a mysterious night that seems to last for a year, an ordinary college student continues to chase one of his underclassmen, a girl with black hair—the girl of his dreams. Up until now, he has been relying on a simple plan, which is to calculatingly bump into her every day while making it seem like a meaningful coincidence. However, his efforts remain futile as their relationship is not progressing at all.
Meanwhile, the black-haired girl believes that everything is connected by fate and endeavors to experience as many new things as possible, leaving it all for destiny to decide. While strolling along the lively streets of Kyoto, she discovers that the very beginning of her fateful journey—a book she had as a child—is currently being sold in a second-hand bookstore. Upon knowing this, the college student eyes another opportunity to run into her "by chance": this time, he hopes to get the book before she does and finally grasp the thread of fate that could connect their hearts.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
manlyflower
"Yoru wa Mijikashi, Arukeyo Otome" (or "The Night is Short, Walk On, Young Maiden") is a film by director Masaaki Yuasa based on the similarly titled novel by author Tomihiko Morimi. If you are at all familiar with Yuasa's previous works as well as Morimi's adapations (including the Yuasa adaptation of "Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei"), there's a good chance you'll know exactly what you're getting into by watching this film. To put it simply: this movie is an utter, frenetic delight. The story, without spoiling too much, is a perfect match for the big screen. Covering the events of a single lively night in the imaginative world ofMorimi's Kyoto, it's not often you see so much happen in such a short amount of time. Fans of "Yojouhan" will be familiar with the unforgiving speed of the dialogue, but as you'd expect with a film adaptation, the story events move just as quickly, with scene after scene transitioning wildly into the next. To add to that, the content is as surreal as ever despite the simple premise. Most of the scenes are thoroughly steeped in a sort of magic realism, the characters seeing the strangely off-kilter world—in which people claim to be local deities, loan sharks travel along the rivers, students run around hosting guerrilla theater productions, and everyone seems to have bottomless stomachs—with a sense of relative acceptance. Though this kind of storytelling seems like it would be hard to follow, I surprisingly never got lost, as the story itself is fairly straightforward and the motivations clear.
That's not to say the film's design is simple as well, however. Yuasa's portrayal of Kyoto at night is as much his as it is Morimi's. Every crevice of the city is brimming with life and abstract design to match the surreal events of the story, and following the characters as they jump from narrow, pub-filled alleyways to bustling marketplaces in the middle of the night, from brightly-lit restaurants to unreal, technological command-rooms almost feels like watching a fever dream unfold. In every new scene, the nighttime city evolves more and more into a fantastic, magical maze of mythology and wonder, something that only the combined imaginative force of Yuasa and Morimi could produce. Add to that the wild, exaggerated, but uniquely simplistic art style and the light, delightful soundtrack, and the end result is something truly refreshing.
As was the case with "Yojouhan" as well, the characters are a complete joy to watch. All of them are immensely varied in personality but still somehow all manage to stay afloat amidst the chaos of the story as they effortlessly weave in and out of plot. In particular, the black-haired maiden, voiced by the equally delightful Kana Hanazawa, carries the show with her indomitable charm and a refusal to let herself be slowed down by what happens around her, instead almost encouraging the story to grow even more wild. I was a little unsure about the male protagonist at first, but his personality proves to be an invaluable foil that really seals the movie's conclusion for the better and makes for a very satisfying ending. The side cast is also extremely memorable and full of strange, amusing personalities that somehow work in perfect conjunction with each other despite being so unique and energetic.
Of course, this movie isn't without its flaws. I'm honestly not even sure "flaws" is the best way to word it, but for better or for worse, there are a couple of scenes and subplots that seem to be drawn out a little excessively, albeit in true Yuasa fashion. (They certainly serve a purpose, but the experience is still a little jarring and they tend to break the flow.) In addition is the large cast. While the major side characters are given surprising depth and background despite the movie length, I feel this very strength takes away from the development of the two main characters slightly due to the limited time. Also, a lot of the more minor characters are thrown into the story a little too haphazardly. While it does add to the overall exciting and chaotic atmosphere, it can be a little overwhelming at times, and the sheer number of characters gives each of their stories somewhat less impact.
This brings me to how much this movie references earlier works. In every recess of the film are nods to previous Morimi adaptations and Yuasa films, including the use of many character designs from "Yojouhan" and even featuring a brief cameo from the director's as-of-this-moment not-yet-released film, "Yoake Tsugeru Lu no Uta." This has the wonderful effect of allowing us to enter the all-too-familiar Morimi universe with minimal amounts of exposition, but it presents a somewhat high barrier of entry for people that might not be familiar with "Yojouhan Shinwa Taikei" and, to a much lesser degree, "Uchoten Kazoku." Although not entirely necessary to enjoy the film, I strongly recommend watching "Yojouhan" beforehand to get a firm grasp on the characters of this eccentric universe so you'll appreciate the film that much more.
All in all, "Yoru wa Mijikashi" is an immensely delightful experience. Every second of it is filled with undeniable charm and gorgeous imagination, and the breakneck pace of the story and transitions alongside the quirky cast of characters brimming with personality come together to take the audience on a wild ride really unlike anything else. I highly recommend it.
Sinkfold
Note: I got to see this at a special premiere screening in my city, with Masaaki Yuasa himself in attendance! He's a very lovely guy. I hope that hasn't biased my review too much. This film is closely intertwined with The Tatami Galaxy, a previous Yuasa-directed work. Their original novels were written by the same author, they share a setting in Kyoto and apparently take place in the same universe - many characters from TG pop up here and there in NiS, if not always in the way you expect them to. It's not strictly a sequel, but you'll get much more out of the filmif you've seen Tatami, so that's something to consider.
Night is Short, much like Tatami Galaxy, is a bit of a difficult sell plot-wise - it focuses mostly on a college student only named Senpai whose only goal is to win the heart of his crush, the titular Girl, over the course of a night in which the two are out and about in Kyoto. Of course, it's not quite that simple- inventive camerawork and use of surrealism turn what could have been a very dull story into an amazingly fun adventure through Kyoto with a bouncy, dynamic cast of lovable characters.
Without revealing too much, the film retains Tatami Galaxy's distinctive, surreal visual style and sense of humour, but is much more lighthearted, comedic, and amazingly over-the-top in places without missing out on conveying its own messages. If you liked Tatami Galaxy, I can practically guarantee you'll love Night is Short.
The increased film budget combined with Yuasa's direction style lead to some beautiful animation sequences, and the Girl is so amazingly cheery, she can't help but grab your interest. An easy 10/10 from me, but then again I also loved Tatami.
Lindle
This movie is a beautiful mess. Going into "The Night is Short...", a movie that has the same staff as The Tatami Galaxy, the same distinctive artstyle as The Tatami Galaxy, starring a pair of nameless protagonists (Senpai and The Black-Haired Maiden) as per The Tatami Galaxy, is adapted from a novel by Tomohiko Morimi (of The Tatami Galaxy), shares the same fictional universe as The Tatami Galaxy (featuring several of its characters), and features a theme song by Asian Kung-Fu Generation for good measure, you'd be forgiven for expecting this movie to be The Tatami Galaxy 2.0 (and if you haven't seen The Tatami Galaxy...what the hell are you doing here? Go watch The Tatami Galaxy). For all it shares with its predecessor, though, The Night is Short is unmistakeably its own movie, taking the fast-paced energy and absurd visuals of Tatami and dialling them both up to 11.
The Night is Short is a manic sugar rush of a movie. It eschews any traditional story structure (or rather, won't sit still long enough to have one) in favour of introducing a colourful cast of drunken, exaggerated, morally-degenerate losers, introducing a couple hundred different plot points, and then throwing them all in a blender. The characters each have their own plots, intersecting at random, resulting in a chaotic storm of subplots. The premise, despite this, is quite simple. It revolves around a single night of binge-drinking during a Kyoto University festival. Fittingly, the movie is a dizzying, disorienting, drunken mess of an experience, with surrealist animation and a constantly shifting plot complete with mile-a-minute dialogue and narration further befuddling things.
The animation is completely gorgeous, as is standard for Yuasa Masaaki, with a unique and psychedelic colour palette, goofy and free-form animation that in many ways recalls the rubber hose animation style of the 1930s, and a beautiful representation of its setting, strikingly adorned with maple trees, lanterns, and darumaka dolls. This is a movie that never sits still, demanding that you don't look away for even a second. In a way, the setting is the greatest tool this movie has at its disposal. The colourful nightlife of Kyoto is shown in vivid detail, and the intersecting plot points and cast members acting independently makes the city feel like a living, breathing thing, assisted by an eclectic soundtrack full of symphonic music, tango, rock, and baroque pop.
The presentation is something that's uniquely Masaaki, with interesting camera shots, pans, and angles all over the place. There's a lot of symbolism, surrealism, and absurdism to be found here. The environment shifts to exaggerate the thoughts and feelings of the characters, there are sequences shown entirely in the minds of our characters, and the night the movie revolves around follows a series of events purposely far beyond what could ever happen in a single night. The narrative is less direct and more of a stream-of-consciousness blur.
It can't be overstated just how unique a piece of work The Night is Short is, even in spite of what it shares with previous Yuasa Masaaki works. It's a movie that seemed desperate to cram every random thought it could into its runtime, common sense be damned. To demonstrate, here are a few things that happen in this movie, entirely out of context. An impromptu series of musical numbers in the second act. A tornado of fish. A black market for rare literature that competes for books by eating spicy food. A cold that infects the entire population of Kyoto within the space of a few hours. A loanshark who trades exclusively in pornographic woodblocks. Sure, you could consider these spoilers, but it's hard to spoil a movie that has absolutely no commitment to telling a coherent narrative.
To say the least, The Night is Short is not a movie for everyone. There are people who will be turned off by its eccentric art style, its unique writing style, its hectic pace, its unrelenting dialogue, its refusal to adhere to a structured story, it surrealism, its absurdism, or all of the above. Additionally, with the sole exception of The Black-Haired Maiden, the cast aren't traditionally likeable people, and are all drunken losers, which can also put people off (though the point, of course, isn't to empathize with them - in any other series every member of the cast would be the sole comic relief character).
But for those who can get past all that and are willing to let any ideas they have about what anime is supposed to be, The Night is Short is a brilliant, abstract, chaotic mess of frantic, frenetic joy and wonder. It's a mere hour and a half that packs in more content than a full-length series. It's a manic, incomprehensible mess of a movie, and a worthy debut for studio Science Saru.
Story/Plot: 6/10
Animation/Graphics: 10/10
Music/Background: 10/10
Characters: 7/10
Overall: 8/10
For Fans Of: Mind Game, The Tatami Galaxy
Gundroog
After I finished watching this movie I felt like I missed something. It was by no means bad but the response to it all around seemed overwhelmingly positive. I didn’t want to be unfair to the movie before reviewing it so I whipped out a notepad++ to make thorough notes for it during a re-watch to make sure I didn’t miss anything. The result of that was pretty predictable, I still don’t think this movie is fantastic but I appreciate what it did right and can definitely see why people would adore it. At its most basic, Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome (from now on Mijikashicause I don’t hate myself) is a bare bones story crafted for the purpose of conveying a few simple but wholesome and motivational messages. Love can’t be explained rationally, instead of trying to understand and explain it - take a leap into darkness. You won’t know until you try so don’t hesitate. Second after that is that everything in the world is connected, sometimes in a way that isn’t immediately obvious so don’t lock yourself away from others and follow the thread of fate. It’s nothing revelatory but what takes it a step above other movies is the excellent presentation.
During my re-watch I gained appreciation for just how tightly made this movie is, it’s not without flaws and I’ll bring them up later but there’s no denying that a lot of effort went into crafting it.
Yuasa is known for his mastery of visuals and Mijikashi is not exception. The overall art style takes after Tatami Galaxy with little to shading and a lot of very vibrant and contrasting imagery. However it has a flavor of its own that comes through in textures, effects and visuals metaphors. My personal favourite moment in the film is the used book sale segment. It’s happening at night so the only illuminated parts are the various stall. Outside world is cut off from the view with trees overlaid with lace patterns. It creates such a personal atmosphere for the whole segment, like it’s a special place disconnected from everywhere else. This kind of quality is consistent throughout and Mijikashi keeps varying up visuals and locations to keep things fresh throughout. It’s not a movie you’d watch for animation alone but it’s a strong aspect of it nonetheless.
The second aspect that springs to mind when talking about very meticulously crafted nature of the movie it’s how much effort went into making everything tie together. Most of what you see throughout the movie is bound to reappear later on, most characters and subplots weave in and out of each other all the time. It’s a great way to show how everything connected without hitting the viewer over the head with it (though Mijikashi still later hits you over the head with it).
To say a bit about the characters I think it’s important to note that they’re not meant to be deep or particularly fleshed out. Another deliberate aspect of this movie is that most of them don’t even have actual names. Our two main characters don’t even go by names, they represent ideas. Raven Haired Maiden being an embodiment of optimism and wonder and eagerness to try new things who acts as a counterpart to Senpai who’s held back by constant doubts, hesitation and cynicism.
However not everything is that good. I feel like the goal of the movie is confusing by the end of it. While it certainly does get the message across, it throws so much shit at you at any point that it’s easy to get lost and think that there’s supposed to be something more to it. Maybe it’s my personal hangup but I feel like at times Yuasa invites the viewer to further interpret the scenes but it ends up not being all that important in the long run. Everything that you might get from this movie thematically will be told to you directly at one point or another so it feels like everything else is just an unnecessary distraction. Did the Daruma heads in the bar scene have any significance? Is there a reason why Don Underpants’s play was so heavily focused on them beyond superficial connection between darumas and wishes? Are the Koi fish throughout the movie meant to say something more or is it there just for a pun? Why is Rihaku making his goons steal pants? Was there any significance to alcohol’s overwhelming presence? I feel like most of these would be easier to understand if I could read the 300 pages long book this 90 minutes long movie is based on.
Music is perhaps the most unremarkable aspect of this movie. It’s well made and fits every scene to a t but with how eccentric the movie otherwise it a generic soundtrack doesn’t do it justice. The only musical segments that actually stood out to me were the musicals, it’s a rare thing to see in anime and they don’t sound much like anything else in the movie while also serving as a vehicle for interesting animation and show off the versatile talent of voice actors involved.
In conclusion, Mijikashi is a good movie, not flawless but it’s a well paced ride many people will be able to relate to and enjoy. Just don’t expect it to be as complex as Tatami Galaxy or Mind Game and don’t fret over missing some details, anything you can get from this movie will be rammed into your head.
CodeBlazeFate
A lot can happen in a night, a night where time moves so fast. For someone, it might just be a night of humiliation. For someone else, it could be a night that ended gloriously with your dreams come true. For many, it can be a night of adventure. Reality works in some contorted ways. This is further exemplified by the fantastic, reality-bending visuals employed by director Masaaki Yuasa and his team over at Science Saru. The visuals are chaotic, imaginative, and bursting with life everywhere. Everything moves wonderfully and the wonderful designs lend themselves over to both this and the ability to simply expandas they please. Flowers, hallucinations, flames spewing from blazing hot meals, everything is a sheer spectacle that is incredibly difficult to do justice towards.
Of equal spectacle is the narrative. Everything builds off of one another, from small comments in one’s past to events currently happening, and characters you might have not expected to be so reoccurring once their story seemed to have concluded. No matter how absurd, like a tornado blowing fish or a literal literature god who takes book tags and appears out of a book like a pop-up, everything from the first 3 acts pile into one another as one seemingly disconnected story arc weaves brilliantly into another and into the final act once the night has passed. Whereas many bad narratives have the complaint levied on them about how reality seems to bend to the whims of the narrative for no reason, here, that is a physical aspect of the film that brings everything into relevance in completely unexpected and equally glorious ways. It's an incredibly tight circuit of knots of love, alcohol, plays, betrayal, sickness, literature, and world views.
The characters are all as lively as the visuals and bring the chaotic story to life with pinpoint precision. From the raven-haired main girl just strolling and taking challenges throughout the night with friends, to the coincidence-manipulating young, hopelessly romantic lad who takes each opportunity to seize his opportunity with beach task ahead, only for it to not pay off as intended until much later than he expected, we see all sorts of colorful characters tie into each other as time moves differently for everyone, sicknesses and a play are passed down to everyone, and we see both the joy of taking risks in the name of fun and love, and the idea of how everyone is connected in some way in any community. It is glorious to absorb, even if it moved at a daunting pace that matches how short the night is and how much time can really fly.
The music, composed by Michiru Oshima, is wild, carrying a sort of gung-ho attitude to it. It's a fairly good soundtrack, with some equally well-done musical songs for the play that takes center stage in the third act of the four act film. The only decisively weak part would be the ending credits theme, "Kouya wo Aruke (荒野を歩け)" by ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION, which, while not bad, is a forgettable track with vocals that feel weak; it is arguably one of his weakest tracks.
Ultimately, this film is a bombastic joy that exemplifies the wonders in life, in one night and a day of aftermath. This film encourages you to not always dwell on how everything can go wrong and sometimes just take the leap of faith, and it encourages you to look back on not just your life, but on the small, fun adventures you take in a day or an evening. On that same vein, you should jump into this film head first and reminisce on its brilliance, messages, delivery of those messages, and its wonderful method to madness. And once you’re done, be sure to join me as we dance the dance of the sophists.
Pitzer
The Night is Short is a movie of contradiction: its events are chaotic but organized, held in closed groups which all intermingle; the night is short, yet spans an eternity. And at the very center of it all, one raven-haired maiden leads the way. This girl - a free-spirited and optimistic woman in her early twenties - serves as the movie’s driving force and a foil to everyone around her. Stumbling from party to party, she unites groups of people which at first glance seem to have no connection, but are all related in one way or another. She brings joy to those glooming over adistant future and the time rushing by simply through appreciating the present and what is - not what could be. And no matter what opportunity presents itself to her, she seizes it, thus preventing the festive train of events from derailing and allowing for the events to stay diverse but never confusing.
Opposite to her stands everyone else.
Her lovestruck and eponymous Senpai is a daydreamer: he keeps taking roundabout ways and plotting numerous silly coincidences to gain the attention of his love interest; he believes in a magic item that will gain her affection - without ever actually putting himself out there or getting to know her. Throughout the film, he learns to take action in an embarrassingly grandiose fashion, but fails miserably… or at least he thinks he does. In reality, while he gives in to gloom, the sweet seeds of love have already been sown, and will - thanks to his love interest’s simple nature - slowly but surely spring into bloom.
However, while their love story functions as the movie’s foundation, the juxtaposition of the optimistic and opportunistic raven-haired maiden and the pessimistic and cynical old Rihaku builds its thematic cornerstone. While Rihaku views the Fake Denki Bran as a failure for not replicating the original drink’s characteristics, the girl simply appreciates its taste; while he keeps an enormous collection of books all to himself, damaging the natural connection of the books, she disperses the collection and repairs their connection. Rihaku believes himself to be all alone, that noone has any connection and everything is acquirable through money, thus superficial. The girl serves as his mirror, proclaiming proudly that everyone is bound to each other in the end, that he is definitely not alone.
Their opposing ideas are conveyed simply but beautifully through the use of light instrumentation on the girl’s side and a heavy trombone for Rihaku, both of which while first separated in their own segments, begin playing alongside each other as they engage in direct discourse. It isn’t only during these moments where the soundtrack impresses however: be it a musical number, running to one’s love or just the opening to a drinking battle, the brass-instrument-heavy orchestral soundtrack almost always delivers.
But while the soundtrack does disappoint a few times during the movie’s run, the visuals never do. Colors are Yuasa’s best friends and it definitely shows: be it simple things such as temperature of drinks and food, the over-the-top antics of the protagonists, dream-like adventure sequences or heartwarming moments - he completely nails all of it! During the whole film, he uses the red of the protagonist’s dress as signal color for many key objects like the red string that needs to be cut to repair the connection of the used books and the recurring daruma who supports the optimistic nature of the film. Through the use of such key colors and great shot composition, he creates many beautiful pictures, and an equally beautiful movie with it.
The Night is Short is wholly optimistic and simplistic. Led by the tracks laid out to them by fate, the protagonists stumble from one insane incident to another, without ever derailing from their wacky antics. Their sheer energy may seem overwhelming, but at the center lies one simple truth: Everyone is connected. You aren’t alone.
Score: 90
spepp
I'm not a good writer. Yeah, this is not a good way to start a review, but I don't care - I'm actually quite postive that this is going to get lost in between all the other thousand reviews around here. My english is also not that good - it's not my main language - , but I try my best. You're - If there's someone other than me reading this - probably wondering: "What the hell does it have to do with Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome?" Well, it's quite simple: It's about trying your best. We have a black-haired girl walking on and letting life lead herway. And then there is this boy. He tries his best to talk to her so keeps stalking her and doing what would look like "coincidences" - Even though he sucks at doing this. And this is it, that's what the movie is about. It's an overly used formula - There were so many things that could go wrong here, and none of them did. Masaaki Yuasa created one of the most ambitious animations I've ever watched keeping everything as simple as possible. From the animation to the music, but, funnily enough, it feels complex. Everything fits, nothing feels unnecessary. And I want to go into all the details, so let's go by sections:
1. Animation
The animation is one of the strongest points of the movie. Psychedelic, chaotic, colorful and addictive. Incredibly addictive.
The non-stop frenetic vibe throughout the whole movie fits perfectly into the animation's atmosphere, with its complex angles, eye-catching cinematography and smooth movements. Also, I can't forget to talk about the beautiful backgrounds and the overall setting, they're just as important and as vivid as the character's animations. I think it's complicated to describe and review it, so I recommend you to see it for yourself, and if you have, you know that I'm right. But I'm not that surprised, since it's the original Yojōhan Shinwa Taikei team. I don't have much else to talk about it, because of spoilers, but be prepared for a flash flood of 24 flamboyant frames per second.
2. Plot
The plot is as always - if you compare it to Yuasa's older works - , straightforward, with a simple objective but with a monstruous combination of everything possible, creating an incredibly captivating mess. Makoto Ueda created a consistent combination of drama, comedy and romance - something that it's incredibly rare to happen these days. I haven't read the novel - wirtten by Tomohiko Morimi - , so I can't talk about it or make comparisons. I would like to talk about the characters here, but I think it would be more fitting to write it on the next section, since it's probably the most important part of the whole movie.
3. Characters
The characters are my favorite part about this movie. Every single one of them have an incredibly focused background, it feels like you're walking and living all this mess with the black-haired girl. They feel real, I could relate to every single character - even the most absurd ones like Jōgasaki.
Senpai's character is the most detailed one, filled with doubt, love and weird unnamed desires - his head is so tumultuous that if it had caught fire in the middle of the movie I wouldn't have been surprised. I would've loved to go into details with him but I don't want to spoil anything, so let's just jump to the second character I want to talk about that it's obviously kurokami no otome - also known as the black-haired girl. She's the complete opposite of him, and as the title suggests, she is always walking forward. Her optimistic way of thinking is contagious.
Even though my favorite character didn't appear, we have a substitute for him, Furuhonichi no kamisama - that would be something like God of the used books. He may not be as interesting and as deep as Ozu but he sure as hell feels like him enough to fill the gap.
I'm not going into detail about the other characters because that would make this review turn into a term paper. So let's just go to the next section.
4. Sound
Starting with the soundtrack, I have only watched it once, so I can't really point out exactly the good and bad points of it. It isn't huge, and the right songs plays at the right moments. There are some particular moment that has some events related to music and I hope that they release a soundtrack with these in it. The sounds overall are good, nothing unnecessary or unfitting. It flows well with the movie.
½. Full Square
Well, this is where I basically make a conclusion. This movie, in my opinion, feels like a 93 minutes dream. It's filled with familiar faces and they are true to what made them be who they were on Yojōhan Shinwa Taikei. The fast paced and always changing mood is also another already seen theme but it's presented in a different way, more open hearted and romantic. Another really important fact to notice is that the romance doesn't ruin the movie's pace, it's actually the base of the food chain, without it, the movie would crumble.
I've noticed some complaints about the way how this movie deals with certain events and I've got to disagree on them. I really don't want to go into details, but in my opinion, the movie would feel completely shallow without its charming "full character's background in three lines" moments and the really absurd way of telling the story. The chaos is what makes this movie what it is.
I wouldn't recommend this everyone, it follows the same style as Yojōhan Shinwa Taikei, and if you're familiar with Yuasa's works: Don't be in doubt, watch this as soon as you can. If you're curious about what it is about, feel free to watch it - And if you like it, spread the word to people you know that will like. I don't recommend it to people who doesn't like things with a """experimental""" vibe. The free-shaped characters animation, 50 lines in 10 seconds narrative and surrealism will make some people go flaccid in a matter of seconds. Either way, I hope you have as much fun as I had watching this and I'm pretty sure that this will become a 10/10 someday - it's just a matter of time. And rewatches (And if you have watched it, I hope you liked). I'll finish this review here, because the night is too short for you to waste your time reading this - That if, anyone reads this at all.
Zerathus
7 years after the first time Masaaki Yuasa adapted Morimi Tomihiko's work comes their second dance. Does it work this time aswell? In short: HELL YES. Night is short, walk on girl is set in tatami universe. There are no direct references just some Easter eggs but the world works on the same logic as Tatami Galaxy. Except this time it's set in Kyoto which means it's much more magical. Our Raven haired maiden begins her journey through night and our Senpai follows while trying to "coincidentally" bump into her. The movie is split into parts that are all connected via it's main theme. The fate.We have two main characters who are completely different in terms of their views on fate. One just follows while the other makes his own. That is however not the single focus on the movie as it tackles multiple different themes. Love, age, time, sexu- I mean Johnnies.
Yuasa gets on his absolute A game this time. The directing is just masterful and the animation is some of the best I've seen in any anime. There are so many sakuga moments. And not just animation, the colour pallet, character designs, everything. Everything works just perfectly.
The music is fantastic, the sound design is fantastic, voice acting is top notch (with everybody favourite's HanaKana as the main girl)
Character wise it's another hit. We have two main characters who are completely different in terms of their views on fate. One just follows while the other makes his own. Senpai was to me incredibly relatable. Raven haired maiden incredibly likeable and the rest worked perfectly to support both their journies while experiencing some of their own. All of this climaxes during the last 20 minutes of the movie resulting into one of the most chaotic and fun rides I've had in a while. And that is my final point.
This movie is incredibly fun. Even if you remove all the symbolism, if you ignore all the production, if you don't care about all the themes. You are still left with very funny, quirky and colorful comedy that will leave you smiling and possibly drop a tear here and there.
So what the hell are you waiting for? Experience this journey! Because night is short, so watch this bloody movie!
wachow
The Night is Short, Walk on Girl is one of many that help cement anime as a serious medium. The notion that anime is something for kids is a common one. The sentiment is found only because of the inevitable results that arise from the nature of the medium itself. Generic power-fantasies, "plot" shows, and just the whole escapist, self-indulgent nature that animation can cater to is why it is known as childish, though most do not realize that this is why. They hear the standpoint and envision rainbows and sunshine, turning to disturbance to convert the mind. This method only works for individuals whodo think of anime in that way. Ones who believe in the way I described will not budge. It only reinforces their ideology, as by turning to disturbance rather than substance, you've only shown actual childlike thinking, demonstrating that what you have been watching is indeed childish. Though, there is nothing wrong with enjoying these types of shows. My favorite genre is the slice of life, which could not be any more escapist. I'm watching fake people live fake lives to fill the void of mine. I want to explain that there are more ways to prove anime than showing Eren's mom getting eaten or some edgy, mediocre gorefest.
So what certifies this movie as a pick for the solidification of the anime medium?
Like any other work, it cannot do everything. Those who think of anime as fields of flowers will dig their trenches deeper, but to ones who follow the view of an over-saturated, poorly written medium, this movie will stand firm. It exemplifies everything animation can bring to the table. It stands by the strengths animation can set forth and executes them perfectly.
The first most apparent strength in anime is animation and artwork. Live-action conveys through cinematography, acting, and music. Anime gets an entirely new dimension, which this movie explores wonderfully. It has a fluidity that most anime do not strive to have. I notice that the Japanese animation philosophy is to be efficient with each frame. They like to cut things that aren't needed, while western animation likes to up the frame count and make things more fluid. I think this should be much more common. It was also much more exaggerated than most shows. This creates personable visuals that strike you much harder. Within the first few seconds, you can see this striking, personable fluidity. As the main character, The Raven-Haired Maiden, drinks, you watch as the beverage flows down her throat in a giant gulp. It then proceeds to flatten back out when it nears the stomach. I also noticed the bold coloration. Large chunks of red and white filled the screen, with some light blues and yellow, grasping my attention while remaining appealing. This moment is when I knew the movie was going to be a fun ride. Something that was soon to display a wacky, zany narrative. Purely off visuals, I could make inferences, something that any anime should achieve as a visual medium.
The fluidity and animation style is one I love and is one distinctly Yuasa. His direction style is always changing, but he continues to stick with this principle. Yuasa knows his way around anime/animation. Besides the way he charms through visuals, he also has a clear vision and intent behind every decision. When the loan shark guy first appears, his boat has such a slippery aesthetic to grasp. Bamboo, other plants, underwear flags, lanterns, and much more adorn it. The uncertainty and unfamiliarity created by having such random elements also formed a better experience by spawning in suspense, wondering what this loan shark guy could possibly be. Yuasa knows how to roam the landscape of animation. The absurd is a realm anime should know very well. Free reign to explore concepts live-action could never dream of is another strength of anime. The fact that it is not real makes it feel real-er. We've all seen botched CGI work before, and it never fails to take away from any immersion you may have had. The fact that anime is already out of reality means that portraying the abstract and unthinkable comes off as more believable and won't take away from your immersion as much, with this movie doing this.
Its construction as a romantic comedy is indeed absurd. I knew off from the start it was weird, but nothing close to what I got. We've got the guy who collects erotic art as payment for the loan shark guy, people who steal underwear, a guy who never changes his underwear, battles of spice tolerance for books, wine conspiracies, and so much more. It's a movie that sets a pedestal beneath the rose-colored, imaginative lens of its creators, whether that be the author of the source material or staff members of the anime. Its central idea follows a Japanese belief in a red string of fate. I know little about it, but I know it connects what is fated to be together. The red string idea is one you can find in other romance-related works, but what makes this stand out is having it outside of just the love interests. The way a red string tied together every little detail set down out was fantastic. There were a reason and conclusion to why that guy never changes his underwear. There was deliberate intent behind every aspect, and the splendid ending to tie everything up left behind a sweet aftertaste in my mind.
As a feel-good, fun times movie, its themes are very fitting. The film is so bright and bubbly because it reflects the main character, creating something surreal. Her thought process is to keep moving forward and let whatever happens pass. In her battle with the loan shark, he compares the drink to a nihilistic view of life, meaningless. While she drinks, she describes it as luxurious and abundant, warm. It shows to view the world with positivity. She won that battle because she could appreciate it, while the loan shark focused on the flaws and slowly felt emptier because of that. Her mindset directly applies to how the story flows. As she decides to keep moving, more and more happens. If she decided to stop, none of the events would occur as she was the turning point for most of them. Her warm view of life inspired everyone around her, breeding life within the city and quite literally brightening it. Maybe you could create change in your life. Connect your red string with the ones of others and form one-in-a-lifetime experiences, a great message.
This movie overall is a love letter to anime. It doesn't take itself any more seriously than it must. So what if it's super random and doesn't hold anything complex or profound? Telling stories and conveying themes in this way is what anime is. It displayed the creativity that the medium can unfold and brought a hilarious, enjoyable time with it. It was a beautiful letter and is one I can read anytime I'm looking for that beauty. It touched my heart and clicked with my mind to create one of my favorite movies of all time and what I think is one of the best anime movies.
CheskoSebulba
When you go into a movie holding unreasonably high expectations, it is rare for those expectations to be met. Even though I tried not to, I held unreasonably high expectations for this movie, and though it did not meet them, I'm glad to say that it is still a solid movie in its own right that stands above many other feature length anime films that I've seen. Could anyone really blame me for holding such high expectations? The Night is Short, Walk on Girl is a film from Masaaki Yuasa, one of the anime industry's most creative and prolific figures, based on a novel bythe author of the Tatami Galaxy, which was adapted into one of the best anime series ever made (by Yuasa himself, mind you). I don't think that you should decide a film's merits by comparing it to other works, but the comparison here is undeniable, considering that this movie shares the same setting and even some of the same characters as Tatami Galaxy. I feel compelled to mention that it never really comes close to the dazzling heights of Tatami Galaxy, or even some of Yuasa's other projects.
But that's okay. This is not a sequel to Tatami Galaxy, nor does it claim to be a spiritual successor (though it technically is when you consider all of the similarities). What it is is an entertaining, surrealist adventure, one that manages to have both brevity and compassion. It is not as poignant as Tatami Galaxy, nor is it as fun as Ping Pong: The Animation; instead, Walk on Girl hits a spot that is somewhere in between those two fantastic works.
ART
There's not much to talk about here, and that's a good thing. If you're familiar with Tatami Galaxy or Yuasa in general, then this movie's art style will be of no surprise. And if you've never watched Yuasa's work before, get ready for one of the most extraordinary art styles you've ever seen. It is highly inventive, like always, and serves the surreal nature of the story incredibly well. While comical at times, the art is, for the most part, absolutely beautiful.
STORY
Here is where the movie suffers the most, I feel. The summary makes it all sound very bare-bones, but it's actually quite the opposite. While the story at its most basic is about a college guy desperately trying to gain the affection of his junior, this plot is drowned in elements of magical realism, some metaphorical and some that we just aren't meant to question. It keeps the world unique and bizarre, and these elements are ultimately the main reason why the movie is more than just a typical rom-com or slice of life slog. However, unlike in Tatami Galaxy, the magical realism here seems to heavily distract from the basic premise of the movie for the majority of its run time, rather than build onto it.
While the antics that the characters get into are humorous and engaging, some of them feel more like aimless distractions than necessary conflicts in the story. Walk on Girl definitely has some philosophical statements about existence hidden under its carefree appearance (such as how we perceive the passage of time as we grow older or the value of memories that we only notice in retrospect) but it barely scratches the surface with how well those themes could have been handled.
CHARACTERS
Very few of the characters actually grow or develop, other than our two protagonists, and maybe Haku. That's not to say that they aren't interesting characters, but rather that they are already introduced as offbeat people within their first few seconds on screen. If a character starts out as outlandish and peculiar, where are they supposed to go for the rest of the movie? They can only become less interesting as we become desensitized to their quirks. The only way to combat this from happening would be to develop other aspects of their personality, which, as I've stated, doesn't happen as much as it should've. They are all, for the most part, likable, charming, and memorable in their own ways, but the lack of progression they experience doesn't allow them to meet their full potential. It's also a bit too obvious that some characters are thrown in simply to tie up the many side plots (ex: the "God of the Used Books Market"). Still, it's hard to find a cast of characters as eccentric as this.
OVERALL
Ultimately, despite its flaws, it is still a great coming-of-age/comedy movie that I would recommend to almost anyone willing to give outlandish films a chance. It goes without saying that it's a must-see for Yuasa fans. As much as I've complained about how it doesn't stand up to his other works, or that the story's lack of focus creates some "flab", or even that the underlying messages seem obscured by its comical musings, it remains a good film. In a way, it would've been pretty hard for someone to mess up a movie that had so much promise from the get-go. Though it failed to meet my expectations, which I've already admitted were unfairly high, it is easy for any viewer to see that this film was a work of passion, one with intoxicating warmth and spirit that is hard to find in the genre.
Cheerio23
Once in a while, there pops up a work of fiction that is not burdened by boundaries set by industry and media consumers nowadays. A work that isn't afraid to offer something extraordinary and to play with possibilities of the platform it stands on. A piece of expressionistic art which portrays it's rich content in the most unconventional of manners. Experimental creation which embraces charm and creativity with all it's being. There also pops up a person who has guts and inspiration to make all of this happen, and in the last decade of anime industry, that usually happens to be Masaaki Yuasa, who keepstranscending the medium with his talent over and over again. The man behind Mind Game, Ping Pong The Animation, Kaiba and Tatami Galaxy arrived to save the anime again by adapting yet another Tomihiko Morimi novel- Night Is Short, Walk On Girl.
With strong visual and even contentual resemblence to forementioned Tatami Galaxy, Yoru Wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome kicks off by presenting us yet another beautiful raven-haired maiden and a lively night in Kyoto full of celebrations of all sorts, all kinds of people having fun and, most importantly, all kinds of alcohol drinks. As our cute protagonist walks around the city from one entertaining place to another, she encounters and interacts with all kinds of both ordinary and extraordinary people in coincidental and intentional meetings. Though, are coincidental meetings really coincidental, or are all of them preordered and tied by the infamous red string of fate? Are the meetings that seem coincidental to us actually not coincidental at all and we're blind to what really is behind them? Or, what if the most important meetings in our life happen suddenly, unintentionally? How does our perception of our surroundings and time itself affect our lives? Are we really pulling out the maximum of our lives?
This movie will subtly explore these questions in span of a single night in Kyoto, providing us a heartwarming, touching and impacting story which cherishes fate, love, human connection, life, youth, moment and love. Theme exploaration and message deliverance is achieved by fantastically characterized and explored cast and pure power of expressionistic and dadaistic visuals permeated by heavy load of symbolism, metaphors and surrealistic imagery enhanced by Yuasa's masterful directorial prowess.
The plot is, basically, just what I described earlier. Even though what happens on screen for a huge amount of time is surreal, story itself is based on entirely realistic stuff and is set in an ordinary world, so it's moved only by characters and their interactions. Pacing is really fast and transitions are quick, which means that there is constantly something happening. And in case of this movie, something means "A LOT of stuff". As I said before, there's no huge plot here, but it still grabs all the attention and keeps being fun for it's entire runtime by having a real lot of things constantly happen. That, of course, goes with it's setting and I really can't think of a better way to portray a fun night with addition of a corky bunch which makes for our cast.
Characters feel, with no exaggeration, genuinely alive. Fantastically portrayed bunch which will make you sympathise and feel the atmosphere of story with ease, even though many side characters have no long-term use for the story. Cast is also well balanced in terms of real person- theme device relation, meaning that no particular character (or a very few of them in the worst case) serve merely as a theme portrayal device, without any personal trait added. Some characters though are surreal or merely symbolic, but they're easily noticable and their roles are pretty much "right in the face". Main cast is well fleshed out both thematically and literally, though exactly as much as movie needs them to be. Main character(s) are, in Tatami Galaxy fashion, unnamed, which hints on self- insert and that makes the whole story, especially the conclusion, even more impactful and powerful. Tatami Galaxy fans will have another chance to meet some familiar faces, so there's another thing too look forward to.
Visual style is, again, insanely similar to Tatami Galaxy and many characters even reappear here, though similar designs are mostly signifying similar roles and personal traits characters in this story have, so don't mistake it (though it would be insanely stupid anyways) for a continuation to forementioned show. Most of the movie's charm is hidden exactly in visuals however, since they're what makes it playful, lively, but most of all subtextually rich. Yuasa plays around with imagery in the best possible way, importing visual metaphors and symbolism in a large amout of scenes, but also visually portraying things which otherwise would be presented by, for example, basic body language and inner monologue. That helps subtle and pretty indirect characterization, theme portrayal and atmosphere making, which oftenly ends up making powerful, explosive and creative scenes. Though, besides playful, it is breathtaking and striking as well. Shot composition is masterful basically all the time, so it makes for a real spectacle when a strong and emotional scene kicks in, and there's a lot of such moments throughout the movie. Another notable stuff when talking about visuals are results of Yuasa's experience- cutting the scene or letting the scene be exactly when needed, fluid animation and creative directorial solutions for bunch of scenes, use of colour keys for both emotions and subtextual stuff, excellent use of juxtapositioning and such stuff. There are some of pretty unique and refreshing elements imported as well, such as musical theatrical play scenes which are heavily tied to what show is about and so on, but you'll see it for yourself.
Though technical side of movie's visual component shines too. Polished visuals combined with fluid animation and bright colors is a blend that really adds up to overall impression, especially when used in this manner. Character designs are pretty simplistic and totally unique compared to the rest of the anime scene today, and most importantly they genuinely portray and complement personalities of characters, so they're a perfect fit. Music makes it even more of a treat, for it fits perfectly all the time.
With all being said, this movie is probably not the best place to start your journey through Masaaki Yuasa's opus and you might wanna watch at least Tatami Galaxy before you dig into this, just so you get familiar with the style of his and even to appreciate this movie more, but that's just a piece of advice. Night Is Short, Walk On Girl stands for yet another proof of Yuasa's endless talent and one of true saviors of anime industry for people who are more than casuals. Tastefully presented, charming, emotional, lively, heartwarming, impacting and maybe even life-changing for someone, this movie is a pure breath of fresh air and even a form of art. Greatly written candy and treat for eyes, ears and soul. Thematically rich, yet fun, easily digestible and fluid. All in all, a must watch for anyone who knows to recognise true merits in media.
For the punchline, I'll just alter movie's title a bit and say:
"Life is short, walk on and inhale it".
blackthorn91
Much akin to The Tatami Galaxy anime, I found this movie to be an absolute delight. Several human emotions are visually personified so simply and beautifully that it deserves the masterpiece tag. As a viewer, one is continually exposed to a feel good atmosphere (kind of relatable to drinking days back in college minus the anime histrionics). The young adult difficulties encountered in life are vividly portrayed, interspersed with several humorous settings, culminating with a great ending. I really don't want to say any more about this movie than to just watch it - a fine 90 minutes respite in the world of anime weso ever love
NoteNeedpotion
I happened to be on break from class when I and a friend went to local Nerd store in town. I usually go there to check out manga but happened to find a colletion edition blu ray of this movie for a nice price. Whether it actually was a nice price I don´t know but I was satisfied with the purchase. As this also happened to be my first introduction to Masaki Yuasa. (Except for devilman crybaby which did not appeal to me). The best way to describe this movie is "Experience". This movie is like a roller coaster that you sit and ride on througha fantastical night of wonder. It is weird to say that a movie that lacks in plot and character happened to be one of my favorites ever, but I can´t stress enough on how this film made my heartbeat go up and down, a movie that leaves me in awe.
This is an ensemble movie that features a ton of characters, all colorfull and unique from one another, whose paths moves and intertwines in the events of one night. They all have their goals for the night, which in most cases was to have fun, and I could clearly feel the characters enthusiasm reeking from my screen. By themself they weren´t special but along with beautiful artwork, music and pace made it easy to move from one character to another with bliss and joy.
If I would compare the movie to something else I would compare it to a theme park, one that you can go to all by yourself. A theme park where all the characters are the different attractions and the sub arcs of the movie are different sections of the park. And sure just like the waiting lines in a park, the movie may slow down at parts whenever they switch storyline or character. But in the end, after watching this movie I am left exhausted and tired from all the excitement I had while watching it.
My only regret is that I was not able to experience this in the cinema. But watching it for myself right before I go to bed was still an experience I hope I never forget.
Note NeedPotion <3
AnjuRatty
Dreamlike , Bizarre , Frenetic , Absurd , Trance-like , Awe-inspiring , I could easily run out of adjectives to describe this movie but never do it justice. There's a pub crawl , weird romance plot , multiple musical numbers and dance sequences , cowboys fighting politicians , so many individual stories connecting into one story about adolescence and anxiety , optimism , enjoying life and how everything in life intertwine with each other. It's a movie in concept that would be too wild to ever succeed and be coherent but it triumphant in a mind-boggling way. The story is , to simply put ,Is what I imagine having severe ADHD is like. It felt like the authors mind wondered from one strange thought to another , one dreamlike set piece to another , one strange situation to another , but in the end somehow weaving all those together into one coherent storyline and it's just simply bizarre.
At first I was worried characters will be just throw away tools to tie in the plot together of what seemed at the start a bizarre looking collection of set-pieces and funny situations. Oh boy I was wrong , and I'm glad I was. Each character is uniquely bizarre in their own way and ties into some kind of theme but without making them one dimensional and grows as the story goes on.
I'm going to take the main character as an example , she's bright eyed , headstrong , awkward and strange. She's always on the fast-lane enjoying every bit of it. But as the story goes on she learns that she can sometimes stop and look around and maybe she should have.
As for the animation , I truly believe this is the movie that has utilized animation to it's fullest potential and created an experience that couldn't be presented in any other medium. It's bright and colorful , fluid but crazy , with a little bit of Satoshi Kon like fast paced editing mixed in. Sound design was almost perfect inviting us into the amazingly weird world and the musical numbers were absolutely delightful.
The atmosphere of the movie got me so absorbed in it that I felt like I've spent an eternity watching this but not in a boring and dragging way but instead I enjoyed every minute of it. It's surprisingly crammed packed with so much content but never feels like it's rushed and everything feels fleshed out in it's crazy ways. I think this movie is a unique experience everyone should have in their life at-least once. I cannot recommend this enough.
Noe_Archiviste
!!!!!!!! Overall: 9/10 Life is just another optimistic girl traveling the streets of Kyoto, along with a fun ensemble of strangers, as she faces a drink-off contest with a mythological drinking god. A recipient of the Best Animation in the 41st Japan Academy Award, The Night is Short, Walk on Girl is a story about Otome, a raven-haired girl, and her long night of partying filled with alcohol, book fairs, and school festivals. It is also a story about her “Senpai” and his journey in winning Otome’s heart. Directed by visionary directorMasaaki Yuasa, this film surely packs a lot of visual flairs. The “out of the box” animation and use of colors perfectly suit the surreal atmosphere that the film imposes, which the director trademarked as his style. Adding to that, it makes it more entertaining by feeding your imagination literal renditions of a figurative speech. The director implied that some parts of the movie were only according to his imagination when he read the novel and realized that he misinterpreted the setting. But in the end, it worked out as it added a little bit of liveliness to a dull place, like what a quiet regular bar would be.
The soundtrack of the film complements the events that happen, including a surprising musical number from a play that resembles the melody of Bohemian Rhapsody. With this, every scene in the movie seems like it is brimming with life. A compelling set of characters is always needed to create a fun film, and this film is no exception. We have a lead female protagonist who influences others to enjoy lives to its heights and a relatable “senpai” that shows how hard it is to socialize. Everyone in here is a unique character, and with the quirky animation, they push the movie to comedic glory.
The rushing set of events will keep you intrigued in the whole story as it gets weirder and more bizarre. The writing reminds me of a few Haruki Murakami works as a lot of strange things start happening, and everything will kind of make sense in the end. Compared to the Tatami Galaxy, this film requires you to take in more, in over an hour versus the 11-episode series.
Juxtaposition is a recurring theme in the film as we see Otome, who is full of life with other people who usually view existence with nihilism and views oneself as lonely. In contrast to loneliness, the film’s central theme is the connection of everyone. Everything and everyone is connected, be it through your actions, to the objects, and to the relationship you bear with your friends or family. Also, time is a fundamental element in the film because the movement of time varies between characters and can be noted as a metaphor for youth. The last act of the film beautifully culminates the past events and brings you to a psychological and philosophical journey that whispers to you, “You’re not alone. Someone cares for you. Live your life to the fullest.”
My brain recalls these from the film during the middle of the night, the time I watched the movie. I engulfed myself in the story and thought that the film was for me. It felt that the title perfectly resembled what I did. “The Night is Short, Watch on Boy” (a reference to myself watching during midnight) is the perfect title as I laugh and catch a cold with the characters in the film.
A surreal and dreamlike animated feature that doesn’t limit itself with the medium and delivers a lasting performance, thanks to the cast and fast-paced story. Yuasa and his team manage to send a heartwarming
message in a visually pleasing way. A solid nine out of ten. As I quote Otome, this film is like the taste of fake Denki bran, filled with warmth from top to bottom. Luxurious and abundant.
Mohireza
This is a review for both Tatami Galaxy and Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome, but I'll try to keep it more on Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome. The thing many people love/hate about the works made by Masaaki Yuasa and Tomihiko Morimi (Tatami Galaxy and The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl) is the strange and "weird" style of these animes. I watched Tatami Galaxy for the first time when I was 16, the first two or three episodes were absolute nonsense to me -someone who had just started watching anime. Two years later, I watch Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome, and I'm confused about everything forthe first 20 minutes of the movie. As the story progresses, I find myself lost in its world and the chaotic state of people and things. I finish the movie and suddenly realize that I'm smiling. That's exactly how I felt after finishing Tatami Galaxy too.
Honestly, Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome is a fun anime. Both Masaaki Yuasa and Tomihiko Morimi know what they are doing. I know the art style isn't quite pleasing, and the story is somewhat confusing. But that is not the point. Whether it is Tatami Galaxy or Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome, you shouldn't be paying attention to anything but the flow of the events. If you don't, you're being the MC while the anime wants you to think and feel about it as the main girl.
People love these works because they want to enjoy them. Even with that being said, there is a lot you can learn from Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome. About following your fate, about trying to fight with it, about love, etc. There's always something new to find in Tatami Galaxy and Yoru wa Mijikashi Arukeyo Otome, all you have to do is to close your eye to the real world and sink in this new, strange universe.
AyanosSoul
This is a giant, hour-and-a-half metaphor of life. The clocks, the contrast between Rihaku and Kurokami no Otome, the struggle it feels to make that special girl notice you where you embarrass yourself billions of times, it's all here. I can't count how many times I felt so identified with the situations not because I've been through all of them, but because the feelings these situations project are the same I've experienced throughout my youth. Senpai's struggle in all the movie is the same struggle I've had, and I love how it's kind of ridiculed but at the same time giving it that deep, irrationaldepth everyone places onto feeling you are someone useful.
Kempokid21
The constant connections and bonds formed through totally aimless wandering and happenstance within such a short amount of time make for a movie really rich in an atmosphere that simultaneously feels so comfortable and surreal. Masaaki Yuasa has shown time and time again that he's got a real knack for adding a sense of exaggerated wonder to the most mundane of things and revealing the magic beneath it in a very unique and engaging way, but I think that this is his best work in that regard. The pacing and the way the writing felt like ADHD incarnate also helped a lot of this atmosphereI feel, with absolutely constant shifts between subplots happening every 10 - 15 minutes in ways both seamless and jarring, as if the film was similarly following the path of girl where it was gleefully moving along entirely based on its own random whims. Seeing this often stream of consciousness approach to ideas and locations having such a powerful sense of wonder being injected into them as well just further reinforces what I love about this, the biggest instance being everything about the book market. The animation also rules, embracing both a somewhat strange artstyle that distorts things to really strong degrees, while also maintaining this insanely high level of animation where everything feels so fluid and expressive. Basically one of the best movies ever.
MrWEEBX
Keeping the original spirit alive, relatability to the concepts and making things relaxed adding to the overall entertainment. This movie is the sequel to Yuasa Masaki’s masterpiece, Tatami Galaxy. And boy have they kept the original spirit alive with the absolute randomness and ridiculousness or Yuasa Masaki. Just brilliant. Story and theme: The movie revolves around our 2 protagonists and the night they spend in the streets of Kyoto. If you wonder just what all can they show in a single night and what all is even possible. This movie will give you quite a pleasant surprise and trust me no matter how hypothetical or unrealistic itfeels, once you let go of your pre-set perspective, you will be amazed at the sheer absurd and sublime adventures of the night.
So our main protagonist is a raven haired maiden (tatami galaxy reference) who believes in letting things be decided by destiny and follow the thread of fate. From going out to drinking at a bar, to challenging the literal yakuza boss of the area to a drink off and actually winning!
In contrast to her beliefs, we have our male protagonist, her senpai who believes in creating opportunities and destiny. He tries to get involved directly or indirectly with her, meeting her at random places and just shrugging it off as a mere coincidence. Hoping to create the thread of fate.
So throughout the night, we see the girl just going wild, doing whatever the opportunity in front of her presents, so from drinking and beating a yakuza at it, to being a part of a guerilla theatre performance taking place across the city to searching for her favourite childhood book-in a temporary book mart. And her senpai tries to go through all lengths to meet her in all those different places and has to go through lots of troubles and challenges, but ultimately fails in meeting her and conveying his feelings.
The main theme of this movie, correlates to the main theme of the tatami galaxy, that there is nothing like rose-coloured college life. Voluntarily bringing about a change in destiny or maybe trying to create that perfect thread of fate, might not actually bring out the most desired result. What matters is living in the “now” rather than wondering about “what can be”.
Art and animation:
Well like I said, this is a Masaki movie, so the animation is not exactly the classic raw, wavy, and freehand drawing Masaki provides us with every time. This one visually seemed more realistic and believable. Only in context to the background and world design. We got a very similar type of character designs as we did in the tatami galaxy, but what I want to put emphasis on here is that unlike the tatami galaxy, in which there was focus on the 4.5 mat tatami room. Here the nightlife of Kyoto is depicted in a really beautiful manner.
Every crevice of the city is brimming with life and abstract design to match the surreal events of the story, we follow characters into flashy colourful lights on the streets, pubs filled alleyways, bustling market places, and a futuristic and highly technological control centre with hundreds of screens, adds to the overall surreal factor of the anime, making it seem like a dreamland.
Characters:
We get to see some of the same characters from the tatami galaxy, like Higuchi, Hanuki, Jougasaki, Kaori (more or less), Johnny. And we got characters inspired from the tatami galaxy like here we had a god of old used books, who was basically a younger version of Ozu.
All of them were just like they were in the tatami galaxy, but we also got the introduction of many new characters too.
The upbeat enthusiasm of our raven-haired maiden is bound to cheer you up, and the ways she carries on the message that the tatami galaxy had to deliver was very well showcased. She moved on, never being bothered about the result of the outcome and carried along as her destiny guided her. Our male protagonist might not be the best MC right off the bat, but as we get to see more of him, you actually start understanding what he is planning on, and might actually be able to relate to him.
The side characters were a treat to watch too, all had a specific personality and stayed true to it throughout the series with quite some actual development and closure to their stories.
Sound:
This was a pretty major factor in the movie. Starting off from the general OST, whenever the girl went out to drink, crashing at different pubs and parties, we had this particular party, hype music with traditional instruments, and man that was a really good add on especially with those dance moves. Music changed with different scenarios, and the themes fit perfectly with the art.
Okay, now the main focus on the OST. This was perhaps one of the most unique anime movies I have seen in which we had guerilla theatres, showcasing a musical drama, which symbolises the meaning behind the anime while supplementing and adding on to the character development and progression of the main theme itself.
So the drama had musical dialogues, and the music changed, from instruments to themes and emotions and the way they progressed and went about those dialogues and romantic developments taking place via a musical was so wholesomely bewildering, I literally clapped at one point.
Conclusion:
The best way to actually enjoy this movie would be by neglecting all common sense, and actually just appreciating the randomness and moments, and let it entertain you as the director wanted it to.
Needless to say, you should watch the tatami galaxy before coming to this one. Even though both of them aren't related in any other way besides having some similar characters and the same theme. But if you are planning on watching this, try to focus on what the movie wants to show instead of trying to make sense out of every little thing. The movie has a bigger message to provide, which would be left unnoticed if one is bothered about the realism of the movie.
If you like Yuasa’s work, it would be a mistake to miss this one. If you don't watch sequel movies, it's understandable, but missing out on this one would be a big mistake.
So go check this out.
