Hotarubi no Mori e

I am not great at writing reviews, but I am trying to get better so please bare with me on this one. Hope you like my review though ^^ ok so lets get on with it.

I started to watch this because it was written by Yuki Midorikawa. I loved her previous work "Natsume Yuuchinjou" and I was hoping this would be another good anime to pass my time on. I was not wrong.

I am sure that on this movie there are many reviewers who has retold the summary of this story in their own review which I am going to skip over because I ... am pretty sure you get the gist of it.

The whole plot was well put together. Even though the movie was only 40 mins. long, it did not seem rushed at all. Every scene flowed well into place.

BEWARE: READ ANY FURTHER AND THERE MIGHT BE SPOILERS!!

The characters were well played and none of them annoyed me, which is a plus point for me. It was really heartbreaking to see both Gin and Hotaru growing up to be good friends and eventually falling in love. Seeing them both struggling to hold each other and feel each other's warmth did make my eyes water.

Whenever I watch any anime, I am really careful about the ending because even though an anime could be great, the ending could really kill the whole story for me. But the ending on this movie was too good. Though it would be better if they could get together, but that did not happen...it was still beautiful though!

I definitely recommend this!! Can't wait to see what Yuki Midorikawa comes up with next! ^^

*SPOILER WARNING*

For something with a pretty basic romantic storyline, Hotarubi no Mori e pulled it off pretty well.

It's easy to follow; a young girl gets lost in an enchanted forest, she meets a spirit, they become friends, they grow up together every summer, they fall in love, and then their love ends. Pretty basic, huh? That's what I loved about it. It was a comfortable watch, you didn't have to think about it too much, but all the emotion is still there.

The script is well written, interspersed with the right amount of humour, with natural conversation flowing between the two main characters. ... It seems like a typical shoujo anime, heck it probably is your typical shoujo anime, but in the 45 minute runtime, you really see a relationship develop, with no unnecessary drama, following the two mains as they grow together and fall in love together.

Really, I think that's what makes it so damn sad at the end.

You watch it, accustomed with Hotaru and Gin being by each other's sides for most of the screentime. For the times when Hotaru is back at home for school, her longing for the summer and of Gin is heart-wrenching and a reminder of the feeling of falling in love slowly, with someone you've known your entire life. The development behind the characters themselves, Gin slowly becoming more open in the face of a human, when before he was guarded and distrusting of them, and Hotaru, maturing from a hyperactive young girl into a young woman who continues on without the being that she loved, is incredible, and again, one of the best parts of this film is watching the characters grow.

However, the film does not forget its subtle, but noticeable baseline that this good thing will end. From the beginning, you know that it will end in tragedy, with Gin's condition of being 'alive' as such dependent on a lack of physical human contact. This condition hangs like the sword of Damocles throughout the entire film, but when it finally falls, you don't expect it, and it's a real stab to the heart.

Again, the script remains triumphant through all of this. Romantic lines between Hotaru and Gin don't feel forced, nor do their actions and interactions. Hotaru's small monologue at the end was beautifully written, and the voice acting was brilliant; Ayane Sakura captures Hotaru's grief, but also her strength in knowing that she was loved, and she is forced to move on.

The animation is spot on, with the forest coming alive in vibrant greens and golds from the sunlight streaming through the leaves. When watching this, appreciate the background, because despite the beautiful character designs, the forest setting comes to life and draws you into the film and away from reality. The festival itself at the end is beautiful and vibrant, full of life and detail, whilst not overpowering what is the main focus of its scene; Hotaru and Gin's romance.

I loved it. I cried a lot. It was sort of bittersweet, and even though it was a simple story, a basic romance story, it was still hard-hitting at the end. The best thing about this film is its ability to connect you with the characters, and to experience what they are feeling as well.

Give this a watch, you won't regret it. But make sure you have a box of tissues at the ready, it's a real tearjerker.

From the same creator of the ever calm "Natsume Yuujinchou" series comes "Hotarubi no Mori e," a tale of the developing friendship between a young girl, Hotaru, and her youkai companion, Gin. Through brief glimpses at their time spent together once a year in the summer, viewers witness the passage of time and the changing of seasons, and the growing bonds that develop as the young girl grows up, while her youkai companion remains relatively the same. Even though this difference in age is negligible in her younger days, it becomes an increasing problem as she grows older.

Although this aging problem specifically deals with ... the supernatural, a more realistic problem is: How do people deal with the passage of time and distance? Gin has been placed under a spell such that no human can ever touch him. Otherwise, he will disappear. Hotaru learns to deal with this as a child, but as she grows up and starts becoming more attached to Gin, she yearns to physically touch him and spend even more time with him. Gin, while ever friendly, always seems so distant in his speech, more so when Hotaru is a teenager. They are close emotionally, but the unreachable is always looming above them.

Through each stage of Hotaru's life, we see and hear her thoughts about Gin and the strange, magical world she has wandered into. Viewers see how a little girls childish affections of her savior develop into friendship and then finally love for him. The only obstacles are the magic that separates Hotaru and Gin, and time. These underlying problems are the force that develops the two characters until the long awaited Summer Festival, something the two will never forget.

On a technical level, the film has extremely crisp, clean, and detailed artwork that brings to life the lazy summers that Hotaru and Gin share, and the ordinary life Hotaru has outside of the youkai inhabited forest. It resembles a moving watercolor painting, with soft colors and colorful, blended backgrounds. Background music is minimal, but the silence adds to the nature that surrounds Hotaru and Gin.

"Hotarubi no Mori e" is a heartwarming story that shows the deepening bond between a young girl and her supernatural companion, and how there is always an unreachable desire that follows the two as Hotaru grows up, and as Gin remains ever the same. It is a fairy tale that is slow, calm, and relaxing. I enjoyed watching this short, thoughtful movie, and it was something that I have thought about since then. I think of this movie like this: Do things always go our way? No. But it doesn't mean we can't enjoy the time we spent trying to make it so.

And here, I'll end with a little something from a movie called "When Harry Met Sally..."

"...when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."

From the same mangaka that wrote Natsume Yuujinchou, being adapted by the same animation studio that brought you Natsume Yuujinchou, directed by the same man who directed Natsume Yuujinchou. Would you believe then, that this is nothing like Natsume Yuujinchou? That it is, in fact, a rip-roaring action-packed adventure flick as the main characters ride wave after wave of explosions and cynical social satire? Of course you wouldn't believe it because you're not gullible. This is just Natsume Yuujinchou the Rather Short Movie.

The story is very simple, almost refreshingly so compared to the convoluted mess that sometimes invades blockbuster flicks. A little girl gets lost ... in a forest and befriends a yokai in there who helps her find her way out. From there they establish a friendship and she goes to visit him every summer. The main crux of the story is that this yokai is lonely and has learned to dislike humans, but this girl has eased his loneliness and taught him how to feel love. You know, the exact same story that every single episode of Natsume is based around?

It might sound like I don't like this movie, but that isn't the case. Like Natsume, the story is very capably told. It has a knack of hitting you with the emotional core of the story at the right parts, and does just enough characterisation of the lead two to make you care about them. It's a very short movie, only 45 minutes, so they wisely kept to only two characters. It's also got this neat way of not showing the characters faces at certain times so you've got to figure out for yourself what they're thinking. The yokai wears a mask throughout the film, but lifts it up every now and then and even puts it on the girl at one point, right at the moment when she (without spoiling) should have had a very...expressive face. It's a clever little move.

I think my biggest problem with it is I don't see why it had to be a full movie. The animation looks the exact same as Natsume. Same light toned colours on all the characters. Same watercolour backgrounds. Same bloody sound effects even. Not that it's a bad look, but it wasn't even particularly well animated. I'm used to the idea that studios splash out when they go to the big screen. I also didn't feel like it needed to be 45 minutes. Most of the film was spent on the kid and the yokai playing in the forest. Sure, it as fun to watch the kid being a kid, because there's something inherently infectious about children's joy in simply playing. And sure, it was cool to watch the kid grow up slowly over the course of the film from a small girl to a teenager. But you could have easily cut out half that film and it would have still hit the right emotional notes at the right times.

You know what? Take an episode of Natsume Yuujinchou. Have Natsume ask Nyanko has any stories of other yokais to tell him. Stick in a 20 minute version of this movie and have Nyanko occasionally narrate to imply he's the one telling the story, and it would fit perfectly. Same animation style, same music, same world setting, same essential moral to the story. Nobody watching would be able to tell the difference.

Hotarubi no Mori e is a relatively short movie that attempts to portray the developing relationship between a young girl and a spirit who stumbles upon said young girl in a forest.

Unfortunately, the movie suffers greatly from being as short as it is.

With that said, the movie does have some appeal to it.

First of all the artstyle of the movie is good. By no means will it blow your mind, but it is definitely drawn with care to it and it is detailed. There is no particular scene in the entire movie I can strike down upon and say "The animation faltered there".

Secondly, the music ... of the show brings about a decent atmosphere while you are watching, swinging from very calm and relaxing to more solemn and lonely tunes. It fits the movie and never goes beyond the limits of the different scenes. That being said, it is not a soundtrack you will immediately recognize upon re-listening to a couple of months later.

Where the movie begins to falter is in its story and in its characters. The story itself is rather basic and not at all unheard of. The main premise of the relationship between the two characters is established fast and leads the viewer to quite easily being able to predict an outcome of the story.

The characters are not dislikeable, but they are definitely not anything beyond the ordinary.

Not only that, but because such a long period of time of the main character's life passes over the course of ~40 minutes, it became hard for me to immerse myself with the character and her emotions, making the movie feel a bit dull, for the lack of a better word. Her emotions are understandable to me, but I completely failed to relate and the movie in its entirety didn't really invoke anything emotional for me.

My last big gripe with the movie was the inclusion of the supernatural. It felt very forced. What I mean by this, is that this same story could quite easily have been told without the inclusion of the supernatural. We are introduced to several supernatural beings during the movie, but nothing about them is ever really explained. To me it felt like a boring cop-out in order to add drama to the relationship of the two main characters (Making one of them a supernatural being).

Overall, the movie is not bad and I feel like if it had been longer, with more time to explain the world of the two characters, it could have actually been great. However, for me it was nothing to write home about.

I have no words to describe this anime. To me, this anime is nothing short of perfection. This movie cements anime as a legitmate form of art in my opinion.

Story- The story starts out with a young girl, Hotaru, who gets lost in the forest of sprits. It is then that she meets, Gin, a sprit who lives in the forest who decides to help her leave. The twist is, that Gin can never be touched by a human or he will disappear. It is then that the seeds of their relationship is planted. Rarely, is there a show that can depict a love ... blossoming between two people with out melodrama and crying. This is an accomplishment within itself. The love between Gin and Hotaru was something so clean, gentle and pure, that it brought tears to my eyes and I don't cry very often. You see their relationship grows as Hotaru gets older yet Gin remains the same. The ending is lovely and reminds me of why I fell in love with anime in the 1st place.

Art- The art is very good. I would say it is on par with Miyazaki films like Sprited Away.

Sound- Hotarubi no Mori e has a very beautiful soundtrack. A lot of somber mellow, euphoric tracks that could relax or sadden you. I find listening to the soundtrack to be theraputic.

Character- The movie revolves around Hotaru and Gin. Their relationship is one to be envied and it is so innocent and pure. You feel the affections they have for each other deepen as years go by. The movie never really focused on their problems, rather their interactions with each other. It was truly something beautiful to behold, watching their relationship.

Overall, I give this show a 10/10. I would place it up there with my favorite anime films of all time like : 5cm Per Second, Howl's Moving Castle and the Haruhi Film. I strongly recommend this show to anybody with a heart.

Want forty-four minutes of sadness and happiness mixed into a ball just for you?

Well here you go, Hotarubi no More e. Beautiful and tender, Hotarubi no Mori e is the very embodiment of tranquility. The watercolor backdrop, the light toned colors, and soft piano background music immerse the viewer in a placid world. With the passing seasons throughout the movie, from slumbering winters to shimmering summers, a sense of timelessness pervades the experience.

Hotaru, a young and playful girl, finds herself lost in a forest purportedly inhabited by spirits while spending a summer at her Uncle's countryside house. A mysterious and masked young man named Gin, ... who claims to somehow "no longer be human", finds her, and in spite of his claim that he will disappear should she ever make contact with him, he agrees to lead her out of the forest. Before the day ends, however, the two find themselves enjoying each other' company and agree to see each other again, in spite of the risk Hotaru brings to his life and her fear that as she grows older each summer, she may someday cease to be able to be with him.

Regardless of the character's ages, there is one thing in particular that stands out about this movie, and that is that Hotaru and Gin are wonderful to watch. As a child, Hotaru is of the adorably naive and inquisitive type who, upon being told not to touch an object, can think of nothing besides doing the exact opposite, and yet she fails to be either whiny or frustratingly impotent, being the sort of toddler you look forward to watching grow up. The movie, in fact, is told mostly as flashback from the perspective of a teenaged Hotaru and shows her aging from a toddler to a high school student, neither skimping on the in-between points nor rendering her unrecognisable as time passes. She's lovely to watch both as a child and as a developing adult, in fact, and while collecting my thoughts on the film, I realize that such consistency of characterization even across age differences is impressive for such a short movie.

While no individual tracks made me gasp in awe, it set out to do what it needed. The soft piano music definitely helped established the calm atmosphere of the movie, and it was enjoyable to listen to as a whole.
I also enjoyed how they also used nature, which further strengthens the forest Gin lives as a place of home and as an invitation for Hotaru to Gin's world. The voice actors for both Gin and Hotaru are sublime: not hard on the ears and providing enough emotion for the emotional scenes. The balance between this and the humorous scenes are spot-on.

Hotarubi no Mori e is, atmospherically, a gorgeously detailed piece with beautiful animation courtesy of Brain's Base studio, a landscape beautiful enough to make me regret being barred from it by the difference between fact and fiction, and a nostalgic feel brought about by such moments as Hotaru's uncle recalling a period spent in the woods from his own childhood and her dreamily recalling her summers spent there while gliding by the countryside on a train. It's a story that could easily become trite, but with the strength of the script and characters, as well as the artistic detail that brings even a visit to a summer festival

Hotarubi no Mori e is a first class example of an anime that makes optimal use of its time. What it accomplishes in 44 minutes, few anime television series ever accomplish in entire seasons. It makes you care about its characters and draws natural empathy from its audience. Even though it is a quick watch, a lot of passion and emotion is communicated in this work of art. It is short, sweet, and to the point, and for that it deserves many accolades.

So much to say about that one great first love. Since time immemorial, first love has always filled our hearts with longing and nostalgia and that is where Hotarubi no Mori e hits home.

Ever had the feeling when you want something so bad even though you know that it's never ever gonna be yours? We all did. No matter how futile it is we still hope for a better future with the one we love. But reality isn't gonna babysit us. Sometimes it has a cruel way to wake us up.

Hotarubi no Mori e is a romantic-fantasy anime filled with memories of summer and unadulterated ... love. Six year-old Hotaru met Gin, a mysterious being, when she was lost in the mountain during her summer vacation. They played in those summer days and agreed to meet the next summer. And the next. And the next. Hotaru grew up from a child to teenager with Gin by her side. Making summer the most special season in their hearts.

How do I explain this? The simplicity of the storyline made it hard for me to believe how it was able to draw out the feelings I forgot. Or maybe it was the simplicity that made my heart ache to the memories of a first love. The story was relatable, at least the feelings were. And that what made Hotarubi no Mori e beautiful. You will smile in spite of your tears, you will love in spite of the pain, you'll believe though it's hopeless. It's liberating, somehow.

Hotaru is one of my favorite characters ever. She's innocent but not ignorant, she clearly knew what being together with Gin entails but faced it anyway. Surely she knew that it was hopeless but never for once did she lose hope. She wanted to be with Gin and for that she's willing to do everything that she can but she's not oblivious to the fact that it may end one day. Gin was just as hopeful as she is. He loved Hotaru. Cared for her more than anything else. He wanted to be with Hotaru just as strongly as she wanted to be with him. They patiently wait for three seasons to pass and for summer to come. The agony was almost unbearable. But the feelings they hold for each other are much more powerful than that.

To put it simply, Hotarubi no Mori e tells a story about one's unforgettable first love in the blush of summer days. A fateful encounter like no other.

When I finished watching this I was left with feelings that I somehow lost along the way. Feelings that were buried and forgotten resurface once again. It felt good like washing all the pain away with tears so I could smile once again.

"Time might separate us some day. But, even still, until then, let's stay together." - Hotaru Takegawa

And with that, this anime holds a special place in my heart.

No spoilers.

Hotarubi no Mori e Hotarubi no Mori e is a 45-long anime film that feels like 5 minutes. I wish there was at least a whole season of it just because it was so amazing. A little tip: Natsume Yuujinchou feels similar and has a similar idea, if you have already seen Hotarubi and liked it, then take a look at Natsume Yuujinchou. Same team / studio by the way. You would love it.

Story: 8.5

The story was kept very simple, but sensationally written. It's like a little fairy tale. The end is perfect and rewarding for what feels like five minutes you have ... spent. But I can't put a 10 in the story because there is no back story, no exact character details and furthermore, because it only lasts 45 minutes. Still great story.

Character: 8

There are only 2 relevant characters: Gin and Hotaru. Gin is a perfect character for the role he plays. His mask makes him more mystical and you always wonder: if this “event” will happen that feels like a fate with gin and if it will when? Hotaru is just the typical fairy tale girl, comparable to Studio Ghibli characters: okay but without a motive.

Sound: 10

The soundtrack is a masterpiece. The same composer of Natsume Yuujinchou, mostly piano + violin, just perfect and has a certain mood that fits the genre Supernatural. The ending theme “Natsu wo Miteita: simply perfect.

Animation: 7.5

Animation is solid. Nothing too special. The end scene stood out with the animation, but otherwise I didn't notice anything special.

Enjoyment: 9.5

As I said: it feels like 5 minutes. The only criticism: it was only 45 minutes;).

Overall: 8.7

There is a metaphor that speaks of two parallel lines that have many in common but never meet...but there is another that really graced this movie dearly.
"The two lines that merge closer to one another as time pasts...but once they meet, they will separate forever."

Basic geometry may not really do this movie justice but it perfectly encompasses how their love was destined but not meant to be forever. I am ashamed to have only watched this movie today but I would probably regret if I never did.

STORY
It is a simple tale of forbidden love that grew from strangers to an uncanny friendship and soon evolved ... into a yearning yet untouchable (literally) love. I loved it...as we are flooded with endless ecchi and harem anime lately, this movie is breathtaking and refreshing despite its foreshadowed sadness.
There is nothing complex or mind-blogging. The story makes you enjoy the smooth sailing through the pure emotions that it gives you.

ART
Just like the story itself, it is beautiful and simple. I do notice that the animation is greatly focused upon as it helps in displaying the soft emotions the story tells. To watch it in itself is very soothing and I think that kind of art just leaves you relaxed and drawn into the story...not realising that time is slowly passing by.

SOUND
To support the story itself requires heavy focus on its soundtrack and in my opinion, they did a very good job in delivering the emotions simply through its peaceful yet softly melancholic music. There are certain points of the anime that does not rely on dialogues and the scenes portray a lot more emotion just with the background music itself. What I noticed is that...the music reminds me of one you hear in a theater; consistent and builds up along the story as if the music itself is narrating.
Of course, with the ending comes a beautiful ending song that continues to build upon the emotions that the movie left us with...pondering and unable to escape it. Beautiful really.

CHARACTER
There is nothing complex about the characters...and I loved that fact. Hotaru's character truly brought the presence of the hidden emotions that she wielded deep inside as well as Gin's. Their relationship develops as the years fly by while being surrounded by others from both the spirit world and the human world...and in between, are the two of them.

ENJOYMENT & OVERALL
It is hard to write review without spoiling the movie but honestly, it can be expected right from the beginning. However, despite so...it still made me shed tears profusely through the ending song and it is such a precious movie that will definitely remain in my heart for a really long time and it will do so to you as well.

I heard a lot about Hotarubi no Mori e for its great story, despite it being so short (45 minutes). It was a movie that people deemed was almost equal to others like 5 Centimeters per Second. I finally watched it after my friend pushed and pushed me to see it and I was definitely not disappointed.

Story: 9.5/10
The romance story of a forbidden love seemed very unoriginal after years of silly soap dramas reusing the plot over and over again. But a sprinkle of supernatural and innocence made Hotarubi no Mori e different from the others, and better. The love story between ... the two main characters was so pure, hanging only on feelings and personality since any form of skin touch was not allowed. This made the emotions draw out better, easier to sympathize with. Despite the movie only being 45 minutes, the pacing went really well. About every point in the relationship was shown and the final conclusion was a huge bang. I thought it was unexpected, which I'm sure was what the writers were going for. I ended up getting way more emotional than I initially thought I was, which really shows how the movie was able to grow and build onto you. It was a wonderful film and I just wanna watch it again and again.

Characters: 8.5/10
Only two characters you need to care about here: Hotaro and Gin. In the beginning of the movie, Hotaro was still a typical little anime girl. I wasn't sure what to think of her. But you follow her as she grows into a high school student and she ends up slowly growing on you. Her perspective into Gin's supernatural life is similar to how we're seeing him. You end up sympathizing with how she feels and is dealing with the big issue in the movie. While plain, Hotaro was still lovable and easy to relate to. Gin was a unique character. His spell of being unable to come into contact with no human and his entire being was filled with mysteriousness. I wanted to learn more about him and was intrigued as much as Hotaro was. In the end, it touched my heart seeing how these two bonded together. I wish they had different scenes of interaction, but given the limits they gave, the movie had about as much as it could.

Sound: 8.5/10
The sounds of Hotari no Mori e were pretty well done. The soundtrack was a treat for my ears and was very pleasant to listen to. It amplified the emotions, especially the climax scene, incredibly well. It filled the movie with happiness, lightheartedness, and sadness to create a more dramatic effect. The closing song tied the whole movie together and created a sense of calm and closure. While not being too amazing to be remembered, the soundtrack was still great.

Animation: 8/10
Animation was above par. Nothing too high quality came out from this movie. The characters were colored a bit flat but still had a sense of life to them. However, Hotari still had many beautiful back drops that were lovely to look at when the time came. The animation wasn't so bad that I wanted to gauge my eyes out, but it also wasn't incredibly praise worthy.

Enjoyment: 9/10
In the beginning of the movie, I was a little intrigued with where the plot would take me. As it progressed, I was shocked to see how attached I had become to the events and by the end I was filled with great feelings of happiness and sadness. It was definitely an enjoyable experience.

Overall: 9/10
While being a bit draggy and short, Hotari no Mori e was still a fantastic movie. I didn't expect myself to be as drawn in as I was and the final impact of emotions at the end showed me how great of a movie it was. I will NOT forget what this movie did to me. It's showings of innocent love touched me and I'll definitely won't forget it in the future. I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys pure romance and won't mind crying over a little heartbreak.

Note: This is one of my many works from Sekijitsu

“…My chest will hurt. My tears will be overflowing. But this warmth in my hands and these summer memories will live on in my heart…”

Hotarubi no Mori e did much more than present us a coming-of-life masterpiece as it shows us its lack of story being one of its strong points. It is as if Omori Takahiro has put you under a spell as you watch second by second the simplicity unfold into a marvellous piece of writing. And if that wasn’t enough, Yoshimori Makoto maintains your hypnotic state as he accompanies that simple story with ... beautiful music.

These two brilliant and talented men continue to sway your emotions from start to end; from the time Gin and Hotaru meet, to the time Gin and Hotaru depart. The lack of characters allows you experience the life of Hotaru as she lives and feels throughout the movie. We do not feel these emotions and experiences from our seat; rather it feels as if we are actually spectating from within. Yet, it’s those little, meaningless actions and experiences we come to love and appreciate.

As much as Hotaru wishes for the seasons to change, we also wish for it to change. Her impatience rubs off on us as if it was only natural. As much as the pacing was deliberately slow, you wish for it to never end. At this point, the world which Gin and Hotaru live in becomes our escape from reality. Their romantic development has not only touched our heart but our soul so much that we wished for a miracle near the end… a miracle we knew that was never going to come true.

From the producer and artist of Natsume Yuujinchou you can definitely feel the similarities of the two almost as if we’re watching the next episode but with a different protagonist. A story like Hotarubi no Mori e could’ve been condensed into the Natsume series as another episode, but the choice of making this heart-warming simplicity into a 45 minute movie was – in my opinion – a brilliant idea.

The movie allowed us to understand Hotaru as she grows up with Gin. If it was done in Natsume, we’d knock her off as ‘another touching Natsume episode’. The movie allowed you plenty of time to see the characters grow and develop with each other and a good amount of time to relate to these characters in their given situations throughout the movie. Hotarubi no Mori will go down in history as a brilliant coming-of-life role model for future anime series and movies.

Its simplicity in its story is what astonishes most of us with how much of an emotional impact it made on the most of us that have seen it. It mainly consisted of background music and dialogue between Gin and Hotaru as they enjoyed their summer together mucking about in the forest. Yet little things such as the butterfly fluttering off Gin’s mask sub-consciously make you appreciative of its beauty even with its simple art form. I believe by now, I do not have to even mention to you how much I loved this film.

It lacked a story, it lacked characters, it was slow paced, it dragged on but you know what? It was these aspects of the movie that made it into a wonderful piece of art. The story was simple and needed not to be any different in delivering that sweet, simplicity of the life of Hotaru and Gin and their romantic development. The lack of characters allowed you to focus more on the two which is exactly what you should be doing instead of the other minor characters in the movie yet those minor characters all add a unique element in the upbringing, personality and development of Hotaru and Gin. I loved every moment of the film as it swept me from reality; experiencing an escape into the wonderful world of Hotarubi no Mori e.

In all up? Yes, you should definitely watch this movie as soon as possible and especially without too many distractions as you’d want to take in the atmosphere it presents as you watch it. I will personally classify this as an unmissable movie for all ages and if you haven’t seen Natsume Yuujinchou as well then you better start downloading!

I stumbled upon this anime by pure coincidence while I was searching for something similar to Mushishi. Since it had only one episode, I thought to myself: I will give it a go. Needless to say, I was not dissapointed. It is truly great, but extremely sad. I cried like a baby during the last 10-15 minutes. Seriously, it is devastating. From my point of view at least. It is about love that can never become reality because even the slightest touch by a human will make him disappear. The story is simple, the characters are well thought out, but it is really so sad. ... Being so close together, yet so far apart. Is is a story so bitter-sweet it really made me appreciate life more.

9/10
My friend had introduced it to me and it was a great anime movie.
Hotaru, (main heroine and protagonist) was lost in a forest as a young child where she met a boy named Gin who covered his face in a mask. Hotaru could only go visit Gin in the summer, so the movie mostly focused on Hotaru's summers, except for one glimpse at her winter months.

The story was great. It showed Hotaru grow up each time she went to visit Gin, and you could see her develop from a clumsy, young child to a mature, healthy young woman. Meanwhile, the movie fills you with ... a sense of sadness because Gin never changes making you think that Hotaru would leave Gin behind. It had Romance and the heart-warming moments. But I was so frustrated. I wanted them to fall in love and hug! (but Gin can't be touched by a human or else he'll disappear) It was frustrating to watch, but the story and ending was excellent. However in all of the anime movies I've seen, it always leaves a cliffhanger. It always feels like there's one last bit missing before the movie can actually conclude. It will fill you with a HUGE feeling of sadness as the 45 min "episode" ends.

The art was mediocre in my opinion, but for a movie, I think it was pretty good. Nothing looked out of proportion in the faces, and I was so excited to see Gin's face because most of the time, he has the mask to cover his face. Hotaru's character design from a young girl to a teenager was very smooth in terms of design.

The sound track wasn't amazing in my opinion. However, the opening had a slightly quirky feel to it. The sound track was good at setting the mood, but it doesn't leave any emphasis towards any scene.

The character design and development is excellent. If you took the characters out of the anime and put them together, they really are a very good match. Hotaru's development was excellent, one of the best I have seen before. You see her go from a young girl who got lost in the forest, to an older girl who would enjoy Gin's company, to a teenager who realized her feelings. Gin's development wasn't as evident, but you see him accepting Hotaru's kindness more, and eventually, developing feelings for her.

I really enjoyed watching this movie. It really knows how to develop a good, heart-warming, and tear-jerking story and develop great characters. The creators really knew where to hit you in the feels. I would really recommend it to people who enjoy a nice, sweet, romance with a girl's first love.

When I finished watching Hotarubi no Mori e, I was in a certain state of mind. I wasn't quite in a down pour of rain and dark clouds, but I wasn't engulfed in sunshine happiness either. I'm not sure where I was, but there's one thing I'm 100% sure of, and that is the fact that I absolutely LOVED this anime!

Story: 10! (^ o ^)/ Ten! 10! Diez! Sampu! テン!
The plot of Hotarubi no Mori e is very unique. I have yet to watch an anime like this one (it ... may also be due to the fact that I've only finished 49 animes...). I can see why many people found this anime to be too short, but I thought it was just the right size! I think if it was any longer, the story might have been dragged out too much. The pacing was perfect and the plot kept you engrossed to the story!

Art: Yet again, a 10! ~(^o^~) Ten! 10! Diez! Sampu! テン!
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful is pretty much all I have to say. The backgrounds are just enchanting and the characters are nicely drawn as well.

Sound: 8 (^.^)
I had no issues with the sound, but it didn't astound me or anything. It was still very good though.

Characters: DOUBLE THUMBS UP! d(^ o ^)b Ten! 10! Diez! Sampu! テン!
Even though the movie is only 45 minutes long, it somehow used that time efficiently enough to make me REALLY attached to the characters. Gin is a character in a very unique situation (he can't touch humans, or else he'll disappear) and the way the two protagonists interact and find ways to still be around each other even with his situation is very endearing. I loved seeing the time they spend together and growing to like the characters even more.

Enjoyment: SOLID 10! (^ o ^)/ Ten! 10! Diez! Sampu! テン!
The movie was very enjoyable for me, so hopefully it will be for you too! I felt an alluring happiness throughout the entire movie, but also felt a ping of sadness somewhere in there. But it all came together leaving me with a bittersweet ending... that I still loved greatly.

Overall: 10 :)
It was a pleasant, yet simple story that I would recommend to anyone.

There’s many ways to communicate with each other like talking for an example, but talking doesn’t enough to know someone deeper, it just gave us the impression about how other’s feel when they talked to us. Because of that, we learn about touching with each other. “Touching” in here is the act of how we serve our feelings towards someone and just as simple as that, love can emerge and grow within it. Well, as most of people said that “love” is an emotion that sometimes hard to understand and very complicated. But, you’re not gonna get a headache or something when you watch this ... anime. It described love in a way that even a little kid could understand. It is simple and short but it will leave a deep meaning to your heart as you watched it.

(*) Story
The story is about forbidden love but don’t worry, it’s not as complex as Romeo and Juliet or another romance story. There’s a young girl who lost in a mountain forest. Then she got helped by a strange young man that wearing a mask. After that, she is making a friend relationship with the strange young man that turns out to be a youkai. From there, he tells the young girl that because of the supernatural within him, he is forbidden to touch or being touched with a human. Yup, so it is forbidden love. The idea is simple but the story serving has covered that into an easy package to watch. You don’t even have to worry about the 45 minutes duration. It’s short but managed to explain about every element that needs to describe. The introduction, the romance, the feelings, the past and the main conflict that got its climax when the story is about to end. The supernatural element had shown a little rather than the other element but it balanced at the end.

Yuki Midorikawa (the writer) has truly understood about how slow or fast pace the story is and the right of time to put every part of the story in the right place. And for a writer to do it so it’s really hard. Because she needs to place her position as a reader first before writing her inspiration to a story. That’s the one of the hardest part that writer often to face but she has succeeded to do that and making the story section become the most satisfying among all of the section to me. Although it predictable from the very beginning about how the story will end but anyway it still moved my heart. In the end of the story, you will know the meaning of its title. The story itself filled with live elements and peaceful sensation that makes you feel warm and nostalgic feelings as you watch it.

(*) Art
Well, Yuki Midorikawa has best known for her work in Natsume Yuujinchou series so the art was similar to it. It’s not high but not low either, I would say that it’s standard. But, the art style still fits the story, it makes the audience easy to watch, deepen the story or maybe even more. Despite of it, the background and the animation were beautiful. It levels up the emotion of the audience to feel every scene. And it helps both the story serving and the characters a lot. My favorite background was the forest and absolutely the festival because when I saw that I feel as myself stand together with the characters in the same place. It certainly makes me memorize every scene that the characters have been through.

I found that the character design of the girl was similar to other anime’s character but on the other hand, the design of the masked young man was memorable enough. And I like the idea about the costume especially when the masked young man in the winter season and the girl’s yukata at the festival.

(*) Sound
The back sound was good, it’s one of the elements that helps the story. It’s nostalgic, heart-warming and again.. peaceful. It’s certainly nailed it to bring the magical romance atmosphere into the story. For the ending song, well I can say that is good enough, especially it lyrics that suits the story. I still remember the lyrics a little that there’s sentence said, “I will never forget, the memory of that summer time…” It so romantic and symbolize the story very well. Ayane Sakura’s voice was cute and suits Hotaru well, but somehow I’m more interested to hear Kouki Uchiyama’s voice for Gin’s character. His voice was sound familiar, soft and sometimes sad at the same time. It just fits the character. And for Ayane Sakura, she got a bonus point from me for showing the audience of how Hotaru truly feel towards Gin especially in the ending of the story.

(*) Character
Takegawa Hotaru and Gin, both their name is memorable. Gin’s character was soft, gentle, and caring. It just like a prince in the folklore and I bet there’s many female audience that loves him as he shows that character in this anime film. He was memorable and most partly because of his mask. And when he took it off, well again.. I guess the females will scream out loud because of his cool and charisma he has.

On the other hand, Hotaru’s character was amazingly developed as time in the story pass and made her more mature. It’s not easy to develop character in a one-shot film like this, so it’s a very good job. Hotaru’s character was changing slowly and that affect Gin’s feelings about her. I like especially when Gin teasing Hotaru about the embrace and the dating part. Well, which exactly that maybe it’s not a joke after all (just watch if you want to know). I found that I really like their characters and I’m feeling happy when I saw them together. It just like the writer has made these characters on purpose so the audience could feel them and support their relationship. Well, other than both of them there’s supporting character like Hotaru’s mother, Hotaru’s grandfather, the youkai, the boy who attend the same class with Hotaru, Hotaru’s father (just appeared but not talking) and Hotaru’s grandmother that just told but doesn’t appear. Its cast was little but the main characters have proved that it’s not a problem at all.

(*) Enjoyment
Before I watch this anime, I definitely confused on what anime should I watch first because my laptop is full of anime with many different genres. I think that I need to find a simple but meaningful story because I’m not feeling well at that time and finally.. after seeing it enough, my choice is this one. I tell you, I don’t feel wrong at all to pick this anime for that. Why? Because the story was epic, I’m moved by the ending and the characters, I just have to spend 45 minutes to watch it and finally my heart could not let go and forget it just like that. It lingers in my mind after I watched it. It’s a beautiful one and could make the audience’s heart melted. It’s hard sometimes to found an anime that shows us about a deep and meaning story like this. And even after I watched it, I’ve got the imagination to keep this anime carefully and will re-watch it again with someone I love someday. It’s really defined about how hard it is when we felt something towards someone but couldn’t be able to tell him or her about that. It’s a wonderful story indeed.

In all, this romance supernatural anime has achieved its goals through the serving and you will found a remindful love within it. It’s worth to watch and recommended especially to romance anime lover.

Into the Forest of Fireflies' Light was incredibly disappointing. Based on the trailer, rating, synopsis, and cover, I really expected this to be a cute, sweet, heartwarming movie. Unfortunately it's just a tale of pedophilia and grooming. I didn't realize this was meant to be a romance going into it, so that's my fault I suppose. Regardless, this anime is just 40 minutes of an adult flirting with a child and watching her grow older. The whole thing is gross, but this would've been a decent story if not for the egregious age gap. I only gave this 2 stars instead of 1 because the ... art was decent.

Synopsis:
When she was young, Hotaru was once lost when she played in the forest near her uncle’s place that she visits every summer. There, she had a fateful encounter with a spirit, Gin, who helped her even though he would disappear if a human touches him. She began to visit him every summer, even as she grows; while he waits for the summer to come, for their time together to flow again.

Story:10
The plot was really great. At first, I find it cute-- Hotaru getting lost and all and Gin finding her. The first question that came into my mind was "How can this possibly ... end?" As I continued to watch it, I wondered if it has a good ending. All in all, there are no scenes that got me bored. I was hooked immediately as I started watching it.

Art: 9
The art was really something. Not that detailed, but not that rushed and shabby either. It was light to the eyes, there's no irritating colors. The characters.. I find them simple yet very well-drawn (appropriate for the year it was drawn).

Sound: 10
The background music was really helpful. Even from the beginning of the movie. It helps you cope up with the situation -- if it's sad, if it's funny, etc. The sound was well chosen and it helped me relaxed all throughout the movie. The chosen musics were solemn, yet matches the scenes very well.

Characters: 10
I find their characteristics good and well matched for the both of them (Hotaru and Gin). Though Gin's past wasn't really given any deep clarifications and attention, what you will know is clearly enough for you to be hooked and to be able to love of who he is. I think Gin's mysteriousness is what makes Gin. For Hotaru, her characteristic and attitude, really suits her --cheerful and hyper, a total opposite of Gin. But that makes them look good for each other, isn't it?

Enjoyment: 10
Aside for the plot, I find their romance cute hihi I really find Hotaru and Gin good for each other, I'm totally rooting for them. In fact, There wasn't really any moment/scene that I got bored. So I rated it 10 for outstanding. I enjoyed every minute of it!

Overall:10
From the beginning up to the ending, there were no regrets watching this movie. Though it has given me so much to cry on.. still, it's really a good anime. I'm very well pleased if you watch this, I really recommend this! Though the anime is just less than an hour, the anime is satisfying and very well written. The plot is really great, the art is so nice. And if you're looking for some tragedy anime.. "Hotarubi no Mori e" is suited for that. A heartwarming, heartbreaking story. So much for bittersweet.

Life is a fleeting concept. Everything in it, be it love, friendship, loss, happiness, you can't have it forever, because it just doesn't work that way.

Hotarubi no Mori e has wrapped itself around my head and heart, making me truly respect this movie and its message. At first, it will appear to be a simple movie of friendship between Hotaru, a little girl lost in the woods, and Gin, a forest spirit who is lost emotionally. But it is so much more than that. For such a short movie, it is incredibly impacting and thought-provoking.

Story: 9
We begin with our main character, the young Hotaru, who ... is lost and crying in the forest. She meets Gin, a white-haired boy who helps her find her way out, but will not let her touch him. If anyone touches Gin, he will perish and never return.

The premise of the story is simple, but so sweetly executed. Hotaru befriends Gin, visiting the forest every day to play with him. Because she only stays at her uncle's for the summer, they can only meet for those few months every year. This brings a somewhat precious connotation to every memory they create together, which heightens the audience's attention to the relationship.

Hotaru grows, but Gin is constant. He is always the same teen to early twenties, while Hotaru ages more and more. This also bring to attention that, perhaps, one day, Hotaru will surpass Gin in age, breaking one of their connections of eternal youth.

When Hotaru becomes a high-schooler, the story slows pace and takes a more in-depth view of their days together. Gin and Hotaru both share a pure and deep love for each other, and this part of the movie is really beautiful to watch. The story was incredibly bittersweet and lovely, and it really makes me think about how short everything in life really is. It makes me treasure what I have, and look forward to the future.

Art: 10
The artwork was gorgeous, and set the scene impeccably. The characters, background, and setting were so nice to look at, I didn't feel anything was out of place.

Sound: 10
From the rustling of leaves, to the unexpectedly peaceful background music, the audio fit the movie to a tee; everything worked and the ending song cannot get any more perfect for this movie. It really brings everything together, and I enjoyed it immensely.

Character: 10
In only 40 minutes, Hotaru and Gin are developed so fully and smoothly, it's hard to believe that you could end up caring for them so much. Their relationship is something truly magical, and it's wonderful experience to follow.

Enjoyment: 9
I really, really loved this movie. The romance was on-par, and I really felt everything that was happening. The humor was gentle and cute, and it wasn't hard to root for the characters. The only reason that this isn't a 10 is because I'm so conflicted on the ending.

One of the reasons that I found myself immersed in the story is that anyone can empathize with the storyline. Chances are, you're probably not a forest spirit that befriends little girls - sure, but you probably understand how incredibly short life really is, and why it's important to cherish everything you share with others.

Overall: 9
I cried. Gin and Hotaru smiled. Will you?

Hotarubi no Mori e is what i refer to as a gentle slice of life. Now i bet your wondering how a gentle slice of life differs from a regular slice of life, while a regular slice of life may put your heart in your mouth or make you a little teary eyed or even make you laugh. A gentle slice of life will give you non of these but you find you can not look away while watching it and once it has finished you recall back and think, 'wow that was pretty amazing'. Well i do anyway. For comparison sake, i consider Eve ... no Jikan and the Aria series gentle slice of life's.. and is it me or have i said slice of life way to often in this paragraph? It also has a supernatural element to it but frankly my dear even if you removed this element from the story and replaced it with something less supernatural it wouldn't detract from the enjoyment.

One thing i really like about this series is that the story follows a large span of life. Granted with the 40 minute limit you only get small glimpses at the life of the two main characters. Gin and Hotaru. It starts with Hotaru being about 6 years old, i can't say for sure because i admit it, i was staring at the scenery far to often. She meets a boy of whatever age, nobody cares for his age, he doesn't age anyhow, but if i had to guess it would probably be around 16-18. Aaanyway, Gin is a spirit, sort of, i won't spoil it but watch it and it will explain what he is. Hotaru and Gin form a friendship and meet during the summer every year and while Hotaru grows up Gin doesn't, she briefy angsts over this but is quickly forgotton (was that a spoiler? maybe, but i don't believe it to be important). That reminds me, i forgot to point out the key point, Hotaru and Gin can never touch (that definitely ISN'T a spoiler) and this is actually where you can see Hotaru grow as a person as at the begining she tries to jokingly touch him. Basically throughout the years they have lots of fun together doing various activities, well not entirly various, they are stuck to being in a forest after all, but as various as one can get under the circumstances.

Now i shall discuss in depth about the art and animation. I joke it won't be in depth at all. The art i found was very predictable. Yes predictable. This is from the original creator that made the manga for Natsume Yuujinchou and you can definitely tell, and that is why it's predictable. That is not a bad thing though. I found the art style perfectly suitable and really has a certain ambiance that is fitting to the show. The foliage are very paintingesque, a word from which i will continue to use in the future. Even when there are a lot of characters on the screen at the same time and non of which are important, but they are all different and arn't just a repeated face and this gives a feeling that each person might have there own story.

Sakura Ayane voiced Hotaru and is the only voice actress listed for her character, she did a bloody good job as well. Considering throught the course of the story Hotary grows several years it's really nice to see she actually aged her voice slightly while all the while keeping the playfulness in it. Uchiyama Kouki did a good job as Gin by the way, i just felt it never stood out as being amazing or anything. In fact all the voice actors did splendid jobs and no one sounded stupid. Sometimes a characters can sound stupid, i don't like it when that happens so the lack of silly voices was a blessing.
As for the music it was mostly a relaxing and calm sort of piano music and this created a fantastic atmosphere in the forest and really gave a slow feel about the show. This continued into the credits as the song for that was a nice ballad, it wasn't 'fuck me that was amazing, i need that in my playlist' nice but nice as in i didn't skip past it.

I won't delve to deep into the characters as i probably risk repeating myself as to avoid spoilers. Hotaru starts out as a really enegetic and seemingly playful lone child and this continues throughout, she does mature however and this becomes one of my favorite things about the show. Gin who whilst doesn't mature as much as Hotaru (if at all) remains rather calm and relaxed. I don't have anytrhing else to say about the characters. there really wasn't that much to them, but at the same had a lot.

So. here comes my summation in which i round all my thoughts about the show and either recommend you watch it or recommend you avoid it. With this one, i recommend you watch it. It's 40 minutes long so even if it does turn out to be against your taste it's not like you've wasted an hour or anything... With it being 40 minutes it is fast paced and as i had said previously does pass a number of years but while the time does fly the show remains calm, relaxing and genrally enjoyable all the time. There was never a moment in which i wanted it to get on with things. I wanted to take every bit of it in as i watched.