Himeyuri

Like a great iconic game's slogen says: "War... War never changes." Really, it doesn't. It doesn't change much on the matters if it takes place in the Napoleon Era, in the Ancient Egypt, in the modern days or the World War II. In war time, not only the soldiers suffered with the heavy losses and femine. The civilians were too, but since the citizenship, the socialist ideas it became more emphased if the civilians were suffering. I don't have to tell anything really any particular about the World War I, the national independence wars or even about the World War II. There are iconic movies ... about these, showing us the lifestyle in those days both in good way and bad way.

Concerning this in an anime, it becomes more interesting. We have two great titles about the World War II's inhumanity: Hotaru no Haka and Hadashi no Gen. Both are great in story, and in art too but they are just only plainly based on a true story with much screenwriting creativity. The real issue is, we still don't really have any shocking title if it comes to biographic historical anime. They are not just rare, but super rare. One of these titles is Himeyuri.

Well, as you can fell, why does the story gets it's 9 point. It's shocking like those two that I mentioned earlier, but also giving us a piece of cake. And the cake is the Battle of Okinawa. Many documentary adapted it, but none of them ever mentioned the Himeyuri Academy, which was originally consisted two school. The Himeyuri tells the story of it's students and teachers from preparing the island for a siege until the American surveillance, and a bit after the war until the Himeyuri Peace Museum has been built (in 1989). And to be frank, I like narrative documentaries...

The art is just fair, deserves 6 points. Mostly it represents how the youth see the world and therefore I told you why did they animated it with still pictures, painted out with crayon. Most people maybe won't like this resolution, but any other else I presume wouldn't look this good and this authentic.

The sounds are good. It deserves a 7 for the narrator's voice and her way to tell the story. Sometimes I felt her voice gripping on my neck, when it came to those moments, when you could smell inhumanity in the air. Both from other actions, both from the situations. Other way, there's nothing really much else.

Characters. Now they deserve a 6, which is a fair point concerning the fact, this is a documentary. There won't be any development in the characters, they are just there, even the narrator itself. They are just serving their purpose. No names, just relations. It would be a simple 5 points, as an average, but +1 is given for this perfectly solved matter.

Enjoyment. Now, those who didn't liked the Hotaru no Haka or the Hadashi no Gen, just stay away away from this too. They won't like this either. The really enjoyment of this concerns those who liked this two titles, and also likes documentary movies, and not even a bit afraid from the unusual art form of this picture drama. I rated this part of it with 10 points.

Overall it became 8 points. I think this is one very good short movie about the topic itself. Everybody should now consider: is it really worth to watch this? Well, to be exact: you have nothing to loose. Don't expect fun, don't expect boobs, don't expect guro or anything else, that is really popular and fun. Sometimes learning something is the real fun itself. An experience.