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Apr 18, 2020 3:55 PM

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Sep 2014
4474
this was a crazy beautiful movie. A slice of life movie set towards the end of WW2, containing the atomic bombs and it was so calm for the most part. I definitely didnt expect that. The innocent artstyle played a huge part in that, I didnt realize the characters age until it got mentioned.

At the same time though it was incredibly tense, towards the middle of the movie when the bombing started I was expecting hiroshima to happen any minute now. And then in one of the calm moments they strike.

Apparently there is a version with 30 minutes more screentime, still need to see that.

The only downside was the lack of overall plot for me, so 8/10
Comander-07Apr 18, 2020 4:05 PM
"This emotion is mine alone.
It is for Madoka alone." - Homura
or how I would descripe Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica.
Apr 24, 2020 7:33 PM
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Nov 2015
496
I really love this movie.


I love how Suzu's air-headed-ness is used as a medium to convey an important message to us, or at least to me.

We only perceive this world we live in. We perceive with our limited senses. As if it's not enough limitation, our senses send those perceptions to our brain who could only processed things through our limited framework, that is our logic & our language.

Just as translations won't be able to transfer all the meanings, nuances & emotions of the original work to our native language. It's the same with our head. What we think, what we feel, what we processed in our mind are only the reduction of reality that we perceived with our limited senses.

What the hell am I talking about?
In the end, Suzu is reminding us, or me at least, to not limit our understanding of reality with just our common sense or logical framework.
Suzu is thinking by using her "different" framework.
Both us and her are thinking about the same reality but she's focusing on the other sides of reality. She's not being delusional, she's only focusing on different sides, different perceptions that we easily dismissed as less important, unnecessary, impractical.

In this point of view, Suzu is more honest than us. Suzu is a genius. After all, those other sides of reality are the untranslated sides of our reality. Why untranslated? Because our mind, our tools to perceive reality, our language, are all so limited.


I also like how even when she had her existential crisis and when she decided to get stronger, to let her hard & emotional side out, bam! Japan lost the war instead. It's so disappointing, frustrating, etc etc.


In the end, there's always the "divine intervention", the "universe has its own ways", it's so very typical Eastern perspective, and I love it.

I like how this movie made it like Suzu's taking all the wrong choices because she's an airhead & immature. All those missed chances & opportunities felt more "right" compared to, let's say, her marriage.

But, nope, the Universe has Its ways.
From the "kidnapper" and the fateful encounter to the meeting with "a new hope" for the family at the end of the movie.
It's so very typical Easterners' view to life.


Amazing movie.
finestseeker17Apr 24, 2020 7:38 PM
May 15, 2020 9:19 PM

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Jun 2016
938
good movie,I love me some historical anime 8/10
May 29, 2020 7:22 AM

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Apr 2020
962
interesting to see historical slice of life, i hope there's more of it
war is hell

Aug 9, 2020 3:28 PM

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Jan 2011
390
This movie was aired in the shadow of „kimi no na wa“ and „koe no katachi“. Both I recognized in those days because it was of course from well known studios/directors. Later I found out, after I finally watched those two, that there was another competitor this year. I added it to my list not knowing much about it, I thougt the cover art was really cute. But yeah, I do not watch a movie instantly, I wait for the right moment when I am in the right mood or the circumstances are made for a movie (e.g. cant watch a movie about spring during fall/winter). I also want to not randomly place movies in my „completed“ list, there should be at least some „fitting friends“ around a movie. ^^Cant place a horror stuff rigt next to a drama, does not look good in the end … =D So I watched other stuff instead. I did know a little bit aout the movie, that it just was a good one. Well, cant be an action movie and stuff, so I waited for the right moment and slowly forgot about it because of the long „want to watch“ list with alot of other stuff.

The days passed until recently when I was able to watch „tenki no ko“ during some rainy summerday when I did not feel about watching action or stuff like that. Shortly after there was the 75 years anniversary of the Hiroshima atoic bombing and I watched andd read some documentations and stuff. So I kinda felt sad … Well, there was a slot for a movie and I stumbled about this cute cover art again. So I read some lines about the movie and got to know it was about the WW2 years of this girl. So it should fit. I watched it and it touched me realy alot! Suzu was a fantastic character! I rode that rollercoaster of emotions with her and in the end I shed some tears. There are only a few movies that touched my heart like that! The only one I can remember is „Schindlers list“ … Suzu went through alot, when she smiled it was really cute and in the end and I just wanted to hug her … And knowing the circumstances with those atomic bombs during those anniversary days broke my heart. Suzu is adorable, all those other characters and things around her combined with the fantastic fitting music made this movie one of the best I've ever watched! This movie is a masterpiece, even with some plotholes (that will be eradicated with the extended cut)! War is a thing that has to be get rid out of this world! The people suffered alot for an ugly mindset of some stupid higher ups … That is just frustrating and sad … Nobody had to suffer and die like that and Suzu would have drawn happily until the natural end. I do feel so sorry for her and all the others … T_T This movie is a must watch for everyone, everyone should remember that nothing like this will ever happen again!

When I will visit Nihon again I will defenitly continue my bicycling trip through Nihon visiting Hiroshima and Kure and try to dive in Suzus world a bit sharing some feelings.

Thank you creators for this!
Sep 11, 2020 3:18 PM

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Aug 2013
5343
I'm seriously moved.
I waited this long to watch it, because I don't like 95% anime made by MAPPA, but this one is just wow.
Not to mention about beautiful visuals which is even more shocking, because most of their series are overloaded with shitty CG.

I really loved the direction and story telling.
9/10.
Dub = fake crap. Always.
Feb 21, 2021 9:18 PM

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Feb 2019
8116
Harumi deserved so much better. Such a powerful tale. It’s funny to think just in my dad’s lifetime the world was at war.. we live in a much more peaceful era now, thankfully.
Apr 23, 2021 5:59 PM

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May 2014
2371
Another great movie, similar to "grave of the fireflies" movie, depicts Japan's state during WW2. It's described and shown in a very accurate and honest way. At the same time, we follow the life of Suzu-chan who her life changed 180 degrees but eventually find happiness. The movie had a mix of comedy, joyful moments, sad and depressing moments. A lovely movie. What you can expect from MAPPA. They really delivered here. I also liked how they showed the bombing of Hiroshima in a true way, yet with a fictitious story. Awesome art, good character development, and story. It's worth 8/9, or 4,8/5.
Apr 23, 2021 6:04 PM

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May 2014
2371
Aquamirror said:
Jousuke said:

exactly and rin was the kid from the attic who was eating the melon skin and when she later met suzu she said their family was really poor and there was a child who let her eat the leftovers

whoa really? never made that connection :o

I liked this movie. The beginning was a bit too SOL-ish, but it helped a lot with building the characters. The many time skips appeared jarring at first, but gradually become interesting snapshots of past events of daily life, and in this case helped the plot structure and investment in the characters. The second part was very well done with good buildup and the contrast played nice, the devastation from the bombings were also portrayed very well. The ending could have been handled better, but I think it fits within the story. At times it was a bit confusing with the constant switching of places and characters, but overall nothing that distracting. The artstyle was simple enough, but I liked how they incorporated Suzu's drawings together with the real world scenery. The rabbit waves were beautiful.


I also didn't make that connection. Thanks for clarifying.
May 15, 2021 9:15 AM

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Nov 2011
704
English subs for the Extended Edition are now out.
Jun 8, 2021 7:02 AM
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Jul 2019
186
These Americans didn't leave until they destroyed poor Japan. I feel so sorry for the poor people who died but also for those who survived because they lived in hell after what they saw there in Hiroshima and Nagasaki))) ':
of his suffering thought he was his older sister when he saw that he no longer had his right hand and could live alone so much.
Aug 8, 2021 11:46 AM

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Jan 2021
5850
I'd echo the sentiments of the two previous commenters. A lot of good, not all that much great. Felt like I was sort of losing interest until the bomb shelter sequence in Kure. I really liked the ending, though, I found it to be very truthful.
CalmTeaTimeSep 27, 2021 11:29 AM
Jan 8, 2022 12:18 PM

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Aug 2017
2982
Fumiyo Kouno is an amazing mangaka, glad to see her work adapted into what seems to be the longest animated movie of all time? Pretty much a perfect adaptation, even the pacing of the funny moments and "punchlines" is preserved (like the moment where Suzu's father-in-law "died" by falling asleep).

And Keiko might be my favorite character from the movie. Really nice characterization, her antics and the manner of speaking are memorable. The ending credits showed some interesting scenes. I suppose that Rin was the one to stay in the painting because she remained on the "other side" forever (together with the lipstick the drawing was made with - they both were killed/destroyed). Suzu "faded away" to the real word, and the right hand at the end is Rin's - just like the hand we saw caress Suzu's head earlier, I suppose. It all makes sense given that the lipstick story is Rin's perspetive, more or less.

I love how even the simplest scenes tell so much. There's a lot of implied information, but it doesn't feel like the movie's pacing is wrong or it's confusing - it's just smart and careful direction, and it translates the feeling of Kouno's manga very well. Suzu's husband left her with her childhood friend in the barn - not only because he wanted her to see him for maybe the last time, but because he realized that her situation is similar to his (relationship with Rin), and that they can't have kids (maybe because of him, so maybe he wanted them to "try"). There're plenty of scenes like that.

P.S. The way Kouno draws characters' eyes >_< is probably as iconic as those of Shigeru Mizuki

P.P.S. Katabuchi himself seems to disagree with me about pacing :D

Rei_III said:
@St0rmblade Where did you read the director's comment on his work?

He did a bunch of interviews, here're some of the best ones:
https://www.awn.com/animationworld/interview-director-sunao-katabuchi-recreates-20th-century-hiroshima-corner-world
https://manga.tokyo/interview/kono-sekai-no-katasumi-ni-interview-with-director-sunao-katabuchi/
To top it off, an old interview with the mangaka:
https://web.archive.org/web/20120314073333/https://www.jmanga.com/features/interview-with-kouno-sensei
St0rmbladeMay 22, 2022 6:36 AM
Feb 22, 2022 4:37 AM

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Dec 2015
6448
An interesting (pre-)war time chronicle of the everyday, with some unnecessary episodes padding it to two hours (but only a few of them seeming worth deleting).
The daydreaming and illustrations along the few tragic scenes helped it to stand out but it's the visible will to play most dramatic events "plainly" (as it fits for a "plain girl" 's life) that was the most appealing in my eyes. Another thing contributing to the realistic aspect this gives to this animated film was how it doesnt systematically speak out everything (a wonder "anime fanatics" liked it so much, unless the success was found elsewhere).

Visually very pleasant to the eyes, preserving something from the original simple style and never too "digital looking".


Score: 7/10
Enjoyment: 4/5


According to MAL, it's a three hours film but I (luckily?) saw a 2hour version (as it was released in french cinema and on DVD).
Also, according to MALers questioning about characters identities, I'm starting to doubt I identified everyone correctly since nothing I saw made me doubt.


edit: @St0rmblade Where did you read the director's comment on his work?
Rei_IIIFeb 22, 2022 6:06 AM
Jul 30, 2022 8:48 AM
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Nov 2020
2445
The radio trying to contact Hiroshima haunted me when i heard it. They just didn't know that the city had simply vanished in an instant
Sep 1, 2022 8:47 PM

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Jan 2011
9901
i have a bias for anime that is based on real history so yeah loved the movie for the most part... that being said the first 30 minute did felt slow an at points an i wasnt paying attention, though that changed as soon as the threat of war started to close on the main characters

its still crazy to me that neither Hiroshima nor Nagasaki are among the most destroyed cities of WW2
Oct 2, 2022 4:18 AM

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Mar 2015
84
i dont know how i havent heard of this earlier, the animation is great
Oct 22, 2022 6:05 AM
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Aug 2018
6
My history teacher spoiled me. Joking aside, this movie is a masterpiece imo. That flash of light gave me goosebumps
Nov 25, 2022 2:46 AM
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Apr 2021
1
Of all the films that i have watched in my life this is the only one that broke me , made me cry . This film impacted me so much that i cannot watch this ever again , my heart cant take it.
Dec 6, 2022 11:58 AM

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Jan 2011
823
Good movie. Didn't think it would get this dark especially that poor orphan girl and her mom? That had all those shards in her arm, damn.. glad they took her in and gave her a place to stay
Dec 25, 2022 7:23 AM

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Oct 2021
166
If you cut out that cucked part from this movie it will be a solid 9/10, at least for me. Nonetheless it was a great experience tho, they adopted that kid in the end which leave me pretty satisfied. 8/10
Jan 19, 2023 6:45 PM
otp haver 🤪

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Jul 2017
6386
This movie is honestly such a shake up compared to many contemporaries it has. I went into this pretty blind, only marginally aware of the overall Japanese WW2 history but not in depth in terms of Japanese life prior to the war. It honestly gives us so much insight in those 4 phases. Prior to the war, especially in a history of Hiroshima before the bombing which feels so distant to history because it is hardly ever brought up. A Japan in preperation of the war and daily life of not just the people but being married into a military family back during this time when Japan actually had an army. During the war and bombing, which is quite typical of these pieces. And the aftermath of a Japan becoming what it was in the 1950s onward and the healing that nation had to go through. 

It is stunning in these ways but I will admit that the narrative does get lost sometimes. Such as the Rin story, which I liked the idea of prior to Suzu finding out that Rin and her now to be husband had a somewhat intimate relationship with and that she basically "fixed" him from wanting those urges. It was kind of hard to get past that nowhere add on for drama that didn't even lead to much other then Suzu feeling like she's giving more to her marriage. That was the biggest one to me personally. And to be frank the rest really meshes well together, I do like up until almost the 2 hour mark. The story, though a bit sporadic, really is more of a "slice of life" and shows a variety of scenes and tasks that Suzu takes on; this isn't bad in it of itself but this movie has such a difficulty transitioning to a new scene. Mostly fades to black. 

The contrast of the art of the manga adapted into the soft pastel style of the movie is truly a highlight for the first 2/3 of the film. And feels crippling during the last hour. It feels very rooted in it's history with the accents, the manner of speaking, and even the colors used in much of the pallete. The cohesive sense of it all really does come together.

The only wish I had was that this movie resonated with me a little more. I don't know if it's because I feel so disconnected from the feelings of these characters that it just didn't hit with me in the way other tragedies do. I did get teary with the child and the dead mom at the end, even if I think it's a little tacked on at the end. And I did get some true heartbreak when they found out they lost the war. And it's possibly because that feels so raw to me where as so much of the film feels a little surface level. Even if it is interesting. I don't wish for it to be more dramatic since, our main character is pretty prone to conflict as a whole but I wish we could've had more of those strong emotions before the ending when the war was front and center. 

7/10. Maybe one day i'll raise it higher. I'm decently intrigued of the mangas adaptation to.

Feb 6, 2023 8:00 PM

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Feb 2016
81
Beautiful and moving film that radiates a lot of tenderness, the drawing is beautiful, the plot breaks you at times, with certain passages and emotional events, ...

... but, the vision and perspective that it adopts about the wartime is very particular and even erratic, it is a happy and pleasant vision, almost always looking for a smile in every situation. 9/10
TakeiTFeb 6, 2023 8:04 PM
Jun 22, 2023 9:10 AM
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Apr 2020
4
deeply touched my heart
Sep 18, 2023 8:21 PM

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Sep 2020
645
Incredible film!

I honestly didn't know it was a war movie, I just assumed it was a regular slice-of-life. But then I saw the dates for each segment and it sunk in. I couldn't remember exactly when the bombs dropped, but knowing it was coming eventually and the tension of each new date ticking closer and closer really added to the overall feel. And the way they portrayed it as a simple, offhand flash while Suzu and Keiko were packing was such a unique and profound moment.

I really liked the change in perspective since most war movies only focus on soldiers and heroic feats. Having it follow the simple lives of Suzu and her families just trying to get by - from dealing with food rations to the constant and annoying air raids - was a real eye opener to the untold suffering of everyday people in war, not just the soldiers and people on the frontlines dying.

At first, I felt the beginning moved too quickly, but I guess it served its purpose to show the contrast between the carefree pre-war time and the rest, so I didn't mind it in the end.

I loved Suzu with her happy-go-lucky self, she reminded me of Yoriko from You're Under Arrest. The segment of her cooking with all the wild plants to improvise meals was my favorite.

Harumi's death was a real shock, and Suzu with her sister after the bomb was very touching, especially since she was going to die from the radiation and the fact they lost their childhood with Suzu leaving and they didn't have too many adult moments together. But what broke me was the moment that little girl at the end grabbed Suzu's arm after eating and it carried through to the images of her growing up and the sketches of Rin's tragic life.

I was confused about near the end with Suzu and Shuusaku on the bridge and they both notice the monster and crocodile from her imagination walking past them.

I would've given it a 10 but after seeing the comments about the extended edition and the cut content regarding Suzu and Shuusaku's initial meetings and Rin's relationship with him I can only give a 9/10 (the movie was technically fine without it but I feel that info is too crucial to be ignored now). Manga on plan to read list.

I haven't seen Grave of the Fireflies in ages but I feel that I liked this more.
"You can't decide the future, but I'm going to re-educate you in the past!" - Erna Kurtz
Feb 20, 7:19 AM

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Mar 2013
236
I watched this movie back around the time it came out, but only now after re-watching it I fully appreciate its characters, art style and story, not to mention the beautiful soundtrack. Especially when I compare it to "Grave of the fireflies", which was previously my favourite WW2 anime (and is probably the most widely known one), I have to say that "In this corner of the world" is a lot better. One key difference is the unpredictability in its story, which is very reminiscent of the life during war and the different character dynamics, with each character having understandable motivations and growth.

This movie is so full of heart-warming but also depressing scenes. In my view the movie also builds towards the famous radio speech of emperor Hirohito, in which he declared the surrender of Japan. With all the things Suzu and her surroundings had to endure just to get told by a guy who hasn’t even seen hardship from a mile away how they have to “bear the unbearable”. The anger and frustration of Suzu felt at that moment was so relatable, even though she didn’t seem to know where to direct that anger (or maybe she didn’t dare to direct that anger at its obvious source). Maybe it’s just my western view of this scene or maybe it was intentional. In the end all the suffering was for nothing. But then again only a fool would think this suffering could be justified with a glorious victory. Not to speak of all the further suffering, had Japan won the war and continued their rampage through China and the rest of east Asia.

The many unspoken loses in this movie can make one feeling pretty empty. With Suzus pregnancy never being mentioned after the short hint towards it in the middle of the movie, probably because she had a miscarriage.

I was wondering, since the hairy monster man from the bridge scene at the start looks quite close to the drawing Suzu made in her mind of her brother later (about the story of him marrying a crocodile on some island)… I was wondering if the monster man at the start is also supposed to represent her brother and he is the reason Suzu and her future husband met for the first time?

Two things I kinda would have wished for at the end though. First in the credits there is a scene where you see a hand making some drawings. It would have been better if that was a left hand, giving the indication that Suzu continues to draw with her left hand and with time becoming better and better and finally maybe even on par with her old drawings (at least that’s what in my mind would be the continuation of the story).

The second thing would have been to include her sister in the end credits. As it is, it gives the undertone that her sister will die from her “disease”, at least for people who don’t know much about acute radiation sickness (ARS), while people normally only die from ARS in the first month after exposure, 8 weeks max (and the scene was half a year after the bomb)… so she is probably gonna be fine. She might have a slight increase risk in getting a cancer, but that won’t develop in the next 10 years… and she is still young. So showing her sister being fine and happy in the end credits would have been appropriate and accurate to the story in my opinion and wouldn’t give false vibes. Just some minor nit-picks.
LockensockeFeb 21, 1:14 AM
Mar 1, 3:13 AM

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Jun 2017
2219
Despite being in dire destitution, I'm amazed at how much positive these people are. I was anticipating whether one of them would turn out to be hateful towards the opponents of the war, but none of it came.

This story makes you believe that despite what challenges you have to face, you face it head on and before you realize it, you already got through it! Tomorrow is another day!

She got him back. If you understand the characters well enough, you'd know she did!
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It’s time to ditch the text file.
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