Story: (8/10) Now I hope I didn't discourage anyone with my introduction. Even those that can't relate to the opening will still be touched by this remarkably poignant and moving film. Both slice of life and drama, this story tells the tale of a young girl named Hiromi and her pet dog, Junkers. With her grandmother recently deceased, her mother working deep into the night, her father constantly away on business, and a lack of friends at school, Hiromi finds herself struggling with loneliness and a feeling of abandonment. Junkers is her only constant companion, and we quickly learn that Junkers is no ordinary dog... Junkers can talk! When people hear talking dog, instantly they pigeon hole the film as a kiddy movie, but this film tackles serious and difficult issues. Divorce, abandonment, sacrifice, and being true to oneself are each explored in this surprisingly emotional story. Importantly though, the film manages to avoid falling into the trap of being melodramatic. The drama is never overblown to the point where it becomes unrealistic.
Characters: (9/10) Hiromi takes up the lion's-share of the screen time, and her character is more than up for the task. Her character is beautifully developed through out the film, and its very easy to empathize with her pain. Outwardly Hiromi struggles to convince the world that she's perfectly fine. She portrays a happy, confident, precocious girl to all who meet her. The truth behind the mask is that she's really breaking down inside, and the weight of wearing it day in and day out only makes her misery worse. Junkers is an interesting character as well. He plays the naive, well-meaning friend, but perhaps he's more than he seems... The parents aren't given enough screen time to really develop much, which is unfortunate, but fits into the theme of the absentee parents. I haven't mentioned the boarder that's living with them yet. His relationship with Hiromi becomes quite interesting, and he may be the second best character in the film. And last but not least is the housekeeper, who provides wonderful comic relief.
Animation: (6/10) Even if we give the film some leeway due to its age, the animation can only be described as average. The frames per second seem to be slightly on the low side, and some of the movements lack smoothness. The character models are simple, yet effective. The facial expressions work well to aid the story. The backgrounds and sets are very plain, but this isn't the type of film that requires beautiful and detailed artwork to carry it. The simple artwork lets the story and the characters become the stars of the film.
Sound: (8/10) The soundtrack for the film is decent, but not remarkable. I thought the voice acting was superb though. Hiromi's voice actor did a fabulous job, and was always able to convey her characters emotions to the viewer. I also really liked the maid's voice actor as well.
Overall: (8/10) Again, I couldn't recommend this film enough to anyone that enjoys a good drama or coming of age movie. After I watched this movie, I was really shocked it was as unpopular as it was. Do yourself a favor and give it a chance. I promise you won't be disappointed!
