Story: 7/10
The story is about a soul/spirit who has committed a great sin. In order to continue the cycle of reincarnation it has been given a chance to redeem itself and avoid destruction. It will return to the human world as Makoto, a boy who has just committed suicide and has died, but the soul will give new life to him. The story has decent pacing and although not completely original is not bad either. It touches on several themes as the story progresses, but primarily on bonds and finding ourselves. The movie focuses on how human beings are all different colors, complex beings with a wide array of emotions and thought processes. Human beings although sometimes act on instinct, more often than not act on reason. The movie also touches upon the connection we share with other people. How the simplest things can have a deep impact. Such as sharing a meal, spending time together, as well as sacrificing and enduring for the sake of others. As the story progresses human needs and actions are explored to an extent.
Art/Animation: 3/10
The animation throughout the film is very inconsistent and just terrible at some times. I am not sure if it was a budget thing or what, but for a recent film (2010) poor animation is not acceptable.
Sound: 3/10
Overall I found the sound poor throughout the movie, although it did have it’s bright spots at some points, overall it was poor and left a lot to be wanted in my point of view.
Characters: 5/10
The characters in the film gel nicely, the family seems like a real family and the other relationships are portrayed nicely. Although I hated the Makoto’s voice (Sub version) the characters were ok and fit the movie decently, but nothing memorable.
Enjoyment: 5/10
Overall I did enjoy the film to an extent, I liked the message it had, but it felt generic. It did not blow me away with any themes, the animation and sound left something to be desired, but it was ok and I don't regret watching it. I probably would have enjoyed it more if it was one of the first anime films I had seen.
