As I peruse the Dementia tag, I'm always eager to find something with a coherent narrative told in an abstract manner. Tobira wo Akete is my latest find in an otherwise narrative-barren genre.
Although the description is vague, the narrative is about a young girl who's a bit of a closed-minded brat, but after the lights go out, she imagines a fairy in the shape of one of the shadows in her room. After that, it's this dreamscape experience where the Dementia tag took hold and we're toured through a strange interpretation of elementary dreams. It's actually quite fun, and it rekindled a sense of youth within me. Thoughts of watching The Nutcracker during Christmas with my family, reading for the first time with a Dr. Suess picture book before me, it's just a lot of fun and it's executed fairly well.
In the end, it not only revitalizes Nonoko's child-like spirit, but the audience's as well.
Art:
Quite excellent. Very dreamy. Things have a vague sense of understanding but aspects are hyperbolized, just as dreams often do.
By the latter half, I found it weak for the animators to just pan across some of the bizarre scenery. Just as the environment is strange, so should our exploration of said environment. It would have been fun to continue flying through the sky instead of steadily looking at strange happenings on screen. If not flying, then perhaps some other strange form of transportation.
Sound:
The music choice is nostalgic and beautiful. If you've heard the songs before (and I'm betting you have) then it takes you back to simpler times. If you've never heard the songs before, it's an equally exciting adventure of mystic wonder. I do feel it necessary, however, to give this particular category a 7/10 and not a 10/10 because I think it's possible that someone could have created new songs to capture these sensations. There's no shame in borrowing from established sources, but it still should be noted.
Character:
Very little character, but enough to tell a short story. The fairy is this otherworldly adventurer and Nonoko is just a child growing up. This is just a small section in her life that we're graced with the opportunity to experience.
Enjoyment:
Really quite enjoyable. It's a cute little narrative with a cute little girl flying through bizarre scenery. What's not to enjoy?
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