Omoide Poroporo

Now and again, I find I'm being asked why I like anime, and what's so special about it. One answer you hear given quite often to questions like this is "it's not just for kids, anime is for grownups too". I used to say this too, but in the case of much of what's out there, after much thought I realised that's not really accurate. Sure, there's anime out there that's full of sex and/or death and/or 'mature themes', and a lot of things that are more complex than children are thought to be able to deal with, but not much anime, if we're being honest, deals with proper complex issues. Or at least, not in any more complex a way than your average US live action TV series like 24 or Star Trek; anime might not all be for kids, but precious little isn't primarily aimed at teenagers (which is an observation, not a criticism, of course). However, there are a handful that are; the odd thing that really stands out and can be held up as an example of how mature and subtle and truly notable anime as a medium, a style or a genre (call it what you will) can be. I'm happy to now be able to add Only Yesterday to that exclusive group.

First of all, Ghibli. I don't really believe in brand names as a rule, but if there's one name that I feel like I can safely and consistently associate with the highest standards and best quality, it's Studio Ghibli. In this case, the famous Hayao Miyazaki is producer rather than in charge, and Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies) is director. In this combination, they are as good as one can expect, but not quite in the way one expects.

The resulting film isn't really as child-friendly as other Ghibli films, in that it's not full of the fun characters and exciting situations that kids will love as they do My Neighbour Totoro or Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds. A glance at the tags area will show you that "slice of life" is the most popular description of this film, and this is even more accurate than the label usually is; it's simply 27-year-old office worker Taeko's mixing of her working holiday on a farm with her reminiscence of her 10-year-old self, and the way this experience makes her question the direction her life is taking. It's also among the best implementations of such an approach I can think of; this slice of life is gripping, and pulls no punches, in its own domesticated but quietly gut-wrenching way. But it's a rare child that appreciates the drama of family relationships, and will stay glued to explorations of the niceties of urban versus rural ways of life and adult versus child ways of thinking. What I'm trying to say is, you may well bore your kids if you mistake this for typical Ghibli and stick them in front of it, but you yourself may be too wrapped up in it to notice.

For those who are striving to convince a sceptic that anime isn't just huge-eyed, twinkling Majikal Girls, spiky-haired swordsmen, giant robots, cutesy animal caricatures and the odd smattering of tentacled obscenity, this is a prime counter-example of "for grown-ups" anime. The acting is superb; Miki Imai as the adult Taeko, Toshiro Yanagiba as her friend Toshio, and Youko Honna as the young Taeko are all natural, believable and thoroughly excellent, and the rest of the cast all just about as talented. The script is possibly the best I've ever encountered in anime, one that's so good it makes scriptwriting look easy. It manages to use naturalistic dialogue to communicate a masterful grasp of the power and impact of memory, of the way tiny things stick in your mind like thorns years down the line, of the way things you learn now can change your personal history utterly at a stroke. This is very much a film that strikes a chord for me; I may be male, English and hate gardening, but as a 26-year-old, I see myself in Taeko, in that I too have memories of childhood that, for some reason, just won't go away sometimes - I think everyone with a little life experience does.

The visuals, too, are of a usual stellar Ghibli standard, with an interesting twist. As I watched, I was partly slightly bothered and partly wondering at the faces of the characters; there's something different, something out of the ordinary, just a bit odd about their depiction, and it wasn't until I watched the DVD's 'making of' extra that it fell into place. What Takahata and crew have done is concentrate on muscles; all the adult characters have realistically sculpted cheekbones and other facial contours that aren't usually present even in the most exactingly drawn anime. It manages to pick up tiny nuances of facial expression that give characters a much wider and finer emotional range than normal. The effect is one of hyperrealism; in this very rare instance, I found I was able to read faces as if I were watching live action, and I was forgetting this was hand-animated. Other details, such as the incredibly fine use of colour, are more like standard fare for Ghibli but none the less impressive for this. One standout scene is a sunrise over the field in which Taeko is working, which is both gorgeous and technically amazing. The slight but notable use of faded earthy colours and reds for scenes from Taeko's past and the bright, predominantly green-blue scenes of the present-day are very well executed; it's never unclear when we are seeing.

Music by Masaru Hoshi is, while not astounding, entirely pleasing, peaceful, and highly appropriate, but here to steal the scene from left field, please welcome the Hungarian folk choir! This odd, odd choice is...just right. It's haunting stuff, full of undertones implying the hidden, benign but huge power of nature (another often-encountered Studio Ghibli calling card) and even though it's not really relevant in any logical way, it simply works. The ending song by Harumi Miyako is a lovely bit of music, and for once, it really fits the film it's attached to.

You could conceivably criticise the film simply for being anime; even in 1991, making a live-action Only Yesterday would not be hard; there's no fantastic landscapes or technology, no gravity defying costumes or hair, nothing out of the ordinary in the film at all. But once again, part of the reason that this is impressive is because it's something of a risk that was taken and which paid off; because it would be easy to do as live-action doesn't necessarily make that a better stylistic choice, but that it works as animation by showcasing novel animation ideas mixed with great talent can do nothing but improve it. Also, the way anime creates its entire world gives an animation some advantages. Firstly, a story like this, all about details, draws attention to those details more effectively if you're watching with half an eye on the look out for art style, as many anime fans do - film a woman picking a flower and it's pretty, but animate one that truly compares, and it's stunning. Also, the way viewers suspend their disbelief constantly for animation allows the impossible to seamlessly integrate into the commonplace. This only happens once, at the end, but in practice it's so naturally and gracefully done, and so basically right, that instead of going "yeah, that was a nice idea", the impact of the scene and the emotional lift it gives you are much more pronounced.

If the film has any weaknesses, it would be pacing; for a film that's by it's nature leisurely and gradual, it is perhaps a touch too leisurely and gradual in places, and while almost all of Taeko's recollections are relevant, perhaps one or two are a bit spare and peripheral. While I'll admit I am sort of blown away by it, I also recognise that it's not perfect, hence a mark knocked off; and yes, you need to be in the right mood to get the most from this film. I've been waiting months since I got it for the right moment; this morning was finally it, and it delivered. Other than that, well, the only way you'll have any criticisms of the film is if, having read this, you decide it's not your sort of thing, then watch it anyway, expecting explosions, car chases or gritty hard-boiled action. That's not this film's brief. What Only Yesterday does is subtlety and maturity and real, proper grown-up drama in anime. read more

Only Yesterday, otherwise known as Omoide Poroporo is a very slow paced film that focuses on the theme of memories, and is a work that captures the melancholic feeling of reminiscing on the past and reflecting on life.

The film revolves around a 27 year old office worker by the name of Taeko Okajima, who takes a break from her job to take a vacation to the country hometown of her brother in law. As she embarks on her trip Taeko begins to reminisce on her youth as a 5th grader. Taeko’s memories follow her through the Yamagata Prefecture as she enjoys the lifestyle of the country.

The film’s core premise is very simple, but one executed with great care and attention to detail. The most powerful aspect of this film has to be the flashback scenes in which Taeko recalls her youth, these scenes typically occur when Taeko experiences something that reminds her of something from her 5th grade life, and show a surprising level of realism.

A flashback scene that struck me in particular was one where Taeko and her family were experiencing eating a pineapple for the first time, everyone, especially Taeko had their expectations set very high yet sadly when push came to shove they were all disappointed. The film focused on each individual character’s expression to exemplify their reaction to the disappointing fruit. The use of facial expressions to show emotions was brilliant used, not being too blatant or subtle.

A later scene of Taeko being hit by her father for acting like a spoiled brat was also rather powerful. Both characters were in the wrong to some degree and their expression showed a mixture of regret and sorrow. The directing in these flashbacks are not the only thing that makes them impactful, the scenes themselves focus on things most people can easily relate to, and portray them in a down to earth manner with little to no exaggeration, they ended up reminding myself of moments in my youth, happy and sad ones, invoking an amalgamation of feelings ranging from bliss and innocent enthusiasm to sorrow and regret in one big melancholic burst.

Lastly I want to mention how Taeko acts in these flashback, her personality as a young 5th grade girl is pretty spot on, as she shows a distinct mixture of various emotions that a youngster would have, she gets overly excited for minor things, has a simple perception of the world, and is pure of heart but does have a very obnoxious and bratty side with just a small hint of angst. This mixture of traits makes 5th grade Taeko to be one of the most well portrayed little girls I have ever witnessed in any anime.

As you may expect the adult version of Taeko contrasts heavily from her 5th grade counterpart, she is much more mature and wise and is able to easily interact with others, however behind this seemingly well put together and polite facade are subtle hints of doubt, and dishonesty towards herself and what she wants. Through reminiscing on her youth Taeko reflects on her life choices and develops throughout the course of the film as she finds herself in the beautiful scenery of the country.

Only Yesterday takes a unique approach when it comes to transitioning between the nostalgic recollection flashbacks and the scenes that takes place in the present, at times choosing to blend past and present, similarly to the way Satoshi Kon blends reality and fiction in many of his works. These transitions are very fitting for this film and juxtapose the aforementioned realism with a hint of whimsical fantasy.

While I did really enjoy this film there were a few minor gripes I had with it which took away from the experience a bit, the biggest problem I had was definitely the pacing, as you would expect this film is very slow paced, while this choice does serve what the film and creates a bit of a nostalgic ambiance at points it also does tend to drag on a little too much during certain segments, specifically near the beginning of the film’s second act. Certain parts almost feel superfluous, not really adding anything of value to what the work is trying to present, while I didn’t mind this too much I feel as thought it might detract from the experience for a lot of people as they might simply dismiss it by simply calling it boring.

Only Yesterday was animated by Studio Ghibli and they did a spectacular job, the attention to detail in the foreground is simply spectacular. Very simple things such as a car starting up, or a family table set with various foods and utensils are full of life and are displayed beautifully, this only adds to the realism this films offers especially in the flashback sequences. The movements of the characters themselves are very fluent and the film even gives certain characters little quarks and tendencies when it comes to the way they move, this is most noticeable through their facial expressions which speak very well for the cast as a whole. The color pallet for the flash back scenes mostly consists of very light and bright colors which give the flash backs a bit of a dreamy feel to them while the sequences that take place in the present typically use much darker colors.

Only Yesterday is a very niche film that I find hard to recommend towards a large audience as the pacing can be a bit off putting and the subject matter is not for everyone, however if you love dreamy recollections, brilliant attention to detail, and an interesting sense of realism this film just might be for you, if you get bored easily and typically don’t enjoy slower paced slice of life titles I’d recommend you unfortunately skip this one. read more

If you want in any way, to see a family eating a pineapple and simply have an intense emotional reaction, almost cry by quietly staring at the characters just moving, bring back the beautiful life you once had and to feel proud that you're a human being. I cannot recommend anything other than the remarkable underrated masterpiece.

Only Yesterday.

The reason why Only Yesterday might be the most realistic anime movie of all time is that, they did, care about the smallest things, the characters' movements, their eyes, their mouths, how the whole cast reacts to an action, how they gave everyone enough space to experience their opinions without being repetitive at all and at the same time they focused on our protagonist herself, how's that might be possible? I still don't know. Another important reason, if not the most important one, something you might find surprising and was barely done, is that, the audio was recorded before the animation itself which means the movements of the characters would fit their speeches perfectly. The script itself was, without any doubt written by someone who's a genius, to give such affliction to the replies, you might ask what are you talking about but I find it rather simple that scriptwriters these days are lackadaisical.

The movie defines the word "Seriousness" in a higher new level, there might be no movie that's as serious as Only Yesterday, no matter how they try to be, they'll never achieve its level because the most essential way to make a great movie is to never try to be what you want to be, in other words, Only Yesterday's story is so simple, a story about a young girl who travels to the countryside and recalls her memory while she's surrounded with people who love her. The concept is straightforward, but the idea is how to use every little thing you have to satisfy your congregation.

The nostalgic and heart-breaking movie knows how to draw the characters very well with a variety of lines, colors and shades, if you could take a second from your life to stare at one of the characters' faces, I think that would be great and even though the movie has received countless criticisms about how in some way or another the characters look very similar except for their hairstyles and colors, look no further, to how 'Us' look identical, and so I say that the movie has yet achieved another level of realism. Not to mention how the backgrounds look very artistic and hand-drawn. (I hope you've got what I'm trying to say).

Only Yesterday has never failed to draw a smile on my face the whole two hours thanks to Isao Takahata's great directing skills. The movie is very mature and was released when the word "Mature" had no meaning in such films, especially that it does not contain any nudity or violence and all of that stuff and without any doubt had its influence for other movies to be made with the same pace. This movie has realized that it's a butterfly and finally found its wings, but looking back now, maybe it was just flexing them pointlessly.

Only Yesterday, for the people who want to realize that the movies they're watching nowadays are utter shit.

Story/Plot: 9/10
Animation/Art: 9/10
Sound: 10/10
Character: 10/10
Enjoyment: 10/10

Overall: 10/10

For fans of: Millennium Actress and Whisper of the Heart. read more

We can notice that there is a tendency to overrate average productions when it comes to their true value. It is probably caused by TV and the fact that the best selling anime are being watched by kids raised on sex and violence occuring in the Internet. Anime based on those two things (sex & violence) shows that it is much easier to make such anime insted of trying to show people something important and valuable. Only Yesterday is one of those "depper" and underrated productions, which can appear on endangered species list soon if that tendecy mentioned before won't be stopped.

First, I have say that I simply love that kind of storyline. Not only that. The tempo of action is great (in my opinion). Main character (Taeko, if I'm not mistaken) starts her travel (which is actually a travel to reach and understad her real needs and feelings). She is in her 30s, probably. At that piont in life, one must recollect his/her hopes and choose his/her path in life. So, Taeko decided to have a break and go to country. All movie is filled with her remembrances from her childhood. Her younger self (which often appears in her mind, as the action goes on) is personification of her apprehensions and also her childhood dreams filled with innocent and simple thoughts about world, and herself. Story is going slowly but it's just like the way normal life is moving forward, so it's ok. The best thing about the plot is that it's peaceful (but not boring - don't get it wrong) and belivable at the same time.

Landscapes are qutie artistic. Move was aired in 1991, so don't expect graphics on Makoto Shinkai's level. Characters appearance is simple along with all visual aspects, but you can feel this Ghibli magic till the last minute of movie. All I can say, is that my eyes were satisfied.

I have to admit that I don't remember any of background music. So it must have been good (I think I would remember if it was awful). Voice acting is on above-average level. The same when it comes to the ending theme. It summarizes the whole fellings you get while watching this movie. (hint: remember to watch anime till the last chord of ending song !).

Characters are complex, but like everything in Only Yesterday, not too much. Just like they should be. Taeko motives are belivable and you can fell that you fully understand her childhood problems - first love, test results, and all this grwoing-up struggle while she is still a kid. Everyone had to go through those things. Other thing - nowadays we often deal with people who live till 8am to 8pm. Work absorbs all of our strength and youhtful passion. Taeko decided to take a break. What about you? Don't you feel the same way?

In the end, I have to say that we don't have so many animes that we can truly rely on. Only Yesterday shows us the simple matter, but beutifully executed. Daily life with it's problems and enjoyments. Only Yesterday impressed me with it simplicy and serenity. We have a romance motive in here, but it is not a heroic and "die-for" emotion (which we saw sooo many times already) but simple affection that is froming between two people in relationship. For me, it is the most artistic vision of our daily life. No guns, no swords, but remembrances and uncertainty about tomorrow. I enjoyed every minute spent with this magical production, and I reccomend it to everyone who look for some great piece of anime, which Only Tommorow undoubtedly is.

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