Dareka no Manazashi

"An ounce of blood is worth more than a pound of friendship."

There have probably been cases in all of our lives in which we took our families for granted. When I look back on my life I realize I was a selfish, greedy kid. Growing up in a suburb of the United States will make you that way. You want to fit in with the 'now' and want to be socially acceptable so you aren't judged by others. I've bought material things to impress people I don't know, shown off the newest fashion or technology to friends to feel an ounce of vanity, and gone ... out of my way to do something because a 'friend' asked me to; I valued my friends more than my family at several points in my life.

There comes a point in life, however, when you might just come to realize something. Friends aren't always there for you like your family is. Friends come and go; their affections are usually conditional and demanding. This isn't always the case, as there are exceptions to this. Some friends display an immense, unwavering loyalty, and some family members couldn't give less than a shit about us. However, in most cases, your family will always love you unconditionally; they took care of you when you were sick, fed you, clothed you, gave you an education, and put a roof over your head. They've worked hard for us and shouldn't be taken for granted or forgotten. In an animated short film of about six minutes, all this is admirably depicted.

Dareka no Manazashi follows a young girl, who has moved out of her parents' place and has sought an independent life in the work force. Though things are tough for her and she struggles to make a living, she lies to her father about how her life truly is. Both she and her father struggle with loneliness since their family has lost the close-knit bond that they once had. Despite how distant they have become, this animated short shows that it's never too late to reform those bonds.

What's really strong about the story is how realistic it is for something of a short slice of life drama. In only a few minutes Dareka no Manazashi presents a clear, heartfelt message to their audience. The way it is presented, however, is not perfect. Personally, I didn't enjoy the flow of the story as much as other comparable animated short films like Rain Town or Tsumiki no Ie. Some parts of Dareka no Manazashi felt random and too quick to bounce around. While the overall message was great, the execution of how the story was told was only fair.

The art/animation of Dareka no Manazashi was marvelous. Everything looks simply stunning and I couldn't ask for more. The soundtrack was good overall. There is the classic piano tingle for the soul, and an actual song near the middle of the series. I enjoyed the aesthetics and soundtrack that Dareka no Manazashi had to offer.

The characters that are the prime focus are the daughter and the father. You can't help but empathize for both of these characters because they are so human. In the span of just a few minutes I grew attached to this family and wanted to see them attain happiness.

After watching Dareka no Manazashi one can't help but think about the past. Somewhere along the line we've lost our innocence and love for the simple things in life. We've lost that little bit of bliss that stems from our ignorance. Maybe we've outgrown all the things that we once loved. But who knows? Maybe it's not too late to fall in love with those things once more.

7 minutes. It doesn’t ask for any more of your precious time. Amidst all the troubles in life, if you decide and manage to invest that amount of time in watching this ultra short film, what you get is something that will undoubtedly stay with you for a long time.

Dareka no Manazashi awes with its simplicity. It portrays a certain phase of human life, i.e., the growing up phase and the changes that come along with it in one’s life, that almost every person experiences. It is about how we tend to put up facades in public just for the sake of presenting ourselves as ... intellectual grown-ups. It is also about how during this process, we end up losing our child-like innocence and the ability to be brazenly honest about our true feelings.

Humans are a strange lot. As children, we possess such noble virtues of honesty and good-will but as we grow up and enter adulthood, we try our best to discard them, largely because of the fear of being ridiculed and not being taken seriously in the harsh world of adults. This film expresses just that. What is really appreciable about the film is that it does not try to pass a judgement. It doesn’t advise us on whether it’s the right thing to do or not. It does not tell us whether it’s the right way or not. It just puts forth a stark reality of human life before us and tries to be optimistic about the happening of it all.

The film shows the advent of the transition phase in a girl’s life, her gradual years of growing up from a child to a self-sustaining adult, and how it affects her relations with her father and family.

Aya Okamura, the girl and lady in question, lived happily with her father and mother in a typical nuclear family. She had a certain sense of freeness as a child, always happy and joyous in the presence of her doting parents. But gradually, as life takes certain turns, she starts to feel ashamed of her parents, making jokes about them in front of friends and also develops an independent streak which makes her live on her own away from them. But in reality, she feels guilty of it all and tries to make amends. This is something most of us experience in life and it is the films very close connect with reality that makes it a good watch.

Even if we stay away from our parents, we always crave for them, consciously or sub-consciously. Sometimes we are unable to admit it in fear of sounding weak or just feel ashamed. But we do, at all times, feel the pangs of separation from our parents when we live apart from them. The child in us always craves for those two special people. No matter how much we may deny it, the one thing that supports us in life and which is the pillar of our existence in the world is our family. This is the core message Dareka no Manazashi tries to convey.

The world is a tough place to survive in and more so, when one is alone. We realize how we have been protected and cared for by our parents only when we separate from them. It is then that our heart cries for them. It is then that we want them to shield us from the harshness of the world over again. Aya’s beautiful relation with her father is heart-warming. The mutual love they have for each other is undeniably great though they do not express it openly at any point of time. It’s her family that matters to her the most, is what the narrator hopes Aya to realize. And us as well.

The animation is beautiful and fitting. It complements the atmosphere built up wonderfully with some neat artwork. The background song that starts playing towards the end is soulful and heart-felt and connects deeply with the message that the film tries to convey.

In overall, the film is a great watch. Not only does it manage to bring tears to your eyes in such a short period of time but also it enriches you with a certain realization. It does not obfuscate but rather presents some everyday events that occur in almost every human’s life in a simplified manner. And therein lies its charm because as they say, in simplicity lies greatness.

The animation in this short film is really magnificent, the music while subtle is quite enjoyable however the sotry is very poor; with a superfitial overview of the characters it tells the story of a woman who is able to connect again with her stranged father. I believe it is totally woth to watch it just for the art but don't expect much from the story.

Every director has the same main goal: touch the emotions of the audience. I wouldn´t say that there aren´t many who can actually achieve this, but there are definetly very few who can pull it off in less than seven minutes. 6 minutes and 40 seconds of screentime is all that Makoto Shinkai needs to tell the bittersweet story that is Dareka no Manazashi.

In this little story about family values, it is impressive how Shinkai manages to use the seven minutes he has here... we learn just enough about the characters and their background to care about them, making the film quite ... a tearjerker if you tend to weep easily. Despite the runtime, nothing seems rushed and the show is surprisingly slow paced.
The animation is, like the story, beautiful. However i could´t help but think i´m watching Garden of Words again, a film from the exact same writer, animated by the exact same studio in the exact same year. Those two just look a little too similar for my taste, a bit of originality would´ve been nice here.

The theme song is not for me, but i can´t say that it doesn´t fit the overall feel of the show...so what we have here is a lovely piece of art that should not be missed by anyone (like all of Shinkai´s works in my opinion). Come on people...it´s seven minutes of your time!

Even being short still let the story tell what it needed to tell. It brought tears and heart-wrench but, with a side of smile and warmth. I personally have never watched such a short video and felt like I sat through a few hours of such a great story being told. If every new movies, manga, and anime were made so well like this from now on; I believe we may be staying home and/or watching more often from wherever we are. Hopefully, more will come and continue to come.

Its a short anime that has to do with the touching story of a girl thats growing up and has to leave her family and live on her own..
The anime try to make us remember that the most important thing in life is our family no matter if we forget it during our process of growing up and became independent as persons


The art looks exceptional and the sound is deepening the story in a dramatic way. The characters are well designed with good voice support.

I gave it a 9 overall but in my heart it is a 10 - yes It was a 6 minutes ... short anime but still it touched me deeply and thats the magic of it
I truly recommend this one if you have six minutes and want to see something touchy

Sometimes, simplicity is the best way to tell a story.

Makoto Shinkai is a well-known director, producer and writer. He is capable of doing amazing movies, as we all know: "5 Centimeters Per Second", "The Place Promised in Our Early Days" and recently "The Garden of Words". Yes, Makoto Shinkai has nothing else to prove. However, this amazing director has an enormous ability: he uses our most beautiful feelings as a script and his characters are normal people who share with us this amazing emotion: love.

In "Dareka no Manazashi", Makoto Shinkai uses gorgeous scenarios, as usual. We are presented with a woman that struggles in this ... hasty society, and we learn that she feels very lonely. She is away from her parents and from her cat. In this short work, Shinkai explores our feelings towards animals and humans, and everyone will be able to understand Aya's emotions.

And this is the amazing part of it: you will be touched with only 6 minutes. Perhaps Shinkai created this short story so that we could watch it after a busy day at work, when everything seems so hopeless. But it's not, and this is what "Dareka no Manazashi" is trying to pass on. It's such a nice and beautiful movie that, in its simplicity, is absolutely wonderful.

Everything else is really nice: the art, the music. Overall, it is a very good shor story that will warm your heart.

"Still you are well awared that true happiness will be truly long-lasting"

Well you may seem weird that I've put a 10 to a six-minutes anime, that probably didn't provoque anything to many of you. But personally, this movie touched me in a way that I don't remember to be touched never by any piece of art. Six minutes. That was all that it takes. All that it takes to explore through my mind and bring back all the memories and feelings of the past. Just superb.

Story (10):
I know that this may see like a little subjective, but I want you all to think about your ... past and tell me if you really don't identifiy you in any way with the story. I mean, we all had prioritized people who don't deserve it, and dismiss the people who were always there for us, carrying then that feeling of guilt and sadness that is disguised by the sporadic moments of joy that the superfluous days brings to us. Remember, your family is the most important thing that you have. Make sure that you don't realize this too late.

Art (10):
Well, as Makoto Shinaki get us used to, the art was top-notch. Very natural, relaxing and suits perfectly to the melancholly of the story.

Sound (9): The music was really emotional and was one of the factors that made me explode in tears by the end of the movie. I really cry sountracked by the last subbed song.

Character (9): Well, I really feel very identified with the character of Aya, I really put me in her skin, mainly cause her story is very similar to mine, and that was overwhelming and actually gives me the chills. REMEMBER: This may seem very subjective, but I really encourage to watch this movie and I think that, if it suits you, it will leave you with a peace that will make it all worth it.

Enjoyment (10):
Just go and watch it, it's just six-minutes long.

How is your life lately?

Two words to encourage you to watch this OVA: Makoto Shinkai.
Everyone knows: Makoto is a wizard, which turns affection in anime.
Creator of the beautiful Kotonoha no Niwa and Byousoku 5 Centimeter, Makoto brings us this little 6min OVA, much more sensitive and touching than other great titles out there.

Dareka in Manazashi tells us a bit of Aya, a girl who lives alone and who now had a bad day at work. Tired, she just wants to get home and collapse in bed. She is surprised by a call from his father, who wants to have dinner with her. But her ... day was so overwhelming that she just wants to be alone and invents a story to no go see him. In here, the narrator shows a bit of Aya's relationship with his family from the beginning until now, and shows that she really has left behind the choices they have made​​, as well as his father.

I will not comment much about this OVA, but recommend everyone to attend it. With beautiful music in the background, Dareka Manazashi goes deep in the soul of those who have left home to build their own lives: the challenges, loneliness, and the price we pay for fighting for our dreams. Everything in just 6 minutes.
Beautiful.

Dareka no Manazashi (DnM for short) is a short film directed by Makoto Shinkai - if you're an anime fan in any capacity, you're probably familiar with some of the titles he's directed, such as Byousoku 5 Centimeter and the more recent Kimi no Na wa. His films are often described as bittersweet and sentimental, and this is also the case with DnM. However, the short length and consequential underdevelopent of the many plot points the film presents left me feeling underwhelmed - like this was something that had the potential to be emotionally touching, if given more time.

DnM is visually stunning, featuring vibrant colors, ... attractive character designs and skilled use of lighting to match the story's emotional shifts. However, the "near future" setting adds nothing to the overall story - it could have just as easily taken place in the present.

The voice actors portrayed their characters with conviction and heart. The music was soft piano for the bulk of the film and a piano ballad at the end, which fit the mood of the story well. All aspects of sound featured in DnM were pleasing but nothing spectacular.

The story of DnM centers around Aya Okamura and the evolution of her relationship with her family, and many focal points of this relationship are shown, past and present, ups and downs. The common thread between these plot points is that very little time is spent on any of them, preventing the viewer from establishing much of a meaningful connection with the plot or the characters portrayed in the story. Speaking of the characters, they've got a surprising amount of personality for the short time they're shown, but because we don't get to see that much of them it's hard to find yourself caring about their lives, day-to-day troubles, or relationships with one another. The themes of the story, in addition, are underexplored due to the film's brevity and quick switches from scene to scene.

I do have one gripe about a potential "plothole", which is strange for a film that isn't even seven minutes long - it has no impact on the events of the story, but left me slightly puzzled. Near the end of the film, it's heavily implied that the narrator is one of the characters from the story. However, this narrator describes events as if they were there from before their character was actually introduced in the story, which raises questions. Whether this was an oversight or just Shinkai taking creative liberties with the narration, I found it a bit odd.

Overall, DnM is a good example of an adequate film that could have been much better given more time to grow and develop. There's a lot here with potential that is never met, which is a shame, but the framework for a more solid film is present.

This'll be my first review on MyAnimeList, but I hope it will be useful.
I've been following Makoto Shinkai for quite some time now, it all started with "5 Centimeters per second" ever since then I couldn't wait for his future releases. I noticed that his short was released so I watched it as quick as I could!

Story 8/10:
I was carried away with the story pretty fast, I don't think you need a summery of a story that is 6 minutes long. Shortly: I liked it.

Art 10/10:
As expected from Makoto Shinkai, the art was amazing and was truly eye-candy.
Full 10 points well deserved.

... Sound 9/10:
The soundtrack and short voice acting were really good, and the quality delivered was amazing. I especially loved the piano at the background.

Character 10/10:
As you can imagine, the character development is pretty hard for a 6 min short, but even then I felt like I already knew the characters and was already bounding with them after 4 minutes.

Enjoyment 7/10:
I would've given it a 9/10 but the narrator was sometimes pretty annoying, I think it would've been better if it would give us a little time sometimes to let the dialog sink in. The narrator also didn't stop talking in the moment of the possible tearjerker/drama, the feeling just didn't felt as strong at I'm used to when watching his work.

Overall 8/10:
I would recommend this short for anybody! But it's not I will go around my friend yelling "WATCH THIS!", but it's definitively worth watching!

Thanks for reading my review, I hope it was useful!

Someone's gaze is a short 6 minute long anime created by Makoto Shinkai.

The story revolves around a family of three the Daughter being around the age of 20 is having a hard time at work. She feels sad and she just wants to be alone. Her farther offers to have dinner but she declines. Then we have a flashback over the history of the Daughter and farther. We see how deep there bond really is and how their love for one another still hasn't dwindled over the years.

It is a very simple story, i reckon a lot of people could relate to this ... anime if they're around the age of 20 and have a strong relationship with their mother or farther that feels as if it has faded over the years.

The art is great as to be expected from Makoto Shinkai.

The characters are very human, you can certainly relate to them and the situations that they're in making them feel real.

I certainly enjoyed this, I brings me a feeling of this is where i am going and what is expected to come in the near future. It is about family and the happiness you will have shared with each other over the years and the love that will always be there.

Overall this is a very well portrayed anime I could certainly relate to it. I only wish it had been longer. Who knows there could be a manga adaptation at some point. There is going to be one for 'The garden of words'

I would certainly recommend this to all as it is a great short story that will only take up a few minutes of your time.

I look forward to any more future work from my favourite anime director.

I don't think there is a better animator around at the moment than Shinkai Makato. It is a little hard to believe that this visually stunning short animation was made for a trade exposition.

Due to the shortness of the animation it is difficult to write a detailed review. Shinkai Makato once again delivers with the animation and once again Shinkai Makato produces an animation where the story revolves around the sense of loss.

The sense of loss comes from being apart for the first time and nothing appears to be going right yet a sense of loss brings the Father and daughter back together again bringing ... happiness back in to their lives.

The story is a heavily narrated story about the relationship between a father and daughter who have grown apart as the daughter has matured and left home. Most of the film shows the daughter growing up and as she does so she becomes less and less close to her father but ironically her growing independence makes her father proud but lonely.

The mother appears, we assume, to have moved overseas for work leaving the father and daughter a lone and it is possibly the mother doing the narration all the while a soft melodic piano score is played over the top.

A beautiful short animation and well worth 6 minutes of your life.

Shinkai never fails to amaze me. His works are truly masterpiece-worthy, and Dareka no Manazashi is just another one of his fantastic works. In fact, this is such a good short movie that I had no idea that this was a commercial until reading the MAL page.

Story 9/10

Generous? Maybe, but I felt that an 8 was a tad unjust. This just tells the story of a daughter who disconnected with her family after growing up, but was shocked to hear the death of the beloved family cat, who's been in the family since the daughter was little. A very touching story with a very nice, ... happy, and thought provoking ending. It's amazing how slow paced, well thought out and developed this story is for a simple 7 minute short. An interesting point to make about the story is that it appears to be set in the future, and the childhood flashbacks seem to be set in the present. The message of this entire short is to take life by the balls and squeeze it while you can (I somehow managed to lower the tone massively instantly....)

Art 10/10

I'm a huge sucker for any art that is Ghibli or Shinkai. They're just beautiful when the resolution is cranked up. This short by Shinkai is just as beautiful as his other works, and many scenes in this short mirror scenes from 5 Centimeters Per Second, which I'm a fucking huge sucker for. One scene in particular shows a really, really detailed street with a train going across a bridge, which was just so 5 Centimeters Per Second-esque that I just loved it so much. This is a beautiful looking short.

Sound 9/10

Fantastic voice acting, both touching and well casted. I didn't care much for the music, however.

Enjoyment 9/10

No doubts about it, I hugely enjoyed this short. The story was touching, the art was beautiful, the whole future theme was extremely well thought out and quite nicely done.

Overall 9/10

It's 7 minutes long. What's that, the time a ready made meal heats up in the microwave? Just watch it. I loved this short, but even if you don't, it's 7 fucking minutes...

You'd think that 7 minutes is too little time to fully develop a plot. Well, you may not be completely wrong. However, this beautiful film has taken advantage of that limited time to tell a life story that is extremely parallel to reality. As an avid fan of gore, violence, action, fantasy etc., it was refreshing to take a step back and enjoy something different.
This film broke my heart and got me sobbing for the entire day, probably because I am going through the phase of rebellion and maturity which made the movie extremely applicable to my life.
It's about time I respected the notion of ... 'family' :)

Ae seen in anime shorts such as The house of small cubes and furiko, it does not take a long time to tell an amazing story. However it continues to amaze me how well narratives are presented in a short time frame. Dareka no Manazashi is yet another example of this concept.

Makoto Shinkai is the director of this short and he also directed one of my favorite romance stories of all time in The Garden of words. He also directed the film five centimeters per second which is also critically acclaimed. And you can definitely tell just by looking at it that it is by ... him.

The story of Dareka no manazashi is a very simple tale but is outstanding in execution and incorporates a beautiful message that deserves to be heard by absolutely everyone who has ever had conflict with their family. There isn't a deep structure or intricate plot devices. However simplicity is what sells this story and it's definitely a well executed plot despite its lack of complexity.

The characters of this story are kind of dossapointing. However they are human in their behaviors and don't seem cheap or unrealistic. Obviously it is difficult to fully develop and humanize a character in 6 minutes however despite being used as a template these characters are well used for the expression of the central theme of the work.

There is some good music in this story(especially the ending theme). And the voice acting was solid and I had no problem. The visuals were beautiful as expected from Makoto Shinkai. These visuals were rich in detail and just really pretty to look at.

In conclusion Dareka no manazashi is an impressive story despite its very short run time it manages to convey a mature theme with a effective narrative. The visuals are also a plus. If anyone wants a tale that has an impactful team with a short running time or are just a fan of short anime this one is worth watching.

So I discovered this little short thanks to a commercial for a construction company called Taisei that I happened to stumble across a bunch of years ago.

The commercial was my first introduction to Makoto Shinkai, and his beautiful art direction. I felt the need to search further into the man's work, and the first thing I stumbled upon was this short film that I'm reviewing now.

It's only a short and sweet 7 minutes. The intent of this short is to remind people what growing up feels like from the perspectives of both the parent and the child. All at once, it'll be saddening and touching; ... and it gets its message across in the perfect amount of time.

It's not fair to judge it based on typical qualities such as story and characters as that is not the intent here. It almost feels closest to something like a PSA, just based on the narrator and how it brings up almost every emotion a family is bound to go through over the years. The relatability is what matters here. These "characters" are based on the accessibility of projection, but never come across as lifeless. It's a hard technique to pull off, but it's done very well here. I personally felt very connected to the message and the people, as I am a fan of family-centered pieces.

To be even more appealing than need be, this animation adds some flavor for us to enjoy by setting us in the future. It's a small addition, but adds life to a universe that is otherwise very small.

If there's one thing this animation does very well, it's taking care of its audience. You can relate to it, enjoy its minor details, and not feel like your time has been wasted. Hell, I wasted your time more so with this review.

Dareka no Manazashi was a really touching short, definitely said what it needed to in the 6 minutes it had.

Story: 6/10
It focuses on Aya and the relationship with her family. Who grew apart as she got older and moved out. She slowly begins to realise how much she misses her family, mostly her father. It is a beautiful and very meaningful piece, showing that you need to do something before it's too late.

Art: 10/10
Once again, Shinkai has outdone himself with the beautiful animation and backgrounds. Everything about this piece is beautifully illustrated.

Sound: 8/10
Very pretty music that fits very well with the piece.
...
Character: 6/10
Due to there not being enough time, the characters cannot be expressed that well. But for what there is, it is beautiful. You really start to feel for Aya as the short goes on, hoping that she will rekindle with her family eventually.

Enjoyment: 6/10
There was not much to go on with this 6 minute short, but it was very enjoyable for what there was. Very beautiful and amazing message that touched me deeply. Made me think of my own family.

Overall: 7/10
It is a very powerful short, definitely recommend if you have a spare 6 minutes of your day.

Rate a 9
English Subtitled

Story
Growing up things change. Some are voluntary and others not so much. Perspective for the young takes a long time to widen because of this we lose sight of what we hold dear. Be honest with yourself... as a child you saw your parents as superheros but as you were able to step outside of home and explore you saw those same people in a lot of places. While that is great it ruins the special connection you had. For at the time you thought it was rare. But thanks to this exposed real world you can't say it is. But just ... when you think that connection has gone it can only take something as small as that connection to widen the net once more.

Art
Was wonderfully portrayed. For example one doesn't need to paint a big picture if the element of topic is small for example. As can be seen illustrated riding the train. Also, just because someone is not there doesn't mean they are gone. As expressed via narration.

Overall: I was shocked how powerful this short film was. I needed to grab at least two tissues. We all have families that raised us and some even have families of their own. Yes, times are hard at times but we forget we are still one. If that message was not made clear by attempts of imagery i apologize. For it is hard for me to see the text in from of me with water vision. Now, if you will excuse me i might just make a call or two.

Shinkai shows once again why he is a master at tugging the heartstrings, specifically in conveying the space between human connection. In just 7 minutes we get a sense of the all to relatable distance between father and daughter, as well as the quiet desperation of the daily grind of a working adult living alone, who has become disconnected from the joys of family and youth. In just 7 minutes we understand how things got to the place, through gorgeous character design and limited animation we are taken on this heartfelt journey of adulthood.

I think there’s an instinct to describe this short film (and ... most of Shinkai’s work) as sappy or melodramatic, but it’s so connected to something genuine that many of us experience that I don’t think it’s a fair description, even if I understand where that instinct is coming from.