Question for people who already watched it (spoilers)

Jul 24, 2014 4:05 AM

Offline

Sep 2011

Please tell me there's at least yuri subtext. A Ghibli movie featuring gay characters would be a dream come true for me personally (I'm a gay girl) and I'm sure for a lot of LGBTQ anime fans. I fear they pull a no homo in the end and even though I hate spoilers in general I really need to know this.

Jul 24, 2014 12:21 PM

ovoon7

Offline

Aug 2010

709

valyriansteel said:
Please tell me there's at least yuri subtext. A Ghibli movie featuring gay characters would be a dream come true for me personally (I'm a gay girl) and I'm sure for a lot of LGBTQ anime fans. I fear they pull a no homo in the end and even though I hate spoilers in general I really need to know this.

This is based off of a book written in 1981, probably wont have that message in it.

And from what I heard about the book, Marnie is the ghost of the main character's mother. I'm sure you didn't want that spoiled, that pretty much will answer that question.

Jul 25, 2014 12:23 AM

AgentCooper

Offline

Jul 2014

^ That's not entirely correct. The book was an English novel written in 1968, not 1981. The ending reveals that Marnie seems to have been Anna's great-grandmother. There is a level of interpretation in the novel of whether Marnie was a ghost, was a figment of Anna's imagination, whether some sort of time travel/ time slip was involved, etc. From what I remember, it seemed like Marnie was indeed real and that Anna was somehow caught up in a time slip when she would play with her. So it wasn't really Marnie being a ghost, but more like time travel. The supernatural aspect isn't that important though nor the main point.

Before the ending "twist", I found myself sort of shipping Anna and Marnie (before I even knew what shipping was, since I read this when I was a little kid) and guess I could see some subtext. I suppose as long as you have two characters' interactions/closeness/relationship being the focal point of a book/movie, there will be subtext for shippers to enjoy, I think.

I guess you can always ignore the ending twist or just ship anyway because (for some weird reason) incest-y stuff seems like not a big deal in anime. I've definitely seen people ship way weirder things lol.

I can understand why you may be disappointed or feel misled though, as those two trailers (especially the second one) were hella gay.

Aug 23, 2014 3:43 AM

deguy

Offline

Feb 2008

487

^ Having seen the film I'll say I didn't sense anything yuri about it all. In my mind it never came up. I suppose Marnie's association with a boy (her future husband) made short work of that angle.

Also, I was under the impression, at least in the film, that Anna was Marnie's granddaughter.

Sep 12, 2014 2:57 AM

AlabastreAizo

Offline

Mar 2009

1136

I've seen it twice. It surely feels like yuri for a while, but once you realize what's going on, the love is very clearly not romantic.

Oct 28, 2014 9:40 AM

Nidhoeggr

Offline

Apr 2009

5714

That's really a silly question. Do you only want to watch a movie from one of the most prestigious anime studios just because the characters are gay and not because of the plot, art, direction, etc.? That seems shallow to me.

Steel Ball Run anime when?

Nov 14, 2014 8:29 PM

kitaiii

Offline

Dec 2008

Captain_GARlock said:

valyriansteel said:
A Ghibli movie featuring gay characters would be a dream come true for me personally (I'm a gay girl)

Go seek attention somewhere else.

Nidhoeggr said:
That's really a silly question. Do you only want to watch a movie from one of the most prestigious anime studios just because the characters are gay and not because of the plot, art, direction, etc.? That seems shallow to me.

Both wrong and not getting it. She just wanted to know because it is a very common practice in entertainment industry to 'bait' gay people into thinking they are/will be seeing people like them in a show they like, just to somehow later revert it with a straight relationship or something, "no homo" style.

People watch things looking for characters with whom they can empathize all the time, so we can all stop pretending we never watched shit because of that one thing that made us think "dude thats me right there".

I came here looking for this exact question and I'm pretty bummed that it's not what it seemed like, honestly. I'll still watch it because Ghibli, but a bummer.

Jul 27, 2015 9:52 PM

kittyxx

Offline

Feb 2015

To be honest, when I watched the movie I also believed that there was romantic love between Marnie and Anna (with all of the blushing and the sweet moments together), which is why I was so surprised with the ending being that it was.

Feb 21, 2016 3:15 PM

yoite-

Offline

Jun 2010

1396

I wonder how anyone got the yuri feelings or even the idea that Anna and Marnie were having a romantic relationship. Yes they were blushing and saying they love each other.. But that was obviously between friends.

Signature removed. Please follow the signature rules, as defined in the Site & Forum Guidelines.

Feb 29, 2016 9:36 AM

#10

Samno95

Offline

Feb 2016

Hey guys,

I believe there is substantial evidence that Marnie was a ghost AND NOT a figment of Anna's imagination:

- Although some of what Marnie and Anna did is written in the diary, most of their interactions are unique to the situations that Anna is in. Also, Anna can't have been simply imagining herself in her grandmother's memories because the silo scene takes place before she reads about it in the last pages of the diary.

- About half way through the film, Marnie balances herself on the very edge of the rowboat without causing it to tip at all, nor does she seem afraid that this will happen, implying that she isn't physically there. This is also quite evident towards the final half hour when she straight-up steps off a cliff, only to appear unharmed at the bottom.

- If Marnie was never really there with Anna, there is no way that the boat could have been moored in shore, ready for Anna to row to the marsh house.

- Marnie appears to lose track of Anna just as much as the other way around.

- Although many of the scenes featuring Marnie are followed by Anna waking up (to imply that she was dreaming) There are still instances we see her where she is definitely awake, such as when she waves from the window in the ending. Also, the fact that she's seen quite briefly before disappearing supports the ghost theory.

- The old painter woman who knew Marnie explains during her story that while Marnie lived to the fullest, she had a lonely life. This gives Marnie a motive to revisit her childhood as a ghost and get to know Anna, the granddaughter she never got to raise.

- Kiyomasa actually straight-out says there's ghosts in the mansion when he teases Anna, which could be seen as foreshadowing.

Those are my inklings. What do you think?

Samno95Mar 7, 2016 4:52 AM

Jun 11, 2016 3:46 PM

#11

FatedAnomaly

Offline

Jun 2016

Samno55 said:
Hey guys,

I believe there is substantial evidence that Marnie was a ghost AND NOT a figment of Anna's imagination:

Interesting points made but I would like to offer an dissenting opinion. Nearly all of your points can be explained by one or two plot points that take place within the story, all while supporting the idea that Marnie is imaginary.

Before I begin, I would like to say that I would've liked it just as much if Marnie were real. I don't believe this to be the case for these following reasons:

- You mention the diary, but that is not the only source of information that Anna had on Marnie. When she was young (just a baby) Marnie would tell her stories of her youth before she died. Any interactions with Marnie, that do not take place in the diary, can be justified as these memories resurfacing in a unique way.

- For your next four points, these can be explained as the over active imagination of the young girl (Anna). Who's to say she even got on the boat? If she could imagine Marnie. She could imagine the boat ride and everything inbetween. Including, Marnie losing track of Anna (though I have more to say on that, see below.)

- Anna could only see Marnie depending on the memories that she was subconsciously aware of. For instance, she may have been aware of a picnic at the hut but not been give a memory of what happened afterwards. Which is why the world phases in and out of existence. This would support the theory that Marnie is imaginary as the world only exists according to what stories were told to her as a baby and what her subconscious remembers of them. That Marnie loses track of Anna, is just her imagination. Filling in the gaps.

- For your last two points, I would offer that the reason that Anna imagines Marnie as a child is because she empathises with her unhappy childhood. Also, she would imagine Marnie at a young age in order to have more in common with her.

- I thought he was just teasing or it was used as a plot device to make you think she was until the big reveal.

- Finally, Anna admits that Marnie is imaginary. She has a powerfully creative mind (shown by her artistic nature) and is a depressed introvert that is looking to escape and feel normal. She's aware Marnie is imaginary but wasn't aware she was interacting with her Grandmother's memories that had been locked in her subconsious. Re-awakening when she saw the house on the marsh. At least, that's my theory on it.

I like your theory, I just think there's more evidence against than for. Please feel free to reply if you disagree. I also heard quite a good theory that time travel was involved. Perhaps you can discuss the merits of that?

Aug 2, 2016 8:41 AM

#12

Samno95

Offline

Feb 2016

Good points. I re-watched it this week and I have to say it is entirely possible.

There was also another thing I noticed during the sequence where Anna reads the diary entry regarding the party. The line "I danced with the flower girl" confused me on my first watch, as it was unclear why she simply didn't refer to her as Anna. But upon re-watching it, I noticed that in the shot that accompanies this line, we see Marnie dancing with a figure who somewhat resembles Anna, but ISN'T her. She has a similar hairstyle, but also has freckles, and the eyes of this character seem to not shown beneath the hood, perhaps intentionally.

Maybe you're right!

Sep 10, 2017 5:26 AM

#13

EvilFroggit

Offline

Apr 2015

When I was watching it I was totally shipping those two, although I didnt mind much that Marnie was her grandma- it was just logical in the later moments of the movie. Wish I could find an anime with such natural interactions about falling in love with people of the same gender without being over-sexualized or having moe characters or being over the top cliche... (or by having the two girls end up together just because...they are protagonists...) sigh

Sep 10, 2017 6:10 AM

#14

Cylico

Offline

Jan 2016

1137

d-yaro said:
^ Having seen the film I'll say I didn't sense anything yuri about it all. In my mind it never came up. I suppose Marnie's association with a boy (her future husband) made short work of that angle.

Also, I was under the impression, at least in the film, that Anna was Marnie's granddaughter.

Okay. I quoted this forum post of yours. I hope you wouldn't mind.
That's right. My opinions are that, the main poster is very misleading, people/watchers/viewers who haven't watched the anime movie could assume many things just from looking at the main poster and when they assumed many things without searching for the main source or even watching the anime movie first, things will become more complicated.

OT: I watched this movie in the year of 2016. Sorry for the late, though. Well, at least it's thanks to the user above me who just posted a reply today.
Back to the question, the answer is no. There's no Yuri genre included in the movie, just an element of loveliness. Well, anime series/movies watchers/viewers shouldn't just be thinking about what's in their thoughts (outside) without knowing about the real things that will actually happen (inside). And so on, anime series/movies watchers/viewers must actually elaborate with their mind more by thinking about the consequences that might occur when you're thinking about something which is not in a right way.

Oct 2, 2017 12:04 PM

#15

trickylinguist

Offline

Mar 2016

I think the problem is a lot of people are either assuming it's an LGBT film, or they want so badly for it to be an LGBT film that it's all they can see. I myself do not identify as straight and I have to tell you, I really don't see this as an LGBT movie. Do I understand why some might think it is? Sure, there's cute anime girls who blush around each other and are very close. Anna says she feels "different". But it really doesn't mean what you think it means. And let's say Anna IS gay. To me, that has zero impact on the actual themes of the film. You'll also find that a lot of the people who write articles on this movie (insofar as it being LGBT themed) start with, "I've never read the book, but..." Please read the book.

Feb 18, 2018 12:57 AM

#16

poketin

Offline

May 2017

I'm extremely late, but I just finished the film five minutes ago and 100000% thought the whole time it was a love story about a girl and a ghost lmao That ending threw me for a loop, still an absolutely beautiful film, just in a supremely different context.

If you slice off the end portion, it honestly could pass as a love story between two young girls, its really interesting to see just how much the whole film changes!

Anyway I am pretty disappointed it wasn't gay, even if the movie is still beautiful. It "From Up On Poppy Hill"-ed me but actually went through with it.

poketinSep 15, 2018 3:11 PM

Sep 12, 2018 2:49 AM

#17

nelson_a

Offline

Sep 2015

This is my 22nd film by Studio Ghibli.
I'm very embarrassed about myself judging the film poster/cover without actually watching it,but due to my curiosity i still watched it and i'm surprised about the plot.

I'm sure most of the viewers who judge the film was always getting their preference about when one of the character showing a red cheek it means they're signaling romance with each other which is common in the anime industry but that's not the case in this move.
Love is not always about the two partners engaging intimacy there's is also the part of love about Friendship and Family which studio ghibli perfectly executed on this film.

To support the claim that Marnie was just an imaginary by Anna i noticed the funeral group picture when the kid Anna holding a doll looks exactly Marnie having exactly a blue dress and long a blond hair (I'm sure the doll was a gift from Marnie to Anna when she was a kid when her parents were already deceased.)it means she projecting the memories of her grandmother from the doll which i think it has a very sentimental Value for Anna.

But i'm confused during near the ending when sayaka and anna have a conversation about Marnie and the old man said "Marnie,the girl who always locked behind the blue window" i'm not sure if he was also a childhood friend of Marnie or he can also see what Anna saw outside the mansion?

The Ending is so satisfying that Anna Understand her past and accepting her new family.

Sorry and bear with my English ^^)

Dec 23, 2018 3:48 PM

#18

NagoyaR

Offline

Sep 2014

^in one scene when sayaka tells Anna that she always saw her watching her window. You can see boys playing in the water when the tide is low, so my guess would be that the old man played there in his childhood too and saw her

Dec 23, 2018 3:56 PM

#19

boyoungsi

Offline

Mar 2018

539

i think it is not about gay, i haven't read the the book, but from my perspective the movie show that Anna finally feel happy after loneliness that keep her dying for a long time, she feel warmness not romantic feeling

May 12, 2020 1:53 AM

#20

kzh01

Offline

Apr 2019

Stop trying to press your agenda into this movie please, disgusting.

May 24, 2020 3:49 PM

#21

poronite

Offline

Jun 2017

This movie is about the relationship between Marnie and her granddaughter(Anna).
Thinking about LGBT bullshit is ridiculous.

People should watch it first before assuming things like yuri or even romance. The movie doesn't even have the romance tag.

I enjoyed this movie since Anna is a little bit like me. Low confidence and overthinks a lot. The only difference is the fact that her parents died.

Jun 3, 2021 10:36 AM

#22

removed-user

Offline

Jul 2018

564612

I re watched this 3 times and never thought it could be an possible yuri till I found this forum

Jan 19, 2022 6:17 AM

#23

xoxoerna

Offline

Dec 2020

kzh01 said:

Stop trying to press your agenda into this movie please, disgusting.

there’s no agenda they’re pushing lol, they asked a question based off of speculation from a movie they haven’t watched yet which isn’t bad. lots of people want to know it certain themes are in movies so they know whether to/not watch

Jun 20, 2023 11:46 AM

#24

RobertBobert

Offline

Apr 2012

18904

xoxoerna said:

kzh01 said:

Stop trying to press your agenda into this movie please, disgusting.

An attempt to add a highly controversial political theme to a rather innocent children's film, while creating some rather unsettling incest implications along the way, is indeed an attempt to advance the agenda. Intentional or not. Just imagine a straight version of this, people would long ago accuse this anime of promoting child grooming.

See All Discussions

Poll: » Omoide no Marnie Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 ) tsubasalover - Mar 18, 2015	163	by manuel-unu »» Mar 25, 1:37 AM
» Attack On Titan Satire Readyarmydude90 - Mar 27, 2021	3	by ETHANethan »» Mar 28, 2021 12:32 AM
Poll: » This could be Ghibli's last film str_mln2 - Jul 20, 2014	10	by Yiuumii »» Oct 23, 2020 3:36 PM
» Let's talk about the Ending Shi-no-tenshi - May 31, 2020	4	by vRawabi_ »» Aug 21, 2020 1:11 PM
» [spoilers] Everyone deceived Anna? RyuMaster - Apr 11, 2015	5	by Rob7 »» Apr 9, 2020 6:15 PM

Question for people who already watched it (spoilers)

More topics from this board

Poll: » Omoide no Marnie Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 )

» Attack On Titan Satire

Poll: » This could be Ghibli's last film

» Let's talk about the Ending

» [spoilers] Everyone deceived Anna?

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters