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This is the one film Miyazaki wanted to make. We can feel his passion and his love of the subject but, sadly, it is his weaker film.

Allow me to explain. There were many interesting and powerful moments during the first half of the movie, and you can truly grasp the famous Ghibli magic. However, the second half is disappointingly lacking. It all comes down to characters. The characters are not well done. At all. As a result, the weaker part of the film was, without a doubt, the romance. Miyazaki is very good at creating romance but, here, it feels way too forced. It fell ... completely out of touch. It evolves way too quickly, and the romantic interest is not very likeable. Overall, it was too corny, and downright awkward to be taken seriously. Some of those scenes must be seen to be believed. They are really that... weird.

This dragged-down the movie immensely. Unfortunately, it affects the overall enjoyment of the movie. But this is not to say that the movie isn't any good. It is expertly crafted in many areas, notably animation and music as it is custom with Ghibli. Some scenes were breath-takingly beautiful, and the OST is amazing. It's a shame the story and especially the script aeren't up-to-par with other Miyazaki movies.

It may seem harsh to judge tthe romance in this movie this stronly, but it's really problematic. Especially since this movie is clearly his last. But don't let my opinion change the fact that I recommend this movie. It treats the subject of war, innovation and aviation with love and care. Melodrama aside, I can't help but feel that the movie could habe been a masterpiece. It is what it is. A work of art brought down by weak characters.

Miyazaki is my favorite director, and one of the greatest. This movie is a testament to his strengths and his weaknesses. He clearly struggles to bring his A-game in a realistic, less idyllic movie. I believe this is the result of the overall tone of the film. It is serious and doesn't make use of the awe-inspiring imagination of his creator. Nevertheless, I encourage you to go see it, and if you look past its flaws, you will surely discover a pleasant and bittersweet end to an incredibly illustrious creer.

Kokurikozaka Kara is not only Studio Ghibli's newest film. It is, in my opinion, the worst film they have made so far.

Our story begins with Komatsuzaki Umi, a girl living in a coastal town in 1960s Japan. Every morning, she rises a pair of flags which can be seen from the sea. Without spoiling anything, I must admit the reason why she does it is pretty tear-jerking.

What isn't tear-jerking, however, is the story in general. I've never seen such a horribly put-together story. The characters are absolutely forgettable, and the script is horrendous. I was shocked when I realised how many inconcistencies and plotholes plague ... this film. There is a moment in the film in which a main character, after a very important confession, says the following: "I know this sounds like a bad melodrama". I couldn't keep myself from laughing. This is the first time I've seen a movie condemn itself through dialogue. All this to say that, from a purely narrative point of view, this film is a disaster.

However, as with every Studio Ghibli film, the art is beautiful. The backgrounds are masterfully drawn, and the animation is proof that Ghibli is unmatched in that aspect. Character design was alright except that sometimes the characters are very mannequin-like in their facial expressions. The soundtrack also shines thanks to amazing songs which are delightful to the ear.

Furthermore, I must confess that I was very disappointed with this film not only because of its dreadfully executed story, but also because it is very boring. My enjoyment for this film progressively reduced to zero as I kept realising how uninteresting the characters were. I didn't care for them because they didn't have any redeeming features. They were just cardboard cut-outs made to go along with the story and that's what kills this movie. The story is not presented to the viewer, it is just shown. Its very artificial since things just happen like that without no reason. It is like all the film's universe revolved around the story. The result is pretty shattering. Story progression should feel natural, even if the pace is all over the place. And that is Goro Miyasazaki's film largest sin: it let its mediocre story take control of the film.

In conclusion, I definitely do not recommend this film. I do, however, recommend it to future film-makers as a counter-example as it will allow them to see what they must avoid in order to produce good stories. If you can get past its story's fatal flaws, then you will definitely find some enjoyment with this film as there is plenty to be had. I know that I couldn't look past them.