In our current society a good majority of people have been far too desensitized by the simpler forms of entertainment. We've become too entranced by pop culture, repetitiveness, and fitting in with the trends. Most forms of entertainment nowadays are filled with cliché explosions, overly sexualized figures, and cheap antics to keep us entertained. Is that a bad thing? No, not necessarily. Entertainment varies based on its audience, and different people enjoy different things; our opinions on what we like are constantly changing. Sometimes, however, something strays away from the norm and presents a graceful story for people to enjoy. It presents itself to us in a subtle, serene, and humble way to be appreciated by those who are willing to watch and listen. Rain Town is a story that doesn't require words for one to appreciate and fathom. It’s a story about an ambiguous town subjected to an unending rain. It's a story of friendship despite differences, patience, love, nostalgia, and being left behind. It's a simple, surreal, somber, and symbolic story that captures one's heart and imagination in just under ten minutes.
The visuals of Rain Town are nothing short of beautiful. It was made in 2011 and could easily compete with any modern day animation to boot. From the meticulous ripples of raindrops in puddles to the scenic, melancholic town and its charming characters, Rain Town is truly spectacular.
The soundtrack is quite good for a short film; it's simple, yet hits all the right notes right from the beginning to set the mood. The sound of the rain leaves sets a calm, drab atmosphere which depicts the environment of the rainy town quite well. I think the only issue I had with the sound portion was that the tone of the piano did get slightly repetitive after a few minutes. Though it would have been nice if it had adjusted the tempo slightly, it isn't really a big issue considering you could watch this film without sound and still enjoy it.
There are only a couple characters in Rain Town, but their speechless charm and allure makes them all the more endearing. The little girl is so innocent and sweet that one can't help but adore her every action. She loves playing in the rain and that's a fairly accurate depiction of most children her age. I really liked the realistic side of that. Though the little girl was adorable, I believe that the robot is what takes the cake for this particular short. It's such a good friend and companion to the little girl in the short amount of time they are together that you can't help but love it as a character. The robot essentially is the embodiment of the perfect friend; it is loyal, patient, and understanding. The background history of the robot simply broke my heart. In roughly a minute you can see why he was sitting on that particular bench, why he takes a liking to the little girl, and why he falls apart, both literally and figuratively.
Rain Town was inspiring and heartfelt. It's a wonderful piece that reminded me a lot of Tsumiki no Ie, which is another superb animated short. If you haven't seen that one, or this one for that matter, I would profoundly recommend you to do so. It's rare to find something that succeeds in touching our hearts, but it is seamlessly done in a simple short film about a rainy town, a little girl, and a robot. Bravo.
