At first I was confused. Even having followed the promotional pictures and news and all the stir around the watercolor-kind of animation and so, I didn't knew what to expect, so It took me a while to start enjoying. But after some minutes, I totally enjoyed it.
It's funny how Ghibli tries so little to camouflage their social criticism. Here Takahata criticise that society of looks, of what other say about me, of not being able to live on my own, and always having to fulfill what others want. Here we suffer with Kaguya, watching her not being her, suffering at every step she have to endure and just when she decide to be herself, the party was over and she had to go back home against her will.
It's true that the movie it's boring at certain moments, but in the end one realize that every "microstory" in the film is needed, they help to empathize with Kaguya and make ours her life and suffering.
The narrative style is very Japanese. I mean, the action isn't as clear and straightforward as in western styles, and that's why the story sometimes feels empty or pathless, not being clear to where it's going. But that's not a bad thing. Actually, it's interesting since unlike in Hollywood movies (including animation) you don't know for sure how it's gonna end. In Disney movies, after the characters are displayed and their personalities are set, you know who will be friend, who will be lover, who will suffer, who will die, who will be the hero and how happy everyone's gonna end. In Kaguya-hime, and in Japanese movies, that rarely happens so it can be surprising.
Although, the movie isn't totally wonderfull. The animation is beautiful, yes, but sometimes it can be too experimental and confusing, while other times it can be really expressive, much more than traditional animation. But in the music department I have to say it's wonderful. Every song, every piece, every single bit is wonderful.
A hard movie to watch at the beginning, a wonderful experience in the end.
