Story: Presentation is what really sets some stories apart from others. How you set along hints of plot and how it all ties together makes or breaks a series/movie. Shinkai Makoto has a certain magic to be able to piece together such magnificence as this! As we are guided throughout an intertwined tale of Takeo and Yukino, you soon realize as a viewer that their lives aren't completely set apart from each other. In fact, perhaps a connection is more prevalent between them that even they don't realize; no matter how small that could be. As I watched this, the themes of wanderlust and sense of purpose came to mind. Overall I definitely felt this plot had such realism in it, such drama and emotion, that anyone could relate to it, or have experienced something close to this at least once before.
Art: Oh my lord! It'd be heartbreaking for me to convince myself I have seem something more extraordinary than the animation in this. With visible hints of life-likeness in just about every scene, as well as the fluidity of the style, goosebumps were for sure all over me. Then again, not much can be expected when you have Shinkai Makoto's name stamped on a project; you're guaranteed a beauty. Something about the darker palette used for a good portion of the anime struck a chord with me. Not a bad one, though! Using it only gave the mood of the story depth.
Sound: An anime like this, with the aura it boasts isn’t the type to have a bubbly soundtrack or upbeat voice acting. It needs something natural; believable! And guess what? That’s exactly what it brings to the table. From the melancholic background tracks, to the superb voice work, its nothing short of great. However what was really a selling point for me was the weather tracks that were ever so present throughout the 45 minutes. For myself, rain has always been a calming sound. It helps me focus. So that was a definite plus.
Characters: When you only have 45 minutes to flesh out a story, a small cast is worth it. Don’t waste time introducing multiple characters who aren’t going to get much screen time. That’s what I enjoyed about the anime. Yukino and Takeo were integral, so it makes sense to give them the spotlight. With hints of relations between the other characters though tied in here or there, you do get the sense of how it impacts our main characters. With Yukino, for a good portion of the anime you are rooting for her to succeed. You sincerely wonder “Will she be able to kick-start her motivation back to where it once was?”. With Takeo, I think many people, including myself, find ourselves in his shoes (no pun intended). He’s a start-up guy with a simple dream. He’s found what his drive in life and like many people are stumbling along the way to get recognition and support. Now when you pair these two up, I can confidently say that they are a yin-and-yang to each other. Without the other in their life, it’d have been a much different ending. They bounce off one another so eloquently and that really says something
Enjoyment: It’s not often you see a platonic love story. To be able to see how two people from different backgrounds be able to merely enjoy the presence of the each other without some elaborate sexual tension or unrequited love or pining for feelings. It’s genuine. It’s raw. You live for each other because that’s what friendship and companionship is in many cases. Everything about this title is magnificent. I for one couldn’t dare drag myself from the screen even for a moment!
Overall: I don’t think I have much more to say other than ‘bravo’. Kotonoha no Niwa will always be a favorite in my book, and I have the hope that even more people can take the time to go see this masterpiece someday, someway.
