Narukami no sukoshi toyomite / A faint clap of thunder
sashi kumori / clouded skies
ame mo furanu ka? / perhaps rain comes
kimi wo todomemu / If so, will you stay with me ?
I N T R O
'...If it rains, I wonder If you will be staying here...'
Some people don't learn how to walk properly until very late... Apparently, our MC's Takao and Yuki are like that too. Their first encounter is inside a wooden bower in a garden on a rainy day of Japan. After that, they both skip daily life on rainy mornings to meet there. This meeting point becomes their shelter of rain and the rain becomes their excuse for escaping the struggles of real life.
V I S U A L S
The animation quality and fine detailing in visuals should not even be brought up in this review because everybody here was probably lured in hearing how good it is anyway... But still, being realistic, simplistic and elegant; (As expected from Director Makoto Shinkai) the visuals are completely in line with the story, its genre of slice of life and they suit the characters very well.
Needles to say, If you are an admirer of rain, as I am, then there is no doubt you will be delighted watching this movie. Garden of Words has to be one of the coziest piece of anime ever made.
S O U N D & V O I C E A C T I N G
Sound is another beauty to appreciate here... Birds chirping, drops of rain hitting anything on its way or on the ground. A true ASMR experience for those of you who are into that. Soundtracks too are superb and memorable. Especially IMO the piano compliments the rain theme very well and I was excited the most to recognize Kana Hanazawa's voice from our heroine ! Her soothing, fragile voice complemented both the character and the general ambience in the movie.
T A B O O ?
Let's face it though, Our shoemaker-wannabe Takao is practically half the age of his rain shelter companion Yuki... (He's 15 and she is 27) Had it been the other way, some would most definitely be put off and yell 'Hentaidayo!' or 'Pedophillia!' if their first language isn't Japanese...
That's where I'm relieved though, since the story does a good job with Takao's slightly lit backstory and daily life, managing to get his age mentally closer to Yuki's... Both his life struggles and calm nature had an effect on that. After all, Takao and Yuki is close in heart is what I felt.
E N J O Y M E N T
Up to this point, I hope I was able to draw the picture of a peacefully calm movie... Yet I'm amazed at how I was still on the edge of my seat, waiting for it to rain again, In front of the screen in my bedroom on a rainless night of June in Istanbul...
I'm happy to rate Garden of Words 10/10. Every single element of this anime appealed to me. The storytelling, the pacing, the plot, the sound & visuals are all right up my alley. I will be rewatching anytime I am overwhelmed by life... ^_^
P L O T
Okay, we are not allowed too much into the inner worlds of the characters and the limited amount of dialogs don't really help with our interpretions of the feelings characters have for each other. So, this eventually makes the viewer looking for clues between the lines. Somewhere before the closing scenes there is a wonderful ED with a landscape of weather changing. This is the exact place you will start thinking 'What's going to happen now? How will it end?' It is a wonderful gateway to plot delivery. The pacing is just that beautiful and I hope that none of you will be hanging at the end as the plot was very satisfying for me.
Let's not forget this : life moves on, so does the weather. To bring new storms and only for the sun to shine back afterwards...
Narukami no sukoshi toyomite / A faint clap of thunder
furazu to mo / Even if rains comes not
warewa tomaramu / I will stay here
imoshi todomeba / Together with you
Note : Does that Garden really exist somewhere? I would like to go visit there someday...
