The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a movie that succeeds at everything that it does. It appeals to all age groups, has good quality from both critical and technical perspectives and it has a story that burrows deep into your heart. My opinion is subjective of course, but The Girl Who Leapt Through Time doesn’t have any actual weaknesses. Something that I found surprising about the story is that compared to other time travel anime, it feels much more fun and relaxing. It may be impossible to have a time travel anime that isn’t mentally strenuous in any way, but The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is as pleasant a story as they come.
In terms complexity, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is somewhat lacking. It’s about a teenage girl that learns to time leap. After that, she time leaps while doing teenage girl things. Obviously her actions have consequences, thus providing a conflict for the movie. Also, the concept of time travel as a whole is treated very simply. We see one timeline and time always shifts along that single timeline. This is very contrary to the acclaimed anime Steins;Gate that insists that time flows along many parallel lines. Even in Madoka Magica, the actions of time leaping have backlashes on the single timeline. Also, while The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is not dark, it is not like watching a children’s movie. In fact, it is a very deep story about coming of age.
Leading the main cast is Makoto Konno. She is the kind of character that you can’t help but to love. She’s cute, nice, outgoing and adorkable. Like many anime characters that are seniors in high school, Makoto doesn’t really know what she wants to do with herself after graduation. With adulthood around the corner, she makes the most of her time spent with her best friends, Chiaki Mamiya and Kousuke Tsuda. The three of them together almost seem like the perfect group of friends. They are all different people, and even though they crack jokes at each other a lot, they all have each other’s backs. Aside from them and Makoto’s family, the rest of the cast is composed of various students and bystanders with little screen time. Considering this is a movie, two or three well developed characters is really all that’s needed. That being said, while the main three are great characters, there is virtually no backstory for any of them.
When I watch The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, I feel attached the people on the screen. We all have had a time in our lives when we’re young and we wish that youth would last forever. You see, after Makoto learns to time leap, she kind of uses her power as a means to prolong her youth. “Remember that karaoke session last night that we wish we could experience again?” With Makoto, she gets to experience it as many times as she wants to. Also, the power of time leaping allows her to take advantage of things like knowing the answers on the pop quiz the next day, or knowing when not to cross the sidewalk to avoid getting someone thrown into her…yeah, that really happens. Still, as much as she tries, she realizes that she can’t be a child forever. Her actions lead to consequences she must take responsibility for, and her relationships with her best friends may extend to levels that she didn’t expect…
The quality of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time’s visuals manage to be above average while maintaining a simple art style. Things like faces and clothing usually lack texture and use simple pallets, whereas the settings are filled with great detail. There are also some very appealing effects throughout the movie to emphasize time leaps, as well as some CGI here and there. The only thing that bugs me animation wise is that sometimes it feels like the animators are trying to cut back on cash. There are a few scenes that really lack in movement. Also, when the characters appear farther away, less attention is needed to animate faces. Still, the actual animation and art style mask these problems very well. Sound-wise, every track has its own personality. The songs feel appropriate for the times they are played, and lots of thought is put into every track.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a movie that has no weaknesses. It’s enjoyable for every viewer, and it leaves a light-hearted feeling in the air. Being among the greatest anime movies, it deserves a place on your shelf and a place on your list.
