Story: The premise of this short film centers on a high-school student named Takao Akizuki. The young man often falls flat when it comes to school and is aspiring to make shoe-making his career when he becomes an adult. One morning, he ditches school to design shoes in a beautiful garden and meets a woman, who we later find out to be called Miss Yukino. From then on, Akizuki and Yukino would return to the garden on rainy days and further grew closer together.
Art: The art and animation of Kotonoha no Niwa is simply superb. Close attention is given to everything, from ripples in a distant puddle, to small cracks in a flowerpot. Characters' skin are given shadows and highlights realistically, which further enhances the art. The animators did not cut corners in any of this film's scenes, and it is one of the most visually appealing anime films I have ever seen.
Sound: Sound is excellent as well. A focused audience can hear claps of thunder, footsteps on a hollow floor, steam from a running train, and much more, all of which aid the visuals.
Character: I find that character development lacked in this film. I don't want to spoil too much of this film, but I find the Akizuki's actions and motives weren't very realistic; the same can be said for Miss Yukino. I would've preferred more fleshed out personalities of the two, but again, this is a 45 minute film.
Enjoyment: Despite the little nuances I had with the characters, I did like this film. The art, sound, and parts of the story were enough for me to watch all the way through.
Overall: 7/10. If you like romance, and if you like slice-of-life, I recommend you give this a try. It is a stunning film visually, and you might find that you enjoy the story.
