Reviews

Lie down, try not to cry, cry a lot. Is this movie perfect? No. But I enjoyed it, and I think it did a great job encapsulating the feeling of this characters life before/during/after the war. Some may not like the nichijou quality of this movie, but I think it was the perfect way to highlight war and its impact on daily life. It wasn't front line battle for everyone, for some like our main character it meant rationing and having her daily routine formed by this event. This movie reminded me of Ookami Kodomo because of how much the writers make you identify with the main character (the mother) even though you aren't a tiny Japanese woman raising werewolves. Even from the beginning, you feel for the main character as she fumbles through life, especially watching the strained relationship with her sister-in-law. And then in the end, you can feel her frustration and despair as war is declared over, but her life has been permanently changed. In one particular scene, she cries out about how 'there are still four people here' to continue war efforts. I think this was one of the most powerful scenes that isn't usually seen after wartime, when the cause people had to sacrifice so much for was suddenly over and they were expected to return to live their lives. On the whole the movie may not seem as striking as Grave of the Fireflies, but I think it is one of the best movies that carries the sentiment of the common people at the time. I highly recommend this movie as an example of using animation to convey complex emotions using beautiful yet simple storytelling and visuals.