Hiromasa Yonebayashi is an interesting case to follow. This literal nobody who just directed his first feature film in Studio Ghibli ended up being the closest the studio has ever been to an answer for its future. In Karigurashi no Arrietty there is a lot of Miyazaki... in fact, one could say that it is a Miyazaki movie in disguise, and wouldn't be far off seeing his work in its writing and supervision.
Coming from somebody who absolutely adores the work of Hayao Miyazaki, Yonebayashi's debut feature took me by surprise as something that could not only hold up to its clear predecessor, but also, surprisingly, a movie that demonstrates a level of understanding about how this style works that is absolutely stunning for a newbie.
The story of Karigurashi no Arrietty is one of conflicting worldviews. It is of utmost importance that this contrast is enhanced properly by every layer of the narrative and the way it succeeds at doing so is perhaps its single greatest achievement. There is a constant sense of scale to its visual presentation and sound. Particularly for the first, there is a whole exercise in reimagination of the mundane from the perspective of the borrowers that I'm quite sure it would be the most appealing element of the novels and that this movie captures beautifully, showing an entirely different environment contained in a larger, more familiar setting. For the second, the use of sound effects to better capture the contrast in points of view between the humans and the borrowers is something astounding, specially with how it magnifies and reverberates them to create oddly tense and thrilling atmospheres. This is true specially for one of, or perhaps the best sequence of a Ghibli movie in the present decade. I'm talking about the first incursion, whose merits in aesthetic presentation for narrative contrast and escalation of the resulting conflict can't be emphasized enough.
But it's not like the aesthetic merits of this film should be reduced to its constant awareness of the scale. This movie also understands with surprising accuracy the principles of visual narrative that every Miyazaki movie holds. Particularly outstanding is the level of character acting in every instance. From the reckless enthusiasm of Arrietty, a fair mix of self-confidence and naïvety that perfectly comes to life in an early mirror sequence and later on we see shattered, to the tranquil gestures of Shou that show how his delicate health has left him sedated and weak. From the stoic but accessible look of Pod that Arrietty admires, to the pure nervousness that Homily is. Even the character I have most issues with, Haru, is a delight to see when the movie just focuses on observing her energetic and enthusiastic, at times oddly infantile, gestures that in a way also add a sense of scale in the conflict she generates. Another thing that screams Miyazaki from every angle is the attention to detail when animating certain sequences with filler moments, like the first misstep trying to scare away a raven or the inconsequential struggle of opening a deteriorated window. This "waste" of animation effort is something that I enjoy a lot because it makes a lot of Ghibli movies look more immediate and less scripted than the usual for this medium.
The scenery, as well, is worth the mention. I like two details in special: the scales of green color used for the vegetation of the garden and the use of weather to further emphasize overall feelings and create different nuances to the same environment. The soundtrack by Cécile Corbel, which combines instrumental and lyrical songs, has some slight issues at times due to aesthetic dissonance, but most of the time it works and adds to the mood, and is absolutely delightful to listen either way.
My main issue with this film is the storyline, and to be more specific, the last thirty minutes. Then again, the first time I watched it my answer was, I think, more negative than it is now, perhaps because I have been able to better identify the single major issue I have with this. It's not like there is a problem with having some action and tension, the problem is how abrupt the transition from slow and observational slice-of-life to this single-focused action feels. On the other hand, Haru is a character I have grown to like but I still can comprehend and empathize with less than others, and I think part of the reason for that is because she walks a thin line between enthusiastic and jerky, and the movie doesn't properly choose one over the other. She is a clear antagonist, but at times she feels like a proper villain and at times just innocently childish. It's a strange combination of traits and I'm not sure if they work well together.
That aside, I absolutely adore every other aspect of its narrative. The conflicting viewpoints of Shou and Arrietty, their growing relationship and the character development of Arrietty, and above all, the observational tone it sets for most of this narrative, taking its time to develop latent personal conflicts and filling it with routine sequences that help make the introspective journey fittingly slow-paced and methodical.
Overall, Karigurashi no Arrietty is a movie that I can't help but love due to how much it clicks with those aspects of Ghibli, and Miyazaki's filmography in specific, I am a big fan of. This is not entirely positive, on the other hand, and after all Yonebayashi's problems to develop a style of his own are still present in his filmography. But as an imitation, you don't get better than this one. And a great Miyazaki movie is always welcome, no matter who directs it.
