The story begins with the protagonist, Giovanni, running errands for his sickly motherーwhich then turns into a magical adventure with the deuteragonistーthe protagonist’s closest friendーCampanella. Much of this movie is quiet and contemplative, rather than filled with dialogue; every speech, action, and observation by a character in this film is intentionally there to scrub away Giovanni’s confusion and lead him to the grand realization towards the end.
The pacing may seem slow, but the deliberation and the uncovering of mysteries throughout the breadth of the movie makes those solitary moments worth while. This series is similar to something like Neon Genesis Evangelionーwhere you watch it the first time to experience it and the second time is to analyze things that you may not have noticed before.
This film left me feeling deeply lethargic and melancholic. It made me cherish the journey that I’ve embarked on with the people I love and how much I should treasure those moments while they’re still alive. An allégorie towards the strife of living itself. The subtly, care, and passion poured into this film can be felt. It is unlike anything that has ever existed in Japanese animation and I feel that it deserves the reverence that it gets from many long-time anime fans; a curio among most. It’s difficult to say much about this film without spoiling anything, but I definitely recommend the experience that this film brings to anyone who is willing to be confused at first, then sit through a slow burn, only to be immensely rewarded in the end. I give Night on the Galactic Railroad a 7/10.
