Story: 10/10
In this film, directed by Rapparu, there were many symbols used to evoke emotion and passion in just those 7 seconds. If we break down each second, we can see how profound and heartbreaking this film is. In the opening, the first second, we already faced with a character. It evokes this question, who is this person? As time runs down, we see the screen slowly fade out, as the focus seems to become to be blurry. Reaching the five-second mark, we can see the screen goes completely dark. The use of the black screen demonstrates how we perceive it. For many, it is something daunting or scary, while for others, many see it as peaceful. When reaching the end, we are left thinking, did the person completely lose it, or did they finally reach peace of mind?
Art: 10/10
The use of the four-color palette allows us to precisely maintain our attention on this person, as the focus of the frame. The quick and faint lines on the character allow us, the viewers, to focus more on our emotions on this character than to be distracted from the art itself. As a wise man once told, "Art has to do with the arrest of attention amid distraction." Often with modern anime, more focus is put into the art itself, but in turn, this becomes a distraction. It loses touch with the story and how we perceive the characters.
Sound: 10/10
I believe this is the best part of the film. When we watch films, we often expect to hear sounds. The idea that sound and music are what differentiates a film from great to becoming a masterpiece. However, in this film, you hear none. You might question why? This goes back to another quote, "Silence isn't empty; it's full of answers." The films try something different, which stands out as why it is considered a masterpiece. Since when a person is silent, there are many reason behinds it. And sometimes, it means that the person being silent is the reason for many answers that he or she is hiding. We once again, what is this character's reason for staying so silent?
Character: 10/10
This is another part I want to praise the director so highly, as it's done flawlessly. If we look at MAL, we see that the character is nameless, with a description, "The person who slowly fades." The character represents the viewers to self-reflect, which is why many have different opinions on these films. In those 7 seconds, it entails asking yourself questions about your values, assessing your strengths and failures. Many seem to think that this film only has one character, and it has no name, but the character is us, the viewers. And how we perceive it, differs with each one of us.
Enjoyment: 10/10
I can't help but praise the director even more, as it had accomplished more in those 7 seconds than many other films like A Silent Voice or Your Name. The film is a masterpiece that opens up for interpretation and allows the viewers to experience it for themselves. Whether we are happy with our lives or sad about a severe loss, it shows that things will fade away. The 7 seconds represent how short things can quickly go by, for some, this may be tough, and for others, it can be a good thing, as it shows how important we must treasure stuff we love. It goes by saying that we want everything to stay the same, but feelings fade, and people change.
Overall: 10/10
Remember this: Memories and thoughts age, just as people do, but certain thoughts can never age, and certain memories can never fade. While the film faded out, we still reminisce about those 7 seconds and how beautiful of a masterpiece it was.
