Tsumiki no Ie takes place in a world where the water level rises every day, forcing people to make there houses high enough above the water, which has caused the buildings to be extremely tall even when everything but the top is submerged. When an elderly man drops his pipe in a lower level of the building, he puts on a scuba suit and dives down to retrieve. When he finds it, he is faced with memories that have since been submerged and forgotten, and making the old man submerge even further. As he descends, your see a glimpse into his life one backwards step at a time, which include both heartwarming moments and sadly touching moments. As simple as the concept is, when applied so beautifully, it stands out tremendously.
The art is anything but traditional in an anime sense, and strikes me as quite American. it is done in what I believe is called a "flash" animation style, and it looks very unique. Nonetheless, the animation is incredible, and creates an atmosphere perfect for the story.
There is absolutely no dialogue throughout the movie. But honestly, who cares. The soundtrack does more than enough. It is simply breathtaking, and without words, you find yourself taken on a ride through this old mans life without distraction, while your heart soars with every note of the score until you steadily land. Sublime.
Character is tricky since its basically one man's story. But without any words, its amazing how much you can tell of his personality just by his movements and behaviors, not to metion his memories. In all honesty, it didn't make a difference that not a single word was spoken.
There's a reason it won an Oscar. This movie moved me in a way I've never been moved before, and warmed my heart in a way I'll never forget. In 12 minutes, I feel like I witnessed something I'll remember for a long time, and may come to be something I relate to when that long time has passed.
