• One of the early high water-marks of Studio Ghibli—Takahata is a co-founder along with Miyazaki.
  • Gorgeous opening tracking shot of skyscraper—Takahata again and again tries to simulate camera with animation
  • Rural Eden- almost a pantheism a theme he’d go to again and again
  • From the modest opening credits you feel like you’re watching an Ozu film. It draws upon the changing seasons, memory and family.
  • Set in 1966- a story about sisters- a story about and a meditation on nostalgia—heavy voice over and dipping in and oscillating back and forth through strong editing with flashbacks
  • Superb way Takahata draws lighting—again—to simulate lighting in live action film
  • Orange setting sun a highlight
  • The surrealism dream love sequence is a little odd in an otherwise pretty grounded film
  • Coming-of-age female story- Miyazaki would go back to this again and again as well— Japan has a strong history of women’s films going back to the great Kenji Mizoguchi
  • Spends a lot of time on menstruation
  • Water reflections and lights on windows reflected at night
  • A film about peace- serenity
  • Trains- again from Ozu
  • High end Recommend