Last night I rewatched The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006) I came across the dvd in a charity shop last year, saw that little Manga logo (Japanese graphic novels) so knew it was worth picking up, even though I had never heard of it. It is about a japanese schoolgirl (about 16) who discovers a way of travelling back in time by an hour or two, or maybe a day. She uses it frivolously at first, but then becomes more concerned with helping those around her.
The first time I watched it, at the end of last year, I fell in love with it. I was mostly focusing on the technical aspects of the story and the look of the animation, especially the feel of the soft yet bright pastel colours, it is such a wonderful looking film and the perfect kind of story for this kind of animation, I think a live action version would lose most of the magic. I loved it so much I wanted to watch it again pretty much straight away. This time around, within 5 mins, I was totally in. It is cheerful, funny, sweet and above all touching. This time the theme of importance of friendship whilst growing up, especially at that time that friendship may turn into romance, was more at the forefront. I found it utterly emotionally engaging and a joy to watch, I can not recommend it enough.
This is the kind of special film you smile your way through, It has done the most important thing a film can do, it has been stuck in my head all day (the heartbreaking yet uplifting ending on the river bank especially) In that respect I felt the same way I did when recently rewatching another of my favourite romances, the wonderous Portrait of Jennie (1948).
Another time I will try and look at other Mangas I have done and see which other ones stand out - I am currently working my way through a studio Ghibli collection, but I still want to see more.
Please comment and recommend any other Animes
Time waits for no one
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