Omoide Poroporo

Taeko Okajima is a 27-year-old, independent woman who spent her entire life in Tokyo. Looking to unwind from the rush of the big city, she decides to visit her family in the country to help out during the harvest.

On the train there, Taeko vividly recalls her memories as a schoolgirl in the initial stages of puberty, as if she is on a trip with her childhood self. A young farmer named Toshio picks her up at the station, and they quickly develop a friendship. During her stay, Taeko forms strong bonds with family and friends, learning the contrasts between urban and rural life, as well as the struggles and joys of farming.

Nostalgic and bittersweet, Omoide Poroporo takes on Taeko's journey as an adult woman coming to terms with her childhood dreams compared to the person she is today.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Okajima, Taeko Main

Honna, Youko Japanese

Toshio Main

Yanagiba, Toshirou Japanese

Taeko's Father Supporting

Itou, Masahiro Japanese

Hirota, Shuuji Supporting

Masuda, Yuuki Japanese

Abe Supporting

Sato, Hirozumi Japanese

Toko Supporting

Komine, Megumi Japanese

Taeko's Grandmother Supporting

Kitagawa, Chie Japanese

Baccha Supporting

Itou, Shin Japanese

Kiyoko Supporting

Ishikawa, Sachiko Japanese

Suzuki Supporting

Ishikawa, Masashi Japanese

Suzuki, Toshio Producer

Takahata, Isao Director, Theme Song Lyrics, Screenplay

Murata, Kazuya Episode Director

Pettini, Emmanuel Script

Reviews

Feb 14, 2024

bergars

Recommended

Man, that's the kind of movie I needed from Ghibli.

There's this melancholy about the film, about growing older, with the most founding memories being from your youngest days. A woman reminisces about her life as a bratty kid that didn't know of her fortune, and misfortunes; of her dismissive parents, her educational, and emotional disconnect from people. It feels larger than life, while being just about one person with a common childhood. Life's problems aren't always because of past problems, but the lack of anything else after them. Nothing stood out, nothing has stood out afterward, but then, what's there in the future?

This is a ... movie that truly explores the harshness of being an adult in cahoots with moving forwards. A small rite of passage, a little holiday to remind her of what she was, and what she can be. A retrospective moment of that long while, nothing but thoughts, nothing but work, and conversations you don't particularly want. It changes people, and just as the main character says, “I'll leave my 10-year-old self home next time”.

Beautifully minimalistic, music only where it's needed, realistic characters, with their proper faults and virtues. Some of them are so nosy I wanted to punch them, but it just reminds you of the ones in your life. The slow face morphs that sat on screen for a moment, so we pondered over what they meant. Disappointment, sadness, weirdness, it's on the slower side, but fully entertaining.

I loved the animation, the story, even if it felt long. Certainly, could've cut some scenes. It was mature, and let me think for long stretches of time. Great movie, that respected the audience and those basking in the slow, methodical pacing.

8.3/10. It seems I was only watching the B-tier Ghibli films.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Mar 24, 2024

TheWiseChampion

Mixed Feelings

It’s touching and heartwarming, but then it ended rather suddenly and left much to be desired. The animation is lovely to look at, but the story and characters were so hollow. It’s got this somber tone like someone died, but really she’s just reflecting for 2 hours on her “horrible” childhood. To be honest it felt rather plain, which may have been the point for her reflection, but there really wasn’t much being conveyed. The flashbacks and the present in how they were stitched together seemed very disconnected. There were parts that I found funny, parts that I cringed at, and parts that I felt ... something all due to how relatable it was, but there’s also a lot of fluff that made it a total bore. It’s a very inconsistent 2 hours that I thought would lead somewhere but then the credits started rolling and I could only think “That’s it?” While the credits played there’s a beautiful scene of Taeko riding the train with her childhood. That was the best part. I wanted more like that. It’s a bit underwhelming we don’t get that until the movie’s over and it’s not even the deep payoff to something worthwhile it thinks it is. In short, I can see and appreciate the amount of care and heart that went into making this, the execution just didn’t fully work for me.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Oct 15, 2024

MaiDeNaBysS

Not Recommended

This movie has a shallow plot about a SoL coming-of-age child's story which thrusts all the worst possible things together. It also presents shallow and cringey kiddy romance to pointlessly parallel the shallow excuse of romance that the mc falls into as an adult. Of course neither plot actually goes anywhere. The lack of plot makes it hard to find any of it interesting, ad even the art/music is unremarkable.
In actuality, the movie is an excuse for preaching of city bad, farming good. Follow traditionalism, be good worker, get married, be a stay at home mother like everyone tells you to, etc.
This is among the ... worst Studio Ghibli movies in my opinion.

Edited to conform to community standards.

Reviewer’s Rating: 1

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