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Jan 9, 2022 9:34 AM

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Sep 2019
207
This was a journey to watch ngl, if i had to describe the plot in the most stupid way (I think) is that the universe decided to renovate the licence of usage

That last part of the film left me speechless the whole way thru, the visual methaphor of conception to being born.

What the staff did on this movie, the fact they could keep up with this artstyle and pulling a "doctor strange" looking sequence that somehow is more impressive than that really speaks marbles of what these people are capable of, but i also feel like they didn¡t have to make this, was it worth it to "get the juice out of the animators" to make this? yes is a visually stunning movie but also the very thing that broke this amazing animation studio which doesn't seem worth it. I hope the animators won and got paid, it would feel even mor bittersweet if thre was no justice for the animators on this one
Jan 24, 2022 8:23 AM
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Jan 2020
2018
This is a mixed bad, animation wise, it's probably the one of the best I've seen. An absolute visual fest.

But yeah, the Story did feel disjointed. It lacks something.

8/10 just for the obvious.
Feb 4, 2022 7:12 AM
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May 2021
2640
Wow what a movie the animation is top tier although the story is not realistic here I'm saying it is unrealistic because I was hoping for a releastic story although I'm not disappointed either as this is anime so it is not that new the movie is worth watching as I think everyone should experience this beautiful animation.
Mar 16, 2022 8:28 AM
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Jul 2021
2545
absolute stunning animation really loved it! I didn't understood the story though it was confusing at certain times but the song was great. Anyways it is a decent movie.
Jul 2, 2022 4:19 AM

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Mar 2010
13700
Strange movie, definitely need to read the manga to understand more.I enjoyed the beginning more.. Movie just got weird and weirder.
Jul 4, 2022 12:17 AM
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Jul 2018
564055
Visually stunning but I'm not one for the Pseudoscience/intellectual archetypes. Artistically and creatively mesmerizing, much appreciation to Studio 4°C.

Storyline, not so appealing. The last portion of the film dragged on longer than expected. Close to thirty minutes of flashy gloss and nonsensical imagery. I get it, it's the age-old tale of everything in the universe is connected. Did it really have to take nearly two hours to explain nothing at all.

Not for me but I understand the attraction and love it has to offer to others.
Jul 12, 2022 11:08 AM

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Aug 2018
305
The visuals are top notch, really outstanding. I liked the story even though it might be something I cannot understand to the fullest.
Jul 27, 2022 1:02 PM
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Feb 2021
80
The animation is absolutely incredible. The end scene is really intense but I didn't understand most of what was going on. Same for the movie, I didn't understand the plot. Despite that, the ost are very beautiful and I really like the song in the credits. By the way, if I hadn't listened to it I would have missed the post-credits scene which I also didn't understand.
Aug 24, 2022 8:32 AM

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Feb 2021
22947
God damn, this movie had one of THE best animations I've ever seen. Not to mention, the art style itself is gorgeous.

Ruka is a fucking chad for elbowing that bitch straight on the nose lol. You go girl.

So both Sora and Umi are mini-Atlantians. That still fails to explain a lot of other things. I think they had to add too much into a 2 hr film and they can't extend it because the animation budget must have already been through the roof.

The first half of the movie was pretty good, in the last part of the second half is where things become unclear and not much makes sense imo. I'd love to know what exactly was 'the festival', who were Umi and Sora really, what were the will-o-wisps, and what exactly was that glowing stone.

This is by far one of the most aesthetically please, fantastically animated and eye-orgasmic movies I've ever seen. Would have loved it if the latter half of the story made more sense. Still, I'm very impressed and greatly pleased with this movie.

The ED was amazing.

I know I'm being a bit biased with the animation aspect of this show, but I think this deserves a 7/10.
◑ ━━━━━ ▣ ━━━━━ ◐
"Everything I've witnessed... This whole system you have built has always rejected me. Now I'm ready to reject it. That's why I destroy. That's why I took this power for myself. Simple enough, yeah? I don't care if you don't understand... That's what makes us... Heroes and Villains."
◑ ━━━━━ ▣ ━━━━━ ◐
Aug 27, 2022 10:37 PM
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Aug 2008
157
DeonX said:

The first half of the movie was pretty good, in the last part of the second half is where things become unclear and not much makes sense imo. I'd love to know what exactly was 'the festival', who were Umi and Sora really, what were the will-o-wisps, and what exactly was that glowing stone.


If you can, check out the manga. It's only five volumes, so it's not too long a read, and while it also leaves some stuff up to interpretation, it makes the film a LOT more comprehensible. I love this movie as a companion piece to the manga, but I think it's gotta be a tough watch, story-wise, to anime-onlies. A LOT is taken out, and the story is much darker and more violent in the source material, which adds more tension and stakes, imo.

I saw the movie first, too, and I kinda regret it. In the manga, the brothers


Having seen the film, I knew from the get-go that that wasn't the case, but had I read the manga first, I definitely would have been on the edge of my seat.

Even so, even though you've already seen the film, I still highly recommend you give the source material a try to fill in the gaps!
Aug 28, 2022 7:11 AM

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Feb 2021
22947
Kuri-cha said:
DeonX said:

The first half of the movie was pretty good, in the last part of the second half is where things become unclear and not much makes sense imo. I'd love to know what exactly was 'the festival', who were Umi and Sora really, what were the will-o-wisps, and what exactly was that glowing stone.


If you can, check out the manga. It's only five volumes, so it's not too long a read, and while it also leaves some stuff up to interpretation, it makes the film a LOT more comprehensible. I love this movie as a companion piece to the manga, but I think it's gotta be a tough watch, story-wise, to anime-onlies. A LOT is taken out, and the story is much darker and more violent in the source material, which adds more tension and stakes, imo.

I saw the movie first, too, and I kinda regret it. In the manga, the brothers


Having seen the film, I knew from the get-go that that wasn't the case, but had I read the manga first, I definitely would have been on the edge of my seat.

Even so, even though you've already seen the film, I still highly recommend you give the source material a try to fill in the gaps!


Thanks for the recommendation! I'll check it out someday
◑ ━━━━━ ▣ ━━━━━ ◐
"Everything I've witnessed... This whole system you have built has always rejected me. Now I'm ready to reject it. That's why I destroy. That's why I took this power for myself. Simple enough, yeah? I don't care if you don't understand... That's what makes us... Heroes and Villains."
◑ ━━━━━ ▣ ━━━━━ ◐
Jan 17, 2023 12:04 AM
otp haver 🤪

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Jul 2017
6391
This entire film is difficult to enjoy. The fluidly unique animation, intricate design work down to very pedantic scenes, character style unlike anything else out there, and lucious backgrounds that might be digital but have some fairly photo realism playing within it's own world. It's also a film that really takes well advantage of 3D and CGI to another level with the marine life, especially the whales and much of the elaborate key animation with multiple sea life (such as the aquarium tank scenes and the ocean life traveling amonst the ocean including the humpback whale). I wanted to soak it all in, even if this isn't my usual preffered stylism.

I'll also quickly praise the geniune variety of oceanic perspective shots. So many felt elaborate and referenced for all kind of cuts in the film. It made me feel enveloped by an ocean I've hardly ever been in. It's hard to admit that many pieces of animation have made me feel like I was actually present. But this one has my sincere respect on just that alone.

However. It's hard to say without reading the manga but this movie feels like it jumps all over the place. With the manga being at 5 volumes, I feel like it should've comfortably fit into almost 2 hours with maybe some smaller bits shaved for time. Nevertheless so much of the film sporadiaclly transitions clumsily from scene to scene. The children taking up a good majority of the film rightfully but flip flopping between Ruka's parents and the science investigation of what is happening. The children are obviously the more engaging; just on the pure principlal that they get the indulgent visual scenes but nothing is going on in the character department for really any of the cast. Which is a true shame. I don't care or like really anyone here. (Anglade also felt just wildly slapped in here for phillospy spouting, I was really gunning for him to be more insightful).

The main trio really don't have much chemistry with each other. It's mostly Umi who stands out amongst Sora and Ruka, which basically has to pull the other two along for any plot momentum at all. The scenes and plot line of the scientists who are getting insight from the boys are truly truly uninteresting (I don't understand the abandoned boat of money at the end???). And Ruka's parents feel more like an after thought, they have to be there because she's a kid and her dad has some ties to the aquariam where they're housing the boys but they feel like they're taking more time then they should for no context at all.

I do think there is interesting wisdom in this movie. How small humans are in the grandscheme of larger ideas. The ocean or the universe. And how short that existence truly is. It's not a new concept by any means but the analogies used for it really stuck out to me in a grandiose type of way. However I do think this movie puts message above competent story telling and force fits the pieces to just rig itself together.

I also do have to wonder, with a lot of past Ghibli staff being on this. There feels like there's lot of unintentional homage to Spirited Away in a lot of scenes. It didn't even take me a lot of that to feel like Ruka feels like an early Chihiro but as the film went on, this felt less and less like a complement for the later case.

It's really unfortunate how flat this film falls with how much talent from so many veteran staff members gave so much to the visual and spirt of this film. From the color pallete to the sound track. I want it to be better because it should've been a slam dunk. I'll put STEVEM video on the entirety of 4C Studio here but highlight this movie for a lot of the background on it. Phenomenal watch overall and should give it a full watch if you're into the one section:



I don't feel my time was wasted by any means. I just wish I would've been more satisfied. I don't even need 100% of the answers to feel that but having some of the clues and entertainment to give meaning to all this work would've done much more.

Maybe I'll rewatch it someday, the dub voices didn't do much for me or else it would be more worth getting to a quicker rewatch. To be fair the original voices for the sub didn't remark me on performance either but it was easier to get into the atmosphere with the original.

Solid 6/10 here.
StripesJan 17, 2023 12:16 AM
Feb 1, 2023 11:44 AM
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Jan 2023
2
One of the most beautiful movies I've seen.
May 3, 2023 2:36 AM

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Jun 2017
2631
The visual effects were impressive and I know how much effort the animators made for this anime. Sadly, the story was terrible. I would not even recommend it to anyone who would ask. I always find it absurd when a story does not even bother to clarify what has going on in the plot. No matter how much I try to think about it, there are too many questions left unanswered about this anime.

She got him back. If you understand the characters well enough, you'd know she did!
Jul 16, 2023 3:39 PM

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Feb 2019
214
Tediously slow movie with stunning visuals.

I wanted to like it but solely being pretty looking doesn't quite make up for the boring watch. 5-6/10


Aug 4, 2023 6:40 AM
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Apr 2022
75
Show Rate Meter Guide  - (5 Great _ 4 Good _ 3 Fine _ 2 Not Good _ 1 Bad).(dismal are sometimes needed)
[Story] - 3.5  
[Art/Animation] - 4.5
[Sound/Music] - 3
[M-Character] - 4
[S-Character] - 3
[Enjoyment] - 3.5
[Overall] - 3.5
I was a bit confused what the story was about and I'm still thinking of it but still enjoyed the watch, the art style it's one of a kind I cant recall hardy any anime I watched having an art style like this one I felt that at time the characters motions felt wired at times. Ruka and the ocean scenery is what keep me interested to the end.  
Oct 20, 2023 3:46 PM

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Aug 2023
101
One of the most beautiful things Ive seen!! However I kinda got lost after Sora gave Ruka the meteorite, so around half way though I started to get a clue again near the end. I might pick up the manga and then rewatch the movie to see if I understand it better because it was truly stunning!

𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒊𝒔, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆.
Nov 19, 2023 3:03 PM

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Sep 2014
4861
For once this was a movie which took me by surprise, I did not have this on my list at all, it just suddenly appeared on Amazon. That is despite me frequently looking for anime movies to watch.

It was certainly an experience, not a bad one at all but I doubt I will ever watch this again.

The plot was a bit messy, but thats nothing rare for anime movies.

The strongest point was definitely the animation, it was great. Its like a Shinkai movie, or Ghibli. Just the character animation was devilman crybaby running levels of weird, I guess I just do not like the artstyle for character designs.

With movies like this you have to wonder why they bother trying to cram in some plot when 90% of the appeal is just the visuals and maybe philosophy anyway, I mean what was the point of the navy dude? Could have just been about the family IMO or really just Ruka having a dream at the start of her summer vacation.

7/10 for me but I dont especially recommend this. It mainly reminds me of better movies, imagine spirited away having some heavy handed philosophy shoved down your throat..

@Stripes I completely agree with you here, thx for sharing the video, it seems interesting
Comander-07Nov 19, 2023 3:13 PM
"This emotion is mine alone.
It is for Madoka alone." - Homura
or how I would descripe Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica.
Dec 26, 2023 1:46 PM
Online
Nov 2018
276
visually the movie was very pretty but besides that i felt that the plot was a bunch of nonsense, how abrupt the transtion between scene was, and how little the characters reacted to anything that was happening, Ruka dad is like "oh, it looks like my daughter went for a hike in the middle of a fucking typhoon and ended in a faraway town in company of a unknown man, oh well, thats alright i guess", and everyone is like "oh, looks like sora just vanished in the ocean, oh well, thats alright i guess", or the whole sequence with the meteor, what the fuck was happening? first she was swallowed by a whale and then the fabric of the univese unfolds before her? there wasnt an explanation to anything that was going on, who were umi and sora? how did they ended up being raised by dugongs? were they even human? how come sora had a meteor within him? why did he pass the meteor to ruka? why did he vanished? what happened to umi?, again, the movie was very pretty visually but the plot makes no sense and nothing ever gets explained, i give it a 6 out of 10.

Jan 1, 12:51 AM

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Jul 2021
1574
This movie got me asking: Must everything make sense all the time?

I do prefer tight and clear storytelling and I do easily get annoyed by plot contrivances and plot holes. I also get that different people value different things about a movie. But there's just so much good here.

I was floored by this movie. Its detailed and expressive animation, distinct character design, strange and imaginative visuals, insane 2D and 3D art, gorgeous music, immersive sound design, and how all of these worked together. I had my mouth open and could not look away during the climactic "festival" sequence.

I think that, if anything, the movie overexplained its story and its themes. I actually think it should have relied on the visuals and music even more to get itself across.

We're all watching anime here, why not trust the "animation" part of anime once in a while, rather than the script, to speak for itself and make us feel something?
Mar 13, 11:35 PM
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Nov 2023
5
It's beautiful and was made with love for the ocean.
Ocean life is beautiful and Anime captures this feeling well.
However, the plot part was a bit too hard for me to grasp.
Not quite a flaw, but I probably will have to watch it few more times to understand what it was about.
Aug 4, 12:50 PM
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Sep 2022
5
It was an roller coaster of emotions. One of the best anime films you could ever find.
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