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Few people can make you feel nostalgic for a time and a place you've never been, but that has always been one of Takahata's biggest strengths. There is a certain kind of magic surrounding his films, whilst they still are very grounded in reality. And nowhere else does Takahata show this as well as he does in Only Yesterday.

Throughout the film, we constantly switch between the present and the past. Whenever we are in the past, the art style becomes softer and almost dreamlike. It's also in the past where we see the more fantastical elements of the film, the best example being when Taeko ... literally starts flying through the skies after a positive encounter with a boy. Moments like these make the audience connect with young Taeko and it's always easy to understand how she is feeling.

Adult Taeko is not always as easy to understand. While young Taeko is simply a memory, adult Taeko is real, and with that comes the very real problem of actually understanding yourself. Taeoko feels so real that it's easy to think she lives in the same world as the audience does, and your opinion of the film will probably vary depending on how close Taeko's life situation is from your own. I first watched this film when I was 18, and enjoyed it. But rewatching it now at 24, it resonated with me on a completely different level. My own memories from my childhood are getting hazier and I'm more often faced with uncertainty of my choices in life. And I reckon that rewatching the film in a few years, might leave me with an even stronger impression.

The story of the young Taeko is adapted from a manga of the same name, whilst the adult story is written by Takahata. By creating this framing device, Takahata elevates the film and makes it into a more adult experience. As long as there are confused, nostalgic adults, this film will always have an audience. There are other films with more extraordinary animation and art design (including Takahata's own "Princess Kaguya"), but no animated film feels more real and human than Only Yesterday.

Manga history! This should really be read by everyone.

The manga doesn't really have an overarching story, but rather just a collection of stand-alone chapters. However, these chapters can be really long, like half a volume long. I would recommend reading all of them but it can be a bit of a drag sometimes since not all stories are especially interesting. One of the real essentials is one of the few real arcs, "Once Upon a Time" spanning volume 6-8. The arc is also a good example of the darker side of the manga. The stories are often about the nature of humanity, violence and ... war. There's usually a lesson to be learned at the end.

The art style is childish, but it really is excellent. Tezuka has a really cinematic style and is great with shadows. The characters are also great but unfortunately most of the main characters just don't get enough development or relevant screen time. My favourite characters were Astro Boy himself, and his creator Dr. Tenma. Dr. Tenma is not a good guy but he's not fully evil either, he's a very morally grey character. Dr. Tenma doesn't appear that often, but whenever he does, it's a highlight. The one-off characters are also really great, and all have their own back story, motivation och development.

Unfortunately the manga overall is very up and down. I think for younger children it doesn't really matter, but for an adult some chapters don't really leave an impact.