Dec 30, 2023
The aesthetic of this film is its strongest feature. The late eighties/early nineties realistic depictions of Japan are amazing. If you liked the style of Only Yesterday, trade the countryside for Tokyo and you have a sense of what this film is.
Everyone's main complaint is obvious. There is NO romance in what is supposed to be a romantic drama. Honestly if I had gone into this movie with just that expectation, I would have been horribly disappointed. It makes narratively no sense with what is happening. Would have been a 4/10 at best.
However. I had heard someone say this was Ghibli's unofficial "gay
...
movie". Didn't really know what to make of that until I actually sat down with that predisposition and watched the movie. If you watch (or hopefully rewatch if you did not like the movie/gave it a low score because of the previously mentioned complaint) please consider the following.
*Spoilers*
If Taku's character is only interested Rikako for the entire film, it does indeed make no narrative sense and the ending is jarring beyond repair. My opinion is that Taku is so infatuated with Yutaka during the high school portion of the narrative, that he completely ignores Rikako trying to get his interest or reciprocation. Taku's emotions are mute around Rikako but are lively around Yutaka. If there's one scene that sold me on this, it's when Taku tells Yutaka that he doesn't care about the rumors spreading about him and Rikako around the school. Immediately afterwards he finds out that Rikako rejected and insulted Yutaka, which resulted in him failing several exams. The second Taku hears this he goes and confronts Rikako and the two exchange slaps. During this scene he uses the rumors going around as justification for his anger. A minute ago, he had said he didn't care. If Taku is actually in love with Yutaka, everything in the scene (and the rest of the film for that matter) makes sense. He cannot exactly tell Rikako he is angry because she insulted Yutaka and hurt his chances at his preferred university without making it obvious that he has feelings for him.
The conclusion. I finished this movie with the takeaway that Taku is bisexual and is so focused on Yutaka that he does not reciprocate any of Rikako's attention. After years gone by, he begins to realize what all her actions signified. He also seems to come to peace with the fact that Yutaka will not return any of his feelings. The movie ends with him starting a relationship with Rikako as he has likely come to value and idolize the time they shared in high school. This interpretation jumped the whole movie to an 8/10 for me. To be honest, I related to Taku's character more than nearly any other I can think off the top of my head in the last few years of anime watching.
Or maybe I am just crazy, and this movie actually sucks. It might fail completely as a romantic drama and Taku is just a loser and an idiot. I'll let you be the judge.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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