Hoshi o Ou Kodomo (Children who Chase Lost Voices from Deep Below)

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by Quarkboy

I haven't seen all of his movies, but comparing them is almost unfair.

This movie is 110 minutes long, and had a real budget and full theatrical release in Japan.

So yeah, it's better in almost all respects, unless you count the length and size of story against it.

The main complaint that is said is that the character designs and animation is very similar to various Ghibli films. Shin/Shun is like Haku, Asuna and Mimi are like Nausicaa and whatever Nausicaa's little creature was named, and Morisaki is sort of slightly like Musuka.
The ancient society of Agartha is a bit like Laputa, and the Izuko are very similar to a human sized berserk, non-armored version of Eva-01.

But I'm not so sure "that character reminds me of XXX" is that bad a complaint.
The plotting and story are very tight, and the characters are all well written.

Just for full disclosure I have translated the film for Comix Wave Films for screenings at international film festivals, so I've seen it in various stages during its production as well.

How was Tenmon's score?

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by Shiroth

How was Tenmon's score?

Not bad, and fairly restrained. The best part of the music in the ending song, "Hello, Goodbye & Hello", which in context is...

By the way, Asuna is voiced by the same seiyuu as Ikamusume, so a fun game to play if you want to ruin the emotional impact of the entire movie is to mentally think "-degeso" after each of her lines .

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by RRW

a journey "to say goodbye" ?

so that mean person just want to meet another person and they separated again?

spoil me

Spoiler:

As in, main character and secondary character travel to "the underworld" in order to find a way to resurrect dead loved ones.
But really they are journeying as a way of coping with grief.

[Guardian Enzo]

Here's a Japanese blog review if someone wants to translate it...

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

Here's a Japanese blog review if someone wants to translate it...

Not really a review, just a gushing flow of praise .
Honestly not particularly worth reading and says no more than what I did except with a lot of "and XXX was amazing!"

[Guardian Enzo]

Here's a short review from Metropolis:

It irritates me to no end that Shinkai is constantly compared to Miyazaki. Does every great Japanese animator have to be "the next Miyazaki"? I can understand Western publications - for whom Miyazaki is the only anime they've ever heard of - but Japanese publications should really do better. Shinkai is nothing like Miyazaki - if anyone, compare Mamoru Hosoda to Miyazaki. They both superb talents and have a similar sensibility and aesthetic. They're masters of animated prose - Shinkai is a poet. A different animal altogether.

[Azuma Denton]

Good, from the discussion, i assume Shinkai havent dissapoint anyone yet...
Will wait for the BD to come out...

[Kanon]

It seems fair to compare him to Miyazaki this time, since this movie does look a lot like a Ghibli movie. It's obvious he was inspired by Miyazaki's works to some extent. I don't know if the actual content can be compared to Miyazaki's works though, having not watched Hoshi o Ou Kodomo (and I'll try my utter best to avoid any spoilers -- I haven't even watched any trailers besides the first one).

[Haohmaru]

@Quarkboy, is this true

Hoshi o Ou Kodomo falls short of a mature work that will enthrall adults.

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by Haohmaru

@Quarkboy, is this true

I don't know what the guy is smoking.

Honestly I think the opposite is true and that little children would find it scary and boring.

[Haohmaru]

Phew I'm glad. There isn't anything wrong with children movies, but I prefer more mature movies.

[teh_nubkilr]

I wonder when the DVDs come out.

[Isegrim]

Originally Posted by Quarkboy

Honestly I think the opposite is true and that little children would find it scary and boring.

Hum, for little children this might be the case. Not so for elementary school students. The story doesn't leave much to be discussed, the characters are solid but not overly diverse. It's a little bit of a fairy tale, using the theme of Orpheus and Eurydike (there seems to be a similar tale in the Kojiki, but I don't know the name).

Can't say anything about comparing Shinkai to Miyazaki, I've only seen Mononoke and that was ten years ago.

[tresor]

Miyazaki I liked Ponyo By the Sea alot & I think that 1 got bashed, but I think that analysis is wrong. Miyazaki is similar to Shinkai in a high level sense, which you may see in the films: rational, experience the world by understanding and analysing what is occurring around them.
But Miyazaki is more into the chasing them ghosts sort of thing, current music artists like Miyazaki are deadmau5 & DJ Fei Fei so you can get an immediate idea of that essence.
shinkai is more at the heart of the matter & to the matter is a prisoner of realism, if you look at the pictures VS the art from 5cm the variance was not great & you can get the real personality of Akari from the story (3 movies) even as removed as she was via the realism. a music artist like shinkai tied closely to animu world is Rei Fu & she is now moving into art scapes & pictrue taking now if you follow her on twitter, although she is more of an adjustment to realism type.
I can't wait fot the movie to leak out somewhere.

[Paperplane]

5 centimeters per second is personally my favourite anime movie I've seen so far simply because I can relate to it so much. Otherwise, I'm looking forward to this being Shinkai's next work and perhaps being better or just as good as 5 cm per second. Judging from people's posts, the film certainly is looking promising so far even if early few critics say it's a little on the children side.

@Quarkboy, is this true
Quote:
Hoshi o Ou Kodomo falls short of a mature work that will enthrall adults.

I sure hope this isn't true once I watch it.

[Quarkboy]

So, anyone see the screening of the film at Otakon?

First english language review is here (spoilers):

http://www.toonzone.net/news/article...p-below-review

Personally I think the review is fair, but I disagree with them about the pacing issues. I think the "slightly slower than comfortable" pacing is a purposeful choice that helps set apart the movie from other faster paced "travelling adventure" films. It's more contemplative and that's how it should be.

I hope that more screenings happen, or perhaps it'll get licensed for a limited theatrical release in the US...

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by Quarkboy

I hope that more screenings happen, or perhaps it'll get licensed for a limited theatrical release in the UK...

I agree.

[Quarkboy]

Originally Posted by Shiroth

I agree.

Not to pour cold water on you or anything, but has there ever been a case of a film getting an actual in-theater release of some sort in the UK and not the US?

I bet it'll be screened at a film festival or convention perhaps, but does a small theatrical run even have precedent in the UK?

[Shiroth]

Originally Posted by Quarkboy

but does a small theatrical run even have precedent in the UK?

Yep. Arrietty starting showing in cinemas this weekend (went to a showing yesterday evening). In the past we have had Ponyo, Only Yesterday, both GiTS films, Spirited Away, Howls Moving Castle and so on.

Probably won't happen with Hoshi o Ou Kodomo, though there's always a chance.

[Flower]

Originally Posted by Shiroth

....Probably won't happen with Hoshi o Ou Kodomo, though there's always a chance.

One can always hope!

This has been one I have been looking forward to seeing for a while now.... Guess it can't hurt to wait a little more.