sameko_shark

I've never been a fan of Studio Ghibli films. Growing up with a sister five years younger, I'd come home from school to find "Kiki's Delivery Service" or "My Neighbor Totoro" playing all day long - my parents' way of keeping my little sister entertained. This meant I couldn't watch the TV shows I wanted to see, making Ghibli synonymous with something that interfered with my enjoyment.

Despite this, as someone living in Japan, I couldn't avoid Ghibli forever. So I decided to start with "Ocean Waves."

Apparently, this film isn't popular outside of Japan, but personally, I love it. Unlike other Ghibli films, this work takes a more grounded and realistic approach, eliminating fantasy elements and focusing on everyday life and relationships. It captures the subtle emotions and complexities of youth and first love with a quiet, realistic method that perfectly encapsulates the bittersweet nature of memories formed during our growing years.

What non-Japanese speakers might not realize is that the protagonists (Taku and Yutaka) speak in a very specific dialect - the Tosa dialect of Kochi Prefecture, which most Japanese people don't use in daily conversation. However, the heroine Rikako speaks standard Japanese. This use of regional dialect adds authenticity and depth to the characters and setting, creating a deeply moving portrayal of the geographical and cultural disconnect between Tokyo and rural Kochi.

The film moved me so much that I actually traveled to Kochi Prefecture for a pilgrimage to the real locations. Visiting the actual landscapes and places depicted in the movie deepened my understanding of the work even further. Kochi's beautiful coastline and townscapes made the nostalgia and melancholy I felt in the film even more real and tangible.

The animation style is simpler compared to other Ghibli works, but it effectively conveys the mood and atmosphere of the story. Some viewers might find the pacing slow, but it suits the reflective tone perfectly. The soundtrack is subtle and complements the emotional tone without overpowering the scenes.

Ultimately, this film explores themes of nostalgia, growing up, and the bittersweet nature of memories, making it a hidden masterpiece that deserves more recognition.

I went into this film knowing almost nothing about "Urusei Yatsura" - literally just recognized Lum and Ataru from pop culture. For some reason, I decided to jump straight into the second movie without any background. I had seen people on Twitter calling it "a film that flopped on release but later became a cult classic," and that intrigued me enough to check it out.

The verdict? It was absolutely fantastic! I think my lack of familiarity with the source material actually helped me enjoy it more, allowing me to experience Mamoru Oshii's vision without any preconceptions. In fact, I'd argue newcomers might appreciate this film more than hardcore fans of the series.

What surprised me most was how horror-influenced it felt. The scene with the carnival performers wandering through the empty town was genuinely creepy, and the hibernation pod awakening sequence gave me serious chills. The blurring between dreams and reality reminded me a lot of "A Nightmare on Elm Street," with a similar unsettling atmosphere I wasn't expecting.

It's mind-blowing that this came out in 1984 - nine years before "Groundhog Day" popularized the time loop concept in Western cinema! The ending sequence where dreams keep repeating also reminded me of the "Infinity Train" arc in "Demon Slayer." This film's influence on later works must be enormous.

The visuals are absolutely stunning. The empty night school, Lum floating before the massive water tank - the film creates this dreamlike, ethereal beauty that completely captivated me. I loved Oshii's philosophical questioning throughout (the nature of dreams vs. Reality). The concept that an "unchanging daily life" seems appealing but actually prevents growth is pretty profound.

One line that really struck me was when Ataru says: "To keep loving someone, I need to remain free from them." That resonated far beyond just romance - it speaks to all relationships. The idea that maintaining some independence is crucial to truly loving someone... I found that incredibly relatable.

Seeing Lum in a school uniform instead of her usual tiger bikini was also a refreshing change (even with my limited knowledge, I knew about her iconic outfit, lol). She looked cute in the uniform too!

I can totally understand why hardcore fans might have been upset - "This isn't Urusei Yatsura!" - but as a newcomer, I appreciated Oshii using these characters to express his unique artistic vision. It felt like watching an experimental arthouse film that happened to feature familiar characters.

After it ended, I felt this lingering sense of "Wait, is the reality I'm in right now actually real?" It's incredible that an anime from 40+ years ago doesn't feel dated at all - if anything, it feels fresh and thought-provoking even by today's standards.

For my Twitter follow-up, I'm planning to write: "I get why it flopped initially, but I totally understand why it later became considered a masterpiece." I'd recommend this to anyone, even without knowledge of the original series. A genuine classic of animation that deserves more attention in the West!

There's been a lot of buzz on Twitter about the best Doraemon movie, and while most of my followers are all about "Nobita's Great Adventure into the Underworld," I've got to say, "Nobita and the Birth of Japan" is the real standout for me.

A lot of the time, Doraemon's gadgets make you think, "When would you ever use this?" But the ones in "Birth of Japan" are different. They're very practical compared to other movies. For example, there's a gadget that, when you plant a radish, it grows into a radish with curry rice or pasta inside, and another that connects directly to underground water and natural gas. Every time I go camping, I can't help but wish I had those!

The movie also has a great educational aspect. It introduces you to the fact that 70,000 years ago, Japan was connected to China by land, and animals like crocodiles and rhinos roamed there. Many people might not know this, and it's fascinating. Plus, it offers a fun take on the question, "Where did the Japanese people come from?"

The core of Doraemon is a robot cat from the 22nd century showing off advanced technology in the present. So what happens when you take this tech to the prehistoric era? It looks like magic, turning Doraemon into a figure with god-like abilities. In this way, the villain, Gigazombie, and Doraemon are doing pretty much the same thing.

In the original manga, Gigazombie is from a century further in the future than Doraemon, which explains why Doraemon is outmatched. Sadly, this isn't shown in the anime, so it's unclear why Doraemon loses, which is a bit of a letdown.

The second half of the movie feels a bit rushed. The showdown with Gigazombie could have been fleshed out more. Personally, I think it could have been two and a half hours long and still been great. But I get that making it longer might lose the younger audience's attention, which is always a challenge for kids' movies.

"Birth of Japan" balances nostalgia and freshness perfectly. However, Nobita's actions are often questionable. Creating Peg, Gri, and Draco, then abandoning them and moving them 2000 kilometers to an imaginary safari park seems really irresponsible. It's almost as cruel as Gigazombie burying the Tsuchidama alive.

Speaking of which, the Tsuchidama used to scare me as a kid, but now they seem kind of adorable. It's funny how your perspective changes over time.

The charm of "Birth of Japan" hasn't faded with age; if anything, it's deepened. It remains a special movie for me among all the Doraemon films.

"Nobita and the Birth of Japan" is undoubtedly the best Doraemon movie ever made.