Kotonoha no Niwa
Alternate Title: Garden of Words
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Makoto Shinkai
Episode 94 – Otakon 2011
The Anime Addicts discuss their trip to Otakon the hobo grab bag, the four film premiere’s and the press conference with Makoto Shinka!
Reviews: The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, Trigun: Badlands Rumble
Episode 65 – Drugs in Anime
We keep telling everyone that we’ll deliver fresh anime crack, but is there ever really crack in anime? We discuss drugs in anime and the drug culture in Japan in the process.
Reviews: Those Who Hunt Elves and Voices of a Distant Star
Did Ya Miss Me? I Missed You :) (Makoto Shinkai?!)
Hello everyone! It has been a long, LONG time since I have posted and I apologise. Basically to give you the short version of the story: internet became bad, writer’s block, eventually lost internet connection, got new internet connection, doesn’t have writer’s block, is happy panda.
Anyway let’s get on with the blog!
I have awesome news that I’m sure any Irish reader will love. And European fans to an extent.
Makoto Shinkai, the man who has brought some of the most gorgeous films of the 21st century(Pictured above with a cat), will be in Dublin, Ireland to present his latest movie Children Who Chase Lost Voices From Deep Below on the 2nd of July(Of course I’m going 😉 ) and then in Paris, France and Hanover, Germany arond the 9th of July.
I haven’t seen Children who Chase Lost Voices yet so if I go up to him to thank him for all the movies he’s made no doubt there will be tears in my eyes and he will just stare at me confused…That’s a story to tell future generations 🙂 I will try my damned best to be at the event and I will write up about it for sure 🙂
Another thing I will be, hopefully, going to my first anime convention this year! I’ll be going to Nom-Con in Dublin and they have announced Tiffany Grant as a guest! Asuka fanboys rejoice! And yes I will write about that too 🙂 I’ll be doing a lot of writing essentially 🙂 Sorry for lack of content but it was beyond my control. Looking forward to getting back into this lovely community…A lot of podcasts I need to catch up on.
Oh well, until next time, Peace out Anime Addicts!
Voices of a Distant Star
Alternate Titles: Hoshi no Koe
Original Japanese Release Date: 2002
Episode Length/Run-time: 25 Minutes
Summary:
Mikako is one of the first classes of high-school mecha pilots headed into space. However, as a result of her journey she leaves behind Noboru, her friend and love interest. As their distance grows their communication begins to take longer and longer.
Review:
Being a Makoto Shinkai work your first reaction to this movie is, ‘oooh shiny.’ This is actually one of his first works, done nearly 100% by himself. Knowing this the short film becomes even more impressive. Sometimes when the character designs seem a bit off, or the animation a bit unsteady you stop and think that it’s all one man’s work and it becomes entirely excusable.
Each of Shinkai’s films has a theme, and Voices of a Distant Star is no different. The overall theme here is about time. As Mikako takes to space her only line of communication becomes text messages. And the farther she goes the longer it takes for them to return to earth. When she makes a light-year jump this time is lengthened to the point that she is barely more than a year older and Noboru is now fifteen years.
The story weighs heavily on how long you can love someone, and how their presence, or lack there of, over time can affect your feelings.
The end of the anime is a bit odd, how all of a sudden the aliens come out of nowhere. But everything in this movie is near flawless and placed together in an effortlessly beautiful way. For anyone who has loved over time this movie is for you.
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