I was recently sent an old photo of mine when I was probably the age of young Taeko in the film. Seeing that photo brought all sorts of emotions. I stared at the photo wondering who was that girl - so tiny, innocent and pure.
'Only Yesterday' is truly one of Studio Ghibli's most underrated films and I wonder why. Yes, people looking for plot-driven material might find this testing their patience. It's just about a 27-year-old remembering a particular phase in her childhood. But it is exactly the pensive nature of the film, the quiet contemplation over the mischief and madness of childhood, even the refusal to sugarcoat certain unpleasant memories, that made me wish this was an episodic show rather than just a 2-hour film.
I absolutely loved the languorous pace of this film, the long dialogues between older Taeko and Toshio, the breathtaking countryside setting and the gorgeous animation. And I especially loved the ending. I'm not going to spoil anything here, but just want to say that the ending when little Taeko and her school buddies come to older Taeko's aid turned on the waterworks. It is one of the sweetest, most moving moments ever shown on film, let alone animation.
'Only Yesterday' is truly one of Studio Ghibli's most underrated films and I wonder why. Yes, people looking for plot-driven material might find this testing their patience. It's just about a 27-year-old remembering a particular phase in her childhood. But it is exactly the pensive nature of the film, the quiet contemplation over the mischief and madness of childhood, even the refusal to sugarcoat certain unpleasant memories, that made me wish this was an episodic show rather than just a 2-hour film.
I absolutely loved the languorous pace of this film, the long dialogues between older Taeko and Toshio, the breathtaking countryside setting and the gorgeous animation. And I especially loved the ending. I'm not going to spoil anything here, but just want to say that the ending when little Taeko and her school buddies come to older Taeko's aid turned on the waterworks. It is one of the sweetest, most moving moments ever shown on film, let alone animation.