EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/6So3QEd.jpg)
By the time I received this for Christmas, I had already seen the movie 20 or so times
Let me preface this by saying I don't watch anime. I think I've seen a total of 5 or 6 in my life and I sometimes revisit Gundam Wing for the sake of nostalgia. Anime is not my thing, it has become to formulaic and I'll just leave it at that.
However, when it is done right, with a beautiful contrast of color, detail and to emphasize emotion, the japanese animation style is perhaps the best to convey it. In this movie, Garden of Words (言の葉の庭, Kotonoha no Niwa), they have done all that in about 45 minutes. I continue to hold this film among my top 10 favourite films of all time. Granted, some might think I'm insane or even exaggerating at just how stupendous this film is, but for the life of me, I cannot look away when it is on and I cannot stop in the middle of it. this post may contain some spoilers, though, to be honest; it is still worth watching regardless
Takao, a high schooler who wants to be a shoemaker, always skips class to go sketch in the Japanese garden in the park. One day, Takao meets a mysterious woman named Yukino in the garden. They happen to run into each other on rainy days and start to get closer. Yukino is discouraged and tired of her life. Takao makes her shoes to try and snap her out of her depression. This is a story about the solitude and heartache that comes before love.
Following the release of Makoto Shinkai's previous film, 5 Centimeters Per Second (see spoiler), he went on to create his Garden of Words in 2013. Though short, a mere 45 minutes; it has not only surpassed the quality of his previous work; but was also subtle in its nuances, meanings and hidden symbolisms (that took me very long to notice).
+ Show Spoiler +
A bit older quality, but better story arc than that of Garden of Words, 5 Centimeters Per Second is the mature story of a Charlie Brown and the Little Red Haired Girl. The story of unrequited love, the pining for one another and the maturation of them going about their separate lives.
A bit older quality, but better story arc than that of Garden of Words, 5 Centimeters Per Second is the mature story of a Charlie Brown and the Little Red Haired Girl. The story of unrequited love, the pining for one another and the maturation of them going about their separate lives.
A faint sound of thunder
Cloudy skies
Perhaps it will rain
Will you not stay?
「鳴る神の 少し響みて さし曇り 雨も降らぬか 君を留めむ」
Cloudy skies
Perhaps it will rain
Will you not stay?
「鳴る神の 少し響みて さし曇り 雨も降らぬか 君を留めむ」
Though it is a famous tanka, it doesn't quite work in English. I believe the director takes a lot of his inspiration from Man'yōshū either in the past or now.
It's storyline is thin and it's biggest centerpieces are revealed from the get-go: rain, shoes/walking, solitude, insecurity. It's premise is opened with the tanka below and the music that sets the tone for the movie is no longer Tenmon from 5 Centimeters per Second, but rather Daisuki Kashiwa who made one of my favourite piano pieces in recent history:
Like the pitter-patter of rain, Kashiwa's music in Garden of Words is sublime, beautiful and endearing. With each moment, it sets a tone, it sets the pace and then elevates it with each and every instrument that's introduced as the song plays on.
If you listen for it during the movie, it either helps liaise onto new scenes, or heavily impacts the depth of emotions shown from the protagonists. When one character or another speaks to themselves, the music is not overbearing, but essential to each and every moment that's said or unsaid. For example, the best piano works is as we learn about Takao, the 15-year old who skips his mornings to go to the park and draw, lose himself in. We learn he wants to be a shoemaker, we learn of his day-to-day life of remedial jobs, aimlessness in school and his ability to lose himself in his own world. We learn of his insecurity about his age and his coming attraction of this mysterious woman he meets every rainy morning in the park. The basic interpretation of the plot (from my perspective) is that Yukino, the 27-year old who is now out of work; is trying to find her metaphorical legs to walk and, in a sense, Takao, the 15-year old student, wants to be someone of purpose, to be a shoemaker and metaphorical be an other's someone who makes them walk. It's a question of dependency and purpose. Not exactly a Cinderella story, but the analogous shoe-fitting-the-foot aspect is lead from the backstory of an older women (Yukino) whose lost her ability to stand, to walk and a mature boy (Takao), who's had an aimless understanding of what the next step in his life will be, with who will he be making shoes for.
Shinkai's characters are barely outlined beyond being encountered or pestered by an internal problem then interacting with their other "half" so to speak (as they either share the same problem or mutually fit in one another's dysfunction). Their backstory is barely known, small tidbits to provide further analysis of why they are the way they are (for example: the boy is very mature for his age because his mother is very immature, sometimes irresponsible; to the point of living her own life and leaving him to grow up and support himself) while the young female adult is a bit of the contrary: caught on the wrong side of high-school predicaments and is now finding herself independent, lost and unable to fill the void of her time, significance, self.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/kVUyqRQ.png)
While Hayao Miyazaki illustrates mature rites of passages through a young form of imaginative scenarios, fantastical beings and perfect illustrations of the nuanced movement and thoughts of the young. Makoto Shinkai is more realistic and yet, the scenes he animates, sets up and contextualizes in story is nothing less than spectacular, almost unbelievable. The colours are superficial and fantastical vibrance to the point of poetic exaggeration.
Since the film is too short, Shinkai takes advantage of every symbolism he can fit in the film. For example, he flips the significance of rain that one would be accustom to from writers like Fitzgerald and enamors it with a zen-like perpetuation between the characters, who are so internally distraught and insecure. The use of personal space symbolized by umbrellas, the distance of their, imperfect selves, to the quiet and sudden at-peace minds they have when shielded by the rain, their morning obligations (school) and hidden from the world thanks to the garden. The symbolism of shoes is evident, though not clear-cut. That shoes are meant to symbolize their ability to walk, to go farther: that they protect you and give you steps. When Takao is making shoes for her, he's confessing a love and need to protect her, protect his "world's secret". It's romantic and tragic that he is so-shortsighted when he always looks to the skies and horizon to see hope and aspire for more.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/8KxA2yu.png)
The umbrellas, once kept near or opened with them from the start, is now hidden to the side as a pinnacle scene happens between the two protagonists.
In the director's commentary, he denotes how much effort he puts into setting up different forms of rains: stormy weather, quiet tapping and its battle against the sun; illuminating the very ground it refreshes; fills up any blemishes the ground may have. The rain has its own mood and tempo as mentioned before and the director makes sure to keep the scene lined up with Kashiwa's music.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/JFbqQa1.jpg)
Below, is a spoiler for the film. More in touch with Yukino for why she acts the way she does. I also want to mention that the final scene is perhaps one I dislike the most, not because it isn't a beautiful scene where they lay everything out on the table, after he puts himself out there, but because the crying bit is a bit awkward for me as a viewer. The lead-up to it however, is incredible to watch. As he yells, screams, releases his anger, frustration with himself, with the unsaid words and everything.
Character Elaboration with minor spoilers
+ Show Spoiler + ![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/hzv3JO8.png)
finally feeling strong enough on her own, she chases after Takao, after the one who got her to stand, to walk and now run. They will leave each other after this fateful encounter, but not lose touch with one another and he later receives a letter from her.
Yukino is inherently ambiguous in her emotions. She's confused in what she feels and how she should feel. She corrects Takao because she doesn't want anything to happen that would cause as much turmoil, public judgement and hurt as what happened with her at her job. She is a mixed bag of feelings, leading Takao on with a mysterious Tanka, not being forward about who she was in relation to him and, more importantly, letting him make up his mind as she couldn't make up her own.
finally feeling strong enough on her own, she chases after Takao, after the one who got her to stand, to walk and now run. They will leave each other after this fateful encounter, but not lose touch with one another and he later receives a letter from her.Yukino is inherently ambiguous in her emotions. She's confused in what she feels and how she should feel. She corrects Takao because she doesn't want anything to happen that would cause as much turmoil, public judgement and hurt as what happened with her at her job. She is a mixed bag of feelings, leading Takao on with a mysterious Tanka, not being forward about who she was in relation to him and, more importantly, letting him make up his mind as she couldn't make up her own.
In short, this is among my favourite films of all time. I love almost everything about it and it definitely lines up with a lot of what I love in stories, people, subtleties and weather. I enjoy the art and music the most and the characters second. It's true that this movie is not exactly award-winning, but I feel it achieves a lot in its short runtime and is easy enough for me to understand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga1n9pnT2O8
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/vrOSl.png)
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