In this Corner of the
World is a beautifully animated, memoir-style movie. It focuses on Suzu Urano
(married name Hojo). She starts out as a hard-working little girl who loves to
draw. When she eventually does marry, she’s not quite certain of her
bridegroom’s name. We see a real slice of life as she adjusts to married life
in the 1930s.
During the war years, she uses ingenious methods to keep her
family fed as the rations they’re issued keep diminishing. Then something
horrible happens in 1945. Her home town was a suburb of Hiroshima, and she
lives just a train ride away.
In this Corner of the
World is not meant to make Americans feel guilty, or to argue the Japanese
side of the war. It simply shows what everyday life was like in a bygone era.
And despite what happens, it is ultimately a hopeful and optimistic story—although
you have to stay through the end credits to really see this. (I’m told that in
Japan, it’s normal to sit through the end credits, so often little extras are
shown during or after.)
Many of the background scenes are hand-painted. Whether or
not you’re an anime fan, you’ll want to see this movie.
For my review of Your
Name, click here.
Sounds like a beautiful story I want to see. :-)
ReplyDeleteI can imagine how beautiful this must be just based on the cover alone.
ReplyDelete