The Garden of Words (2013)

Takao Akizuki doesn’t have a great home life.  His mother is either there or not, depending on her mood.  His father isn’t in the picture.  He’s basically being raised by his older brother, who will be moving out soon.  This leaves the 15-year-old to skip his morning classes, but he only does so on rainy days.

While skipping class, he goes to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden, where he meets Yukari Yukino, aged 27.  They strike up a friendship.  She has problems of her own, but it’s not clear how far they go.  She seems to subsist on beer and chocolate, as she claims that’s all she can taste.

Takao is more open, telling Yukari all about himself.  He wants to be a shoemaker, which he isn’t good at and can’t really afford.  She’s rather reserved about things.  She seems interested in (or at least tolerant of) Takao.  Despite the age difference, he develops feelings for her, which she doesn’t really reciprocate.

It’s one of those interesting movies that I kept putting off.  It was only 46 minutes, but there was something about the story that didn’t quite strike me as interesting.  Even after watching it, I wouldn’t describe it as something I’d normally watch.

The story is more about an unrequited romance and a boy who’s being forced to grow up.  He meets a woman much older than him who is uncertain that she ever really grew up, herself.  The CGI is also heavily computer animated.  It almost seems real in some places. (I’ll admit that this is coming from someone who is used to Studio Ghibli.)  Despite the method, there is an attention to detail, which is appreciated.

My one complaint is that Takao seems to be the only character that seems to have much detail.  I suppose the lack of development for Yukari is deliberate.  We kind of need that for the big reveal later on.  To have such a compact story does work on a certain level.  It puts the focus on Takao and his life.  Everything else works in relation to him.  Even when he takes Yukari’s measurements, it doesn’t seem sexual.  He’s honestly interested in becoming a better shoemaker.

I didn’t find the age difference disturbing.  I suppose most teenagers have had an adult that they had a crush on.  It wasn’t until much later that we realize why it would never happen and Yukari does handle the situation with grace.  (For concerned parents and teenagers, there’s nothing objectionable about their relationship.)

It’s not perfect, but the movie is an enjoyable way to pass an hour if you have the time.  It’s exactly the kind of movie I like having on Netflix.

IMDb page

Voices of a Distant Star

Note:  This review was originally posted to my Epinions account.


Every so often, I go for something completely different. I saw this movie on NetFlix and decided to give it a try, mostly because it’s only thirty minutes long. (Since I’m working now, I don’t have a lot of time for movies.) I figured that I would see what the movie was about.

The plot is very easy to explain. A girl, Mikako, goes off to defend Earth from an invading army, leaving a boyfriend, Noboru, behind. (Yes, she’s a girl; she’s only 15, if I recall.) The only way that she can communicate with him is through text messages on her cell phone. As she goes further out, it takes longer for the messages to reach Earth. Eventually, she’s 8 light years away, meaning that it takes 8 years for the messages to get back.

The story focused on the relationship between the two main characters. (In fact, there were no other human characters.) There was little or no explanation as to how the messages were transmitted or how the Mikako even charges her phone. There also seems to be some debate as to whether both characters are aging at the same rate or if Mikako and the other ships are goinjg near the speed of light, allowing her to age more slowly. (It was never mentioned either way.)

Makoto Shinkai is the man behind the movie. He animated the entire movie on his computer, doing some of the voice work at first just to see how it came out. (This was included on the DVD, but is practically the same as the feature if you’re using the dubbing.) The visual style is a little different, but you get used to it. Shinkai is good. He has one other movie, which I’ll be renting.

I ended up using the English voice track, which I seem to be doing a lot of lately. I think that subtitles would have taken my attention away from the animation too much. I would have rather been able to watch the movie without looking down too much. As for the music, that was great also. I even liked the music on the menus, which is rare for a DVD. The music in the movie was subdued, but worked well.

As for extras, the only thing worth noting is a short called “She and Her Cat”, which is told from the perspective of a cat that is adopted by a woman. There’s also the director’s cut of the movie, but as I said earlier, it doesn’t mean much if you don’t understand Japanese.

I’d definitely recommend this movie to anyone. Even if you don’t like animation, it’s only thirty minutes. What have you got to lose?


Voices of a Distant Star Trailer