'Lost in love' is not a very good translation of the movie title. Literally, the title translates to 'Letting the love slip away'. I see that even critics give this movie a wide variance of ratings, and I think that one's view of the movie will depend on 2 things: 1) Your view of love and your experiences of love, and 2) Your acceptance of the 'animated' expressions. Characters are somewhat 'characterised' and the movie depends a lot in the viewer's own imagination rather than explicitly showing and telling all this and that. That would make the movie too emotional and childish. The movie is about indecisiveness so don't expect the movie itself to be decisive. This movie is not perfect. I see actors struggling to sync perfectly with the animatedness of the movie and the first part of the movie (before WooJae goes to the army) is restless, trying to establish the movie by packing in all the emotions. Overall, I don't think this movie provides a good example of how the senses of reality and animatedness could be matched, but there aren't really many movies - may be none - out there which has tried the combine things this way, and while the movie is not stylistically polished, I personally found it to be quite involving.
Reviews
4 Reviews
Haibane Renmei
(2002)
I suddenly realized why Haibane is great
23 November 2007
While skimming through the series again, I just realized what makes Haibane Renmei such a great work.
Haibane Renmei doesn't tell you the answer. It lets you question, ponder and contemplate about it.
"Starting an important question in life and letting it maintain in you."
... that is why Haibane Renmei is a great work. There is no meaning nor need for an answer. The answer would only become a mere piece of knowledge if you simply tell someone. It is something you should go through all the experiences and realize for yourself. Having the question and keeping it will be the starting point which evokes you to find the 'real' answer.
* p.s. * There is a type of a question -somewhat a strange oxymoron-isque question- Buddhists throw at someone when the question of 'truth' is sought after. The way to go through this question is just to keep questioning it in the head ALL the time, even when you're asleep. Suddenly, all the dots will be connected and the answer will just pop up in the blink of an eye, like 'ah, that's so obvious...!' The basis theory behind it is on the assumption that you already know everything, it's just that you haven't 'realized' it yet. Haibane Renmei makes you do that.
Haibane Renmei doesn't tell you the answer. It lets you question, ponder and contemplate about it.
"Starting an important question in life and letting it maintain in you."
... that is why Haibane Renmei is a great work. There is no meaning nor need for an answer. The answer would only become a mere piece of knowledge if you simply tell someone. It is something you should go through all the experiences and realize for yourself. Having the question and keeping it will be the starting point which evokes you to find the 'real' answer.
* p.s. * There is a type of a question -somewhat a strange oxymoron-isque question- Buddhists throw at someone when the question of 'truth' is sought after. The way to go through this question is just to keep questioning it in the head ALL the time, even when you're asleep. Suddenly, all the dots will be connected and the answer will just pop up in the blink of an eye, like 'ah, that's so obvious...!' The basis theory behind it is on the assumption that you already know everything, it's just that you haven't 'realized' it yet. Haibane Renmei makes you do that.
A pure and beautiful work
15 September 2006
Makoto Shinkai came back. And this time he is not alone.
'The Place Promised in Our Early Days' is a pure and beautiful piece of work. This has probably the most beautiful visuals of all animations that I've seen ('Please Save My Earth' and some others are also beautiful but they all have different characteristics, I must say). Pictures themselves are beautiful, and it is no wonder how people call him the 'magician of light'.
My overall impression of this anime is that it's like a poet but with Sci-Fi to match with it. 'Voices of a Distant Star (Hoshi no koe)' was quite boring for me honestly. But with a similar structure and image, 'The Place...' seems to deliver much better what Makoto Shinkai wanted to deliver, even though its story is slightly loose here and there.
I do think, however, that it is 'too' consistent throughout - from Makoto Shinkai's authentic poetic and solitary, pure atmosphere to its story/drama, visuals (e.g. lighting), music etc (I must say that sound aspects outside music is not very well done but let's put that aside), pretty much everything. This strengthens the sense of purity this anime represents, but I really think it would be better to have more 'bandwidth' to it, so it can have more dynamics and life in it. It is great how Makoto Shinkai pulled it off gracefully knitted altogether, though. I'd say that 'The Place...' stands on its very own ground, really. I think it is something that's quite different to all the rest, and don't really think it's appropriate to judge this by typical standards.
To hold it together for a much longer period of time, and to do it well, he has effectively implied editing (if I could say that) and careful laying out of the story. But the biggest difference I witnessed from 'The Place...' was how Makoto Shinkai has casted much more characters than before - though characters lack in variety as well. This enriches the story as well as adding complexity and depth to it so you don't get bored out easily.
But after all, it is superb how well Makoto Shinkai has put the whole thing together so well. I was very fascinated and captured while I was watching it - which didn't happen for quite some time. I think this is one piece of work that overwhelms viewers by its beauty and sense of purity.
P.S. Although I can understand how some animatings are not up to the feature animation quality, I personally think it'd be better for Makoto Shinkai to get somebody good to retouch on his characters' faces.
'The Place Promised in Our Early Days' is a pure and beautiful piece of work. This has probably the most beautiful visuals of all animations that I've seen ('Please Save My Earth' and some others are also beautiful but they all have different characteristics, I must say). Pictures themselves are beautiful, and it is no wonder how people call him the 'magician of light'.
My overall impression of this anime is that it's like a poet but with Sci-Fi to match with it. 'Voices of a Distant Star (Hoshi no koe)' was quite boring for me honestly. But with a similar structure and image, 'The Place...' seems to deliver much better what Makoto Shinkai wanted to deliver, even though its story is slightly loose here and there.
I do think, however, that it is 'too' consistent throughout - from Makoto Shinkai's authentic poetic and solitary, pure atmosphere to its story/drama, visuals (e.g. lighting), music etc (I must say that sound aspects outside music is not very well done but let's put that aside), pretty much everything. This strengthens the sense of purity this anime represents, but I really think it would be better to have more 'bandwidth' to it, so it can have more dynamics and life in it. It is great how Makoto Shinkai pulled it off gracefully knitted altogether, though. I'd say that 'The Place...' stands on its very own ground, really. I think it is something that's quite different to all the rest, and don't really think it's appropriate to judge this by typical standards.
To hold it together for a much longer period of time, and to do it well, he has effectively implied editing (if I could say that) and careful laying out of the story. But the biggest difference I witnessed from 'The Place...' was how Makoto Shinkai has casted much more characters than before - though characters lack in variety as well. This enriches the story as well as adding complexity and depth to it so you don't get bored out easily.
But after all, it is superb how well Makoto Shinkai has put the whole thing together so well. I was very fascinated and captured while I was watching it - which didn't happen for quite some time. I think this is one piece of work that overwhelms viewers by its beauty and sense of purity.
P.S. Although I can understand how some animatings are not up to the feature animation quality, I personally think it'd be better for Makoto Shinkai to get somebody good to retouch on his characters' faces.
Inu no eiga
(2005)
One genuine dog movie.
13 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Dog movies are easy to be stereotyped as much as how dog has been man's best friend for thousands of years.
It seems to me that Isshin Inudou and other creators of this movie tried to get away from that, and there are some evidences there. One is how they have created an omnibus style of movie with 7 directors. The other is that dogs are not the leading roles in this movie. They always remain supportive roles, as people's companions. This movie is 'about' dogs, but it is a tale that is told from man to man.
Putting the main story of Pochi aside for now and speaking of other shorts, I think they're overall very nice, even though I think Koro the Pug's story could have been better. The movie constructs a solid 'image' of dogs in general by showing them (along humans) in different situations and in different perspectives, then brings a strong end to it. It is a little to typical, but I guess it's something that was necessary. I think it was a good ending. The animation right before the last short is quite impressive as well, I think I felt more so because I know many people who just get rid of their dogs so fast, just because they're not puppies anymore.
But in fact, the most impressive part of them all was Pochi, the last episode particularly so. When Yamada cries out Pochi's name the last time, to me it sounded like a cry of mixed emotions including yearning and regret. Last 3 shorts - Pochi, animation and Marimo story - have put together stories about parting with dogs, and they all do it in different ways. And Pochi's one has the deepest impact in it, because it consists people who had to part with their dogs by unexpected events, or those who have parted with their dogs and can't see them again, no matter how much they regret or yearn. In this short, the our usual conception/view of relation between man and dog is reversed. And therefore I found it very impressive and heart-aching. I think it was a story which will directly hit the hearts of those people who had to part with their dogs in other ways than by the dog aging.
'All about my dog' seems a little loose when we actually watch it, and I suspect that is because we are spellbound by dogs' unique charm. But looking back on it, I do think 'All about my dog' is an impressive and original movie. The way of storytelling overall was quite fresh and executed magnificently. And because of it, I claim this movie to stand on its own ground, apart from other dog movies. I think this movie makes us think a lot about how it has achieved it all, as well as about the relationship we have with our dogs.
It seems to me that Isshin Inudou and other creators of this movie tried to get away from that, and there are some evidences there. One is how they have created an omnibus style of movie with 7 directors. The other is that dogs are not the leading roles in this movie. They always remain supportive roles, as people's companions. This movie is 'about' dogs, but it is a tale that is told from man to man.
Putting the main story of Pochi aside for now and speaking of other shorts, I think they're overall very nice, even though I think Koro the Pug's story could have been better. The movie constructs a solid 'image' of dogs in general by showing them (along humans) in different situations and in different perspectives, then brings a strong end to it. It is a little to typical, but I guess it's something that was necessary. I think it was a good ending. The animation right before the last short is quite impressive as well, I think I felt more so because I know many people who just get rid of their dogs so fast, just because they're not puppies anymore.
But in fact, the most impressive part of them all was Pochi, the last episode particularly so. When Yamada cries out Pochi's name the last time, to me it sounded like a cry of mixed emotions including yearning and regret. Last 3 shorts - Pochi, animation and Marimo story - have put together stories about parting with dogs, and they all do it in different ways. And Pochi's one has the deepest impact in it, because it consists people who had to part with their dogs by unexpected events, or those who have parted with their dogs and can't see them again, no matter how much they regret or yearn. In this short, the our usual conception/view of relation between man and dog is reversed. And therefore I found it very impressive and heart-aching. I think it was a story which will directly hit the hearts of those people who had to part with their dogs in other ways than by the dog aging.
'All about my dog' seems a little loose when we actually watch it, and I suspect that is because we are spellbound by dogs' unique charm. But looking back on it, I do think 'All about my dog' is an impressive and original movie. The way of storytelling overall was quite fresh and executed magnificently. And because of it, I claim this movie to stand on its own ground, apart from other dog movies. I think this movie makes us think a lot about how it has achieved it all, as well as about the relationship we have with our dogs.
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