Scene Composition
Aesthetics
As a whole, the movie uses colours and aesthetics to help carry the story. The beautiful artistic design they took with each of the settings they used and the drawings of each character was unique. The colouring of each scene is used to convey the emotions of the scene and characters and makes each scene stand out and any scene picked out could be distinguished from each other due to this beautiful design and thought that goes into each moment of this film. The beauty of the film is one of the main reasons I was so drawn to it. Each scene flows to the next and even if the dialogue wasn't there, the basic feelings and atmosphere the director wants to create are still there due to the fantastic use of art and beauty. Every part of this movie is made to demonstrate artistry and combines many techniques to create the final aesthetic and vibe that is produced.
Space and Composition
Long shots and wide shots are very common in this movie and when you have a close up it is used for effect especially when strong emotions are wanted to be evoked. Space is very much prominent in each shot showing the scenery and area in which each scene is set in, as well as helping distinguish one scene from another just like the last scene shows the rapid jump between settings as the two main characters search through Tokyo for each other. Again, adding to the fact that each scene flows quickly from one to another, the composition was taken into account when trying to evoke the panic and stress the characters were going through trying to search for each other in the large city.
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Acting
As an animated film, acting is one of the main focal points. However, the voice acting was done extremely well and the talent used to bring these characters to life and to make them a believable and empathetic for the audience.
The overall narrative of the film is about the red string of fate and how it can save two star-crossed lovers from a massive disaster that ruins their world. The magic of ancient mountain and a reoccurring meteorite creates the story of two young teenagers who long for the others life even though they don't know one another and throughout the film, they switch bodies learning of the others complex lives and stumble around trying to comprehend what is happening to them. At the climax, the two lovers discover the danger that they are in and why they have been switching live. Through this, they manage to save hundreds of people from the town where the meteor strikes and therefore also able to save the girl from the death that the boy had discovered the previous timeline they followed. The final scene ties up all the loose ends from this storyline and reunites the lovers in an ambiguous ending after the red string of fate reminds them that their lives are connected even if they don't recall the events of the film. This is a beautiful ending to a rollercoaster of a film with different twists and turns hidden at every corner. The audience discovers each danger as it comes with the characters and they feel the pain of loss with them by the end. So many different sound and visual cues notify the audience when key moments appear and at the end when all of these coalesce into a scene where they rediscover their past and that feeling of emptiness disappears just as the name of the film is mentioned and the credits roll.
Narrative
The overall narrative of the film is about the red string of fate and how it can save two star-crossed lovers from a massive disaster that ruins their world. The magic of ancient mountain and a reoccurring meteorite creates the story of two young teenagers who long for the others life even though they don't know one another and throughout the film, they switch bodies learning of the others complex lives and stumble around trying to comprehend what is happening to them. At the climax, the two lovers discover the danger that they are in and why they have been switching live. Through this, they manage to save hundreds of people from the town where the meteor strikes and therefore also able to save the girl from the death that the boy had discovered the previous timeline they followed. The final scene ties up all the loose ends from this storyline and reunites the lovers in an ambiguous ending after the red string of fate reminds them that their lives are connected even if they don't recall the events of the film. This is a beautiful ending to a rollercoaster of a film with different twists and turns hidden at every corner. The audience discovers each danger as it comes with the characters and they feel the pain of loss with them by the end. So many different sound and visual cues notify the audience when key moments appear and at the end when all of these coalesce into a scene where they rediscover their past and that feeling of emptiness disappears just as the name of the film is mentioned and the credits roll.
- Act 1 - Setup
- Act 2 - Confrontation
- Act 3 - Resolution
Act 1
The setup is very slow and drawn out in the final scene as one of the main characters has a monologue about what has happened within the film and different elements are brought up again in his thoughts and memories. This goes over the top of the action where the two characters cross paths but don't quite recognise each other until their trains, and therefore, their lives coincide again showing the power of fate and the chase commences.
Act 2
Neither character quite knows why they are chasing after a stranger apart from the fact that it feels right. The mad dash to find each other ensues until they cross paths at some stairs in the middle of Tokyo. At this point, the characters realize the irrationality of running around for a person they don't know just because of a pull, a feeling, that they know each other. They almost walk past each other once again but a great sense of sadness and loss takes over them.
Act 3
There isn't really a resolution to this apart from the characters deciding to ask for the other's name and leaving the ending ambiguous and open-ended. The reference to the title rolls the credits as the final song begins to take the forefront for the focus of the audience.
Technical Aspects
As the film is animated, it includes copious amounts of technical aspects and the crew has a larger range of what they can achieve through animation. Each element, from the background to the weather is all drawn and controlled by the animators. Camera angles were considered but not in the way that other feature films have to think about how to set them up and in what positions as every scene was drawn from a certain camera angle or birds-eye view.
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Editing
The way each scene flows into the other is done expertly and thought through to help build tension as well as advancing the plot. However, it is much easier to edit an animated feature as storyboards are much more detailed and each scene has to be carefully drawn out, the conglomeration of the efforts doesn't take as long as it would with having to cut and adjust a normal roll of film. But aside from the easier job the editors have, they have done a great job of putting the scenes together in a way that adds to the film instead of confusing the audience. The fast-paced cuts of the final scene ramps up the tension and stress that the characters feel trying to chase each other through the streets of Tokyo despite not knowing why they feel this desperation to meet. This is mixed with voiceover wrapping up loose ends and finalizing the message of the movie which creates a well thought through and fantastic ending to an incredible film.
Sound
The beautiful use of sound throughout this entire movie is admirable and moving. The gentle tinkle of bells representing the meeting of the two star-crossed lovers and the red-string of fate taking effect and the use of ambience to enhance each scene as well as the silent connection they share is incredible. The soundtrack was created in collaboration with RADWIMPS, a Japanese band that created the music from scratch to capture the feeling of the movie. With the entire soundtrack being crafted around the scene and feel of the movies and what emotions they want to evoke and the atmosphere, they wanted to create. Each time the beginning of the soundtrack starts a sense of excitement is felt and it beautifully complements the action on the screen. The voice acting syncs up with the characters movements and speech to make the scene more believable and well put together. Each footstep is taken into account and put in as Foley and the wind and natural sounds you would hear in both the city and village settings are added for ambience.
Representation
Set in Japan, this movie was created by an entirely Japanese company and has managed to gain attention worldwide going as far as being released in certain cinemas in the west. This movie made big waves and won awards for the incredible artistry applied when created and animated film in this respect. It demonstrates several different aspects of Japanese culture and even the differences in life all over Japan. The differences between old traditions and new styles of life are apparent in the way the film was created as well as the difficulties the characters face when swapping lives as it is difficult to adjust to the others way of life in modern Japan.