Only Yesterday
I’m getting lucky, and they are showing lots of anime feature films in my area. The Charles has an anime night program going. Yet, the latest anime I saw there, Only Yesterday, wasn’t part of the bill. It’s a special repertory release from GKids. It’s an old Studio Ghibli film from the early 90s.
Directed by Isao Takahata, Only Yesterday tells the tale of Taeko an OL on vacation in the country helping to farm because she likes it. She’s drags herself out there and the heavy baggage of her childhood. She brings her younger self along trying to explore the mystery of her life. How did she get to be who she was? It’s a very interesting story. Not one that gets animated, but like many anime it does. I love that there is an animation community that wants to use the form to tell plenty of different stories.
This is an awkward piece. I must quote my favorite, “Beause I am neither Japanese, fourteen years old, nor a girl.” It’s not really aimed at my tastes even though I like shojo manga. The pace was too slow and the introspection too much for me. I do give props to a fine film if you were its intended audience.
3 of 5 stars.
