User reviews

We've all seen those "coming of age" movies that transition the protagonist from childhood into puberty, and there's heaps of "discover your inner child" movies to put some fun in your life or life in your fun or whatever -- Only Yesterday is a rarity: Unsure and a little lost in her urban complacency, Taeko finds she must step beyond her inner-child shadow before she can grow up and move on with her life.

Only Yesterday isn't about grade-five, it's about being 27 by way of grade-five. It's a story about stepping out of our childhood, like the way we finally, and graciously, say goodbye to a worn-out favourite pair of shoes, or when, once we get to our destination, we can thank a particularly helpful bus driver and disembark.

Ugh, that's not much of a review, is it. Fortunately, Takahata says it all ten thousand times better than this :)

This is a very gentle and beautiful film, which could have been done as a 'normal' film with live actors, but it wouldn't have worked one-tenth as well; somehow doing it as an animation allows us to explore the characters much better.

It tells the story of Taeko, a 27 year old Tokyo office worker who goes to spend a few days in the countryside. She is at a stage where she is starting to question her life, and is haunted by memories of her 10th year.

One thing that stands out is that there is no great drama, the pace of the film is almost humdrum, the whole emphasis is on the development of the characters: this of course means that it will not be to everyone's taste.

I really had no idea animation could be so touching and moving. A young woman on her way to the countryside to help out with some farm chores keeps getting flashbacks of her 10 year old, 5th grade self. That may sound boring, but instead I was riveted from beginning until the heart warming finish, enjoying her memories along the way. We all carry around with us such kind of memories-having trouble with a particular subject in school, flirting with members of the opposite sex, being teased by classmates or older siblings, misbehaving and being severely punished, not getting something we really wanted and on and on. While she was having her flashbacks, I was having mine, making it all a very personal experience. Her life has been shaped by her memories, and now she is guided by them as she comes face to face with a momentous, potentially life-altering decision. Even if she was only an animated character, I got so bound up in the story that I desperately hoped for her to make the right choice. Sometimes I even forgot that I was watching an animated movie.

The success of this film will depend largely on the extent to which you can identify with the central character, and how much you can emphasis with the central theme of growing up. Those with a pre-determined idea of what Studio Ghibli is and what their films represent may be somewhat put out by the nature of the film, which is perhaps more mature in its themes and sensitive in its characterisations than something like Panda! Go Panda! (1972) or the iconic My Neighbour Totoro (1988); creating a film that is based very much in reality, but abstracted by the more fantastical allusions to childhood and memory.

Unlike the more widely regarded Ghibli films, the fantasy elements of Only Yesterday (1991) come from within the narrative; as our central character recalls elements of her life as a child as she finds herself at something of a difficult crossroads. She's approaching thirty, but still very much a youngster at heart, and has to juggle between chasing her dreams and living up to the expectations of her family and the stereotypical idea of a woman as the domesticated wife and mother. As she leaves the city to spend the summer picking safflower on the farm of some distant relatives she is accompanied, figuratively, by her ten year old self, as the lessons and events that shaped her young life are used again to help her make that all important decision that will ultimately set the course for the rest of her life. Although the subject matter might hint at melodrama, the presentation here is really very special indeed; using reality and imagination, past and present, and the appropriation of specific, pop-cultural reference points to create this sad and somewhat tragic character who finally finds an outlet for all of her hopes and dreams in this evocative, rural setting.

If you're familiar with director Isao Takahata's earlier Ghibli film, the highly acclaimed Grave of the Fireflies (1987), then you'll be somewhat familiar with his personal approach to storytelling, which here, takes full advantage of a rural period setting, the complex relationship between the various characters, the ideas of time and memory, and a creation of a particular world that stresses realism and accuracy to almost the smallest detail. With this is mind, I'd rate Takahata as not only one of the greatest animation directors of the last twenty-five years, but one of the greatest film directors of all time; easily on a par with the likes of Andrei Tarkovsky, Yasujirō Ozu, Kenji Mizoguchi, Miklós Jancsó, Peter Watkins, Michael Powell and Akira Kurosawa, etc, with the keen eye for detail, impeccable performances (both spoken and animated) and the overall approach to the story (which is entirely personal, but still completely fascinating) enlivening the drama and taking it beyond the merely adequate conventions of animated cinema to the next conceivable level of greatness.

Although I'm three years younger than the character of Taeko as presented in the film (and from a completely different background and generation) I could completely empathise with her situation and her dream of something much more rewarding than the bland office job and the continual expectations of family and friends. As a result, the film was more satisfying and more emotionally captivating than it might have been had I failed to make such a connection. As it was, the film forced me to think about my own childhood, and indeed, what the ten year old version of me would have made of the current twenty-four year old incarnation. Even if you fail to make a similar connection with Taeko, the film still works as a result of its memorable and entirely believable characters, the clever use of storytelling and that beautifully moving and somewhat magical finale. I guess some viewers will perhaps find it slow or harder to relate to, especially if you judge it at the same level of films like Spirited Away (2000) and Howl's Moving Castle (2005), however, those in the right frame of mind and willing to give themselves up the characters - emotionally speaking - will be rewarded with one of the most beautiful and carefully realised films of the last 20 years.

As much as I love those films of Hayao Miyazaki, Only Yesterday seems to affect me in a way that is entirely personal and unforgettable. The character, as both a ten year old and as a twenty-seven year old is perfectly rendered, acted and animated. The situations that occur in her life, in both of the separate time-lines, are believable and actually add something to the drama and her eventual switch in direction in those last few scenes. For me, Only Yesterday is simply great; a modern masterpiece to rival the aforementioned Grave of the Fireflies and a must for anyone with a real appreciation for intelligent, character-based, emotionally captivating cinema.

Imagine a commonplace story in commonplace settings with a not so immensely interesting main character (a bit like you and me) and a pastoral kinda hippie-message... and it works!

This is another memory-thingie from Japan (they are obsessed with memory there, is that because of the Meiji period? who knows), from the genius who brought us Grave of the Fireflies.

The story's so simple: a young woman in her late 20s doesn't have any real problems, is kind of ready for the rest of her life to happen, but it's just not happening. Something seems to be in the way of her accepting the possibility of happiness in the simple things that she finds on her way, and that that might just be what she's looking for and therefore enough.

A trip to the countryside brings back memories of her childhood as the youngest of three in a middle-of the road household in late 60's Japan. The thing is, it is SO well-done. Often, films focus on the misery of this life and the sweet innocent splendor of youth. This one turns it upside down, and not by depicting a horrible childhood which has to be "taken care of". Just by looking at things the way a child does.

It's often the little things, that seem of no importance to adults, that mould a child, shape it's personality. The "small killings" so to speak. Events no one notices and no one readily remembers, but no one really forgets either. And when you remember them, they hurt in a way that you find unreasonable.

So with this film. The flashbacks of not really a "missed opportunity" childhood, but rather of small events that stuck, chills you and sometimes fills you with warmth. It suggests at the same time that though there might be events that made her what she is, she also always was who she is, and it's the interplay between who you are and what you encounter that shape your life. You might say "it might have gone a different way", but then again it didn't exactly because you are you. Very Tao if you ask me. How it ends... just go and find out.

The fact that the film, entirely inconspicuously, manages to pull it off to tell that in images, makes it great art. The subtitles are hazardous (sometimes too fast, too much on the screen...), but let that not spoil the splendor. Get out and rent it now. I bought it.

This is the question to be asked, even for the fans (like me) of "grave of the fireflies". Compared to all the other ghibli movies, this real masterwork has been unfairly unrecognized. Forget about the anime you watched so far, it's completely different, more adult, more realistic, more... life-like. No big eyes (well, the flashback are somehow "very 60's", but that's the purpose!), no screams, no ultrasonic voices; just characters treated as they were true actors. For example the pineapple scene or the mathematics exercise scene are the most incredible daily life pictures i've ever seen! And the final credits will have you wipe some tears... Watch it and make your friends watch it too. Don't be surprised by its length. It's fun, sad, real, touching, moving whatever you want... I still dream it will be released abroad, one day... who knows? Talk about it around you and maybe this could happen. Takahata definitely deserves it!

A very cool and interesting story. Many interesting aspects of life are shown in this anime, i.e. The life of a young person, respect for nature and how to live your life. I recommend the movie as much as possible.

I was lucky enough to obtain a set of "Studio Ghibli" anime films on DVD including the some of the best of Myazaki etc. These film are Japanese with English subtitles, I think a LOT would be lost in any dubbed version.

I thought I'd give this film a try first, never having heard of it...

It is one of the most amazing films I have ever seen, anime or not. It truly defines "adult anime" in the best sense of the word. I would agree with many of the comments already expressed, especially the use of animation to express the exhilaration of childhood joy.

The fact is, this film packs in so many genuinely clever, poignant and laugh out loud funny observations on adult and child life I am really surprised it is not more well known. How many films can make eating a pineapple such an utterly fascinating,touching and meaningful scene?!

This film is basically the story of a 27 year old woman (NOT a middle aged woman!) who is starting to think that life is passing her by and starts thinking of what she really wants and is important in life. She carries the memories of her childhood with her and these flash back as a parallel story to the present in an unbelievably delightful way! We truly see her (very sharply observed and funny/poignant)childhood and what made her character.

This film is so uplifting! Do be sure to catch all of the ending too! I thought it caught the best parts of My Neighbor Totoro for a 20-something audience!

Mike.

Only Yesterday is about childhood memories, the way they fade and change, and the ripple effect they have on who we are as adults. It's a film of two interspersing halves of a young woman's life: her 20s and her tweens. The modern segments are pretty boring, especially the 20-minute farming lesson that comes about halfway through. But the childhood stuff is brilliant and relatable, even for a white, 30-year old male, and the animation is beyond gorgeous.

This is probably my favorite animated film of all -- and now it looks even more beautiful than ever (thanks to the Japnese DVD release). This is a story of a 20-something "office lady" who is vaguely dissatisfied with what she sees as increasingly pointless life in the big city. As she visits the rural family of her sister's husband for a working vacation, she also revisits her fifth grade self. (The contemporary scenes are done in a fairly realistic fashion, the flashbacks have a lovely pastel look -- that would later be used even more extensively in "Our Neighbors, the Yamadas"). This film does not draw upon cartoons for its background, but on the films of Ozu and Naruse. The intelligence and sublety of the characterization is extraordinary. This also has a very appealing use of Hungarian folk music (the favored music of our heroine's young farmer friend). If you've never before sobbed tears of joy over closing credits before, you will here. (It never fails for me -- at about 7 times and counting). While Takahata's "Grave of the Fireflies" may have a more timely (and harrowing) tale to tell, I think this understated little story is even more beautiful and effective.

Back in 1996, the Disney Corporation bought the rights to distribute the films of Japan's Studio Ghibli. This is one of the big reasons that Ghibli films have now become widely available and loved in the West. However, in the case of the film "Only Yesterday", Disney had a bit of a conundrum. According to IMDb.com, Disney didn't want to distribute this film because of its references to menstruation...and Ghibli was unwilling to have their films altered in any way (apart from translating them into English and other languages). While this reason seems a bit silly, since Only Yesterday is not a film even intended for kids, I also wonder if perhaps there was another reason the film wasn't available until now. It just doesn't play like a typical animated film and probably isn't an easy sell except for those who really, really love anime. I am not saying it's a bad film but it probably has a smaller audience than Ghibli crowd pleasers such as "Spirited Away", "My Neighbor Totoro" or "Howl's Moving Castle". Thanks to GKIDS, who has now obtained rights to release this film, you can find it on DVD...and it's available through Netflix starting this month.

While many folks seem to assume that Hayao Miyazaki made every film for Studio Ghibli, he actually has not. In this case, he's one of the producers and Isao Takahata actually directed this project. The film is based on a manga (a print version) and plays in many ways like one of my favorite animes based on a serialized manga..."Azumanga Daioh". Like this other anime, the story is very episodic and does not play like a typical film. Instead of a typical story, this film is just a collection of snippets-- recollections of a 27 year old woman as she thinks back to her life when she was 11, back in 1966. This style clearly will leave many confused and probably disappointed...though anime lovers probably will be more forgiving for its meandering plot. And, meander it clearly does...covering such oddly diverse subjects such as her poor grades in math, the importance of conformity, a dirty and poor student she couldn't forget as well as learning about menstruation in sex education class. If you had to find a theme for all this, it would probably be about what it's like to be different and to be living in a society that strongly values and enforces conformity. A real crowd-pleasing plot, probably not. However, it is a quality production throughout, with excellent animation as well as a very enjoyable English language cast, though for you purists out there, the DVD also includes the original Japanese language track as well.

This is an exceptionally beautiful and engrossing film, it must be one of studio Ghibli's best.

The artwork is meticulously done, often stunning, so that as with the characters, you fall in love with the Japanese countryside. This is really a pastoral story, conveying a love of nature, wistful feelings for the past, a sweetness and gentle sadness which you feel through the memories of this apparently unexceptional young(ish) woman.

Like many Ghibli films Only Yesterday has many deep resonances for most people - an exploration of what you might want from life, not from other's expectations, but through a remembrance and re-evaluation of your past life.

A really unique film, that avoids sentimentality, but subtly enchants you from beginning to end.

A must-see film!

I saw this movie with my girlfriend and we both enjoyed it but neither of us loved it the way so many people here seem to. It was a somewhat interesting story with some nice ideas in it, but it could have been shortened. The backgrounds were absolutely gorgeous but the actual animation was just okay. The ending was lovely.

But I have a problem with the whole structure, because I simply couldn't see what the connection is between her life as a child and her life now. It's like you have these two parallel stories (although the childhood portion is more episodic than story-like), but I never felt they had anything to do with each other. My girlfriend also couldn't see a connection. I came here to read the reviews in hopes that someone would have written a little essay on the movie's structure, as sometimes happens in IMDb, but nope, no one has talked about how these parts of the movie intersect.

So I generally enjoyed it but it just didn't totally work for me.

This is one of Studio Ghibli's less known films. It tells the story of middle-aged Taeko's gradual realization of her love for the Japanese countryside. Through frequent funny and realistic childhood coming-of-age flashbacks we see that even during moments when life seems hopelessly complicated, it's really quite simple. On a similar note, the ability of anime to refine the needlessly complicated to its essence is one of its great qualities in my opinion. The scene in which little Taeko merrily walks into the sky is an (exaggerated) example of this ability. A live action attempt to show childhood elation would be much more strained. The film does glorify farm living, but doesn't gloss over the difficulties to the extent that most films do. I was skeptical of any animated film's ability to inspire emotion for the beauty of the countryside. I mean... it's just drawings that presume to represent the real thing right? Well, the animators obviously did their research. The scenery isn't artificially...scenic, but it is very beautiful in a subdued, natural way. What most impresses me is the constantly calm mood of the film. Where other films would escalate certain situations to cheesy melodramatics, this film keeps it's feet on the ground (except for little Taeko... I love that scene). On a final note, the voice acting was superb, and the famous (among otaku) ending sequence is very uplifting. If Miramax releases a subtitled version of this, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.

For me this is one of Studio Ghibli's more realistic films, and it is also one of the more beautiful ones too. Not to mention underrated, in my opinion. It isn't a favourite, but I still admire it hugely and think it is very re-watchable. The story is well structured, and has a real sense of realism about it. As said, there is no visible magic or fairytale like characters, the magic is in the story and in how it is told. It is also quite a nostalgic story too I feel. The animation is very good, and the music is lovely. The dialogue is respectable enough, and the characters are immensely likable and never fail to engage. And as usual the voice work I have no qualms with. Overall, very beautiful film. 9/10 Bethany Cox

I've been a fan of studio Ghibli and their films for quite some time now. So i suppose it was only fitting for this to be the last of their films for to me watch.

It tells the tale of a twenty something year old woman, as she travels to the country on holiday. She's pretty, with lines under her eyes, and a smile that show's up all to often in Anime. But the real narrative thrust is not in the present, but instead the past. When she was a child in fifth grade. It is through these flashbacks, that we're able to understand her personality, and what brought about the situation she now finds herself in. Twenty something, unmarried and undecided about life. Picky about her future, just like she was in the past.

Isao Takahata is a genius, not only for structuring the story to near perfection, but also the depth in which he delves to show the feelings of a preteen girl. I laughed, nearly cried, and was touched by every scene. Which is amazing considering it's a drawing that holds the movie together. I'm amazed at the level of emotion that a good artist can bring out. The gaps and chasms between my culture and hers were blown away by the simple feelings that everyone, no matter how far apart, experiences.

I believe that a nineteen year old Massai warrior could enjoy this film the same as a thirty year old resident of Tokyo. Some emotions go beyond words, as do some movies. This is one of those movies. And i urge every film lover, nature lover, and Anime lover, to watch this film, and i dare you to fall in love.

Like i have.....

Just saw this on the Miyazaki month on TV. Terrific. A ten-day holiday to the country opens up old lost thoughts and feelings for a late 20-something office worker. If the emotions and issues in this anime are typical for a Japanese preteen, then our teens here in the US are more Japanese than they think!! One of those films to watch when you are feeling left alone and out of sorts. The characters are so close to you as to almost become real. The movie moves slowly, but isn't the least bit dull. The leisurely pace makes you want to sit with a cup of tea and just 'hang' with the movie. Terrific graphics, real characters, and fabulous countryside artwork. Work watching a few times -- I already have!

As far as I am able to tell, Disney has refused to distribute only two of Studio Ghibli's films. One is Isao Takahata's masterpiece "Grave of the Fireflies", which is understandable considering that a film is about two children dying in a war, which might be too much for Disney's image. The other film is also Takahata's direction, "Only Yesterday" (Omohide poro poro, 1991). However, unlike with "Grave of the Fireflies" I fail to see any reason why Disney would be against this one.

The story is about a woman named Taeko, who works in a city and during her holidays travels to the country to visit her childhood hometown. On her way from the crowded streets back to the quiet country side, Taeko starts to go through her memories of when she was a child. The film itself doesn't have much of a plot to reveal because it is the little things in the film that matter. Taeko doesn't get dragged in a huge adventure with the faith of the world on her shoulders and she doesn't have some amazing achievement or dark secret in her past. The things she has gone through in her past and the things she goes through present are all simple everyday things that I am sure most people can appreciate and relate to.

It is once again viewers' emotions that Takahata strikes. Where "Grave of the Fireflies" made viewers cry for the unfairness of life, "Only Yesterday" will make you smile. It is a simple little film pointing out how the littlest things in life are the ones worth living: the first time you tasted an exotic fruit, went to a popular place, had your first crush to that cute boy/girl in your school, and other things. It also shows how sometimes it is good to go back and revisit those events of your life.

Technically the film offers once again the best of animations from Studio Ghibli and the brilliant voice acting (this only goes for Japanese audio, I have no idea what the English one sounds like). Also worth mentioning is Masaru Hoshi's beautiful piano music.

Once again Isao Takahata has managed to make a film that hits the emotions of the viewers, this time causing nostalgia, and random happiness. I remember seeing this film first time and how it caused me to smile the following hours (which didn't stop until I started watching Galaxy Express 999, which I also saw for the first time that day). A simple, lovely film from Studio Ghibli, far more for adults than children. Which might be the reason why Disney is not distributing this.

I occasionally get asked why I like anime and what makes it so unique. The response "it's not just for kids; anime is for grownups too" is one that you hear frequently in response to questions like these. I used to say the same thing, but after giving it some consideration, I realized that's not actually true of a lot of what's out there. If we're being completely honest, not much anime actually deals with complicated subjects. Sure, there are some anime out there that are full of sex and/or death and/or "mature themes," and a lot of things that are more complex than children are considered to be able to handle.

Let's start with Ghibli. Although I generally don't believe in brands, Studio Ghibli is one name that I can confidently and regularly link to the highest standards and best quality. In this instance, Isao Takahata, rather than the well-known Hayao Miyazaki, is in control as producer. They do about as well as one may anticipate in this pairing, but not quite in the manner one would anticipate.

The resulting movie isn't as kid-friendly as other Ghibli movies since it lacks the entertaining characters and action-packed scenes that kids will enjoy in movies like My Neighbor Totoro or Nausicaa of the Valley of the Winds. If you look at the tags, you'll see that "slice of life" is the most common description of this movie, and that's even more accurate than the label usually is. Taeko, a 27-year-old office worker, simply combines her memories of her 10-year-old self with her working holiday on a farm, and the way that experience makes her question the course her life is taking.

This is a prime counter-example of "for grown-ups" animation for those trying to persuade a skeptic that anime isn't simply huge-eyed, glittering Majikal Girls, spiky-haired swordsmen, big robots, charming animal caricatures, and the odd scattering of tentacled obscenity. The acting is exceptional; Miki Imai as the adult Taeko, Toshiro Yanagiba as her companion Toshio, and Youko Honna as the little Taeko are all organic, convincing, and utterly terrific, and the rest of the ensemble are all about as talented. The anime's script may be the greatest I've ever read; it's so fantastic that it makes writing scripts seem simple.

The aesthetics are also up to the typical high Ghibli standards, but with a unique twist. The adult characters all have genuinely carved cheekbones and other facial contours, which are uncommon even in the most meticulously drawn anime. Takahata and his team have focused on muscles. Characters have a considerably wider and finer emotional range than is typical since they are able to pick up on minute variations in facial expression.

Masaru Hoshi's music is completely pleasant, serene, and totally appropriate-but the Hungarian folk choir is here to steal the show from out of left field! This unusual decision is perfect. It's eerie material with undertones that suggest the hidden, benign, but great force of nature, and even though it makes no logical sense, it just works. For once, the Harumi Miyako song that closes the movie is a beautiful piece of music that perfectly complements the movie.

Producing a live-action Only Yesterday would not have been difficult; the movie doesn't feature any fantastical settings or technology, weightless clothing or hair, or anything else out of the ordinary. The fact that it could easily be done in live action doesn't necessarily make that a better stylistic choice, but the fact that it works as animation by showcasing innovative animation ideas combined with great talent can do nothing but improve it. This is impressive because it was a calculated risk that paid off.

If the movie has any flaws, it would be the pacing; for a film that is by its very nature slow and gradual, it may at times be a little too leisurely and gradual. Additionally, while most of Taeko's memories are important, a few may seem a little sparse and peripheral. It's true that I'm kind of blown away by it, but I also realize that it's not flawless, so I deducted a mark. You also need to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy this movie to the fullest. The appropriate moment finally arrived this morning after months of waiting, and it was delivered.

A significant stepping stone in the progression of anime (or even in animation as a whole), Only Yesterday is the fifth film produced by Studio Ghibli. In a genre that usually consisted of either very adult themed comic book adaptations or hyper-kinetic action cartoons for children, Only Yesterday's gentle tone and mature themes struck well with audiences back in 1991, and the film proved a surprise box-office success.

Jumping back and forth in time, the film tells the story of Taeko, who in the modern-day, is a daydreaming office worker who travels back to her home town and falls in love with the peaceful agricultural trade ran by her cousin, and in the past, was a slightly spoilt, selfish child. Taeko looks back on her time at school, starting to have an interest in boys, her relationship with her family, and, in the most surprisingly comic scenes, starting puberty. Whilst farming in Yagamata, and falling in love with the landscape, she wrestles with her childhood self, and begins to wonder if she has lived up to what the child in her expected.

Directed by Isao Takahata, the second most prolific of the Ghibli directors (behind Hayao Miyazaki), the film has a beautifully nostalgic and melancholy tone. Similar to his earlier masterpiece (and in my opinion, the great of the Ghibli films) Grave Of The Fireflies, the film manages to tenderly tug at the heartstrings, without coming across as sentimental or cloying. There are themes that other animation studios would not dare to go near. When Taeko and the other girls at school find out about periods for the first time, one of the girls tells the boys, and chaos soon follows. It becomes a craze for the boys to look up girls' skirts and shout 'she's got her period!'. It's a scene that if mishandled may have come across as strange and inappropriate, but it is extremely funny, and perfectly captures the innocent immaturity and curiosity of the age.

When Taeko first comes across the boy who likes her, she stands there frozen while he thinks of something to say. He asks her an almost inappropriately random question, which she ponders and then answers. The boy runs away skipping and singing, happy he's had the nerve take the step and talk to Taeko. It's a beautifully handled scene, and brims with the kind of emotions and tension that is attempted but ultimately mishandled by many a romantic-comedy. (That observation was made by my girlfriend Stacy, I have to add!)

When in the modern-day, admittedly the film does sometimes grind to a halt. While scenes of Taeko farming and admiring the scenery and general peacefulness of her new existence is beautifully drawn, and often profoundly moving, it does not make for exciting viewing. The scenes in her childhood have a gentle playfulness and sense of humour which brought me back to my childhood, where I was joyfully ignorant of the pressures of life, and often confused about those ever-increasing hormones.

A rather wonderful film with Ghibli's usual beautiful animation and moving execution of its themes.

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This movie was hard to sit through. Nothing really happens but flavorless flashbacks. The most boring Ghibli movie I've ever seen and my least favorite by far.