After watching The Garden of Words I found
myself speechless, it's a beautifully made anime that leaves you thinking about
it and yourself.
Out of all of the anime's I have ever
watched, this has to be one of the most sophisticated. From the animation and
the music, to the story, it really is a beautiful movie. I have so many
feelings after watching it I hardly know where to start.
Takao is a 15-year-old school boy who
aspires to be a shoe maker. On the rainy days he skips school to sit in a park
where he sketches shoes in his notepad. Here he meets Yukino, an older woman
who he doesn't know much about. Without any planning the pair meet in the park
on the rainy days, but as the rainy season ends, they worry about when they
will see each other again.
The art It was the first thing I noticed,
the world that was created looked exquisite. I love water in anime. but this
was really something beautiful. As it is set in the rainy season and the rain
has a big role in the story it was made to catch your eye. I find in some
anime's the water can look very...animated (I'm aware that doesn't make a lot
of sense) with this water I found myself appreciating the art. The way the
water splashed as it made puddles, the way the wind blew it out of rain gutters
, and the way it created a mist as it hit the ground when it was heavy. The
rain told you the mood of the scene, whether it was calm, or it was thick with
emotion.
I'm not sure if other viewers will have interpreted
the story in the same way that I have. But I'll give you my opinion and you can
tell me how your feelings differed.
The two characters have imperfect lives, as
a lot of us do. Takao isn't very good at shoe making but this is what he wants
to do, his mother doesn't seem to be around a lot and he appears to be quite
the loner. You don't find out much about Yukino's troubles until the end, but you
do realise she is very alone and unconfident. The two imperfect people bond in
this serine park environment and though their lives do not interact physically
they seem to help each other with their troubles.
I feel like this is something a lot of us
can relate to. Having suffered from anxiety I find that I connected with the
story and interpreted it as how something so little can seem to hold you up and
make you feel better. How finding that person (or thing) that helps you along
with whatever worry you have is a small satisfaction in a busy world where we don't
have a lot of time to think about these things.
Well...that's what I think.
What do you think?
さようなら
