![]() ![]() As a child, Hotaru is of the adorably naive and inquisitive type who, upon being told not to touch an object, can think of nothing besides doing the exact opposite, and yet she fails to be either whiny or frustratingly impotent, being the sort of toddler you look forward to watching grow up. Regardless of the character's ages, there is one thing in particular that stands out about this movie, and that is that Hotaru and Gin are wonderful to watch. Courtesy of the same mangaka and director that brought us Natsume's Book of Friends, it is a gentle tale that blends beautifully animated scenes of leisurely pleasure and yet complements those scenes with a bitter if not strictly "dark" undertone, progressing in heaviness just as the main character progresses in age and telling a surprisingly deep story as a result. When I think about this phenomenon, I find myself thinking of the likes of Hayao Miyazaki and his willingness to direct films that won't send children recoiling in horror and yet might give them something to think about as well, and with the 2011 film Hotarubi no Mori e, I've discovered something of a peer to his films. Far too often, I find that when a film is deemed "appropriate for all audiences", it simply feels blandly harmless and impotent, whereas the films that sell well are often those that simply cover up their storytelling inability with special effects, gunfights, and cliched characters touched up with enough gimmicks to incite the kids to turn their attention from one franchise to another. I do sometimes think that American audiences could do to rethink their definition of a "children's movie". Before the day ends, however, the two find themselves enjoying each other' company and agree to see each other again, in spite of the risk Hotaru brings to his life and her fear that as she grows older each summer, she may someday cease to be able to be with him. A mysterious and masked young man named Gin, who claims to somehow "no longer be human", finds her, and in spite of his claim that he will disappear should she ever make contact with him, he agrees to lead her out of the forest. Hotaru, a young and playful girl, finds herself lost in a forest purportedly inhabited by spirits while spending a summer at her Uncle's countryside house. ![]() ![]() The manga consists of four mostly unrelated stories, only one of which appears in this film. Notes: Based on a manga by Yuki Midorikawa, who is most famous for creating Natsume's Book of Friends. AKA: 蛍火の杜へ, Into the Forest of Fireflies' Lightĭistributor: Currently unlicensed in North AmericaĬontent Rating: 7+ (Mild Violence, Mature Themes)Īlso Recommended: Natsume's Book of Friends (Same Director and Mangaka), My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Ponyo, Voices of a Distant Star ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
December 2022
Categories |