Only Yesterday (1991)
Ghibli really understands how to make animation for all ages. This is more adult oriented than the others I have seen and without any direct magical elements, but it still has plenty of magic in a different sense of the word. What I found especially impressive is how it manages to feel relatable even though what actually happens is very far from my own experiences. It is about a young girl growing up in Japan in the 70s, but even though I am a male who grew up in Denmark in the 90s, I could still recognize the underlying feelings of the situations - despite the actual experiences being very different.
I don’t think a western studio could have done this. There is barely any plot, drama or conflict, though still a character arc of a sort. It magically works anyway by simply showing a childhood with all the mundane moments that stick with you for a lifetime. It isn’t a romanticized version of childhood or a traumatized version - it simply is what it is. Because our experiences as children have value in themselves and what defines us as a people is not necessarily made up from big pivotal dramatic moments, but rather the every day interactions with peers, siblings and adults.
It is probably redundant to say this, because that is true for all Ghibli films, but the artwork is stunningly beautiful. In particular the background art and I noticed small things like the city passing by outside the car windows didn’t appear to have any repeating patterns. Such a small thing that just shows the craftsmanship and dedication that went into the making of this.
Rating: 4