enchanting and provocative

Rating: Null/10 (21 April 2003)

This is not the usual anime. It is not angry in the way that most anime is. You can choose to brush it off as a cartoon; but most people will be touched. Depending on your mood or inclination, you can find in it poignant echos of the human condition. There are so many messages in it served up in such a gentle way that it engages without melodrama and influences without judging.
It is essentially a story about the triumph of innocence (a theme that seems to be close to director Miyazaki's heart, take "to see with eyes unclouded by hate" from his earlier "Princess Mononoke"). This is a story for everyone who ever was a child (and for those who missed it), and for every child who wants to grow up. Look hard and you will see many of your friends and family (and more importantly perhaps, your enemies) in the cast of characters... look harder and you may even find a meaning of your life :)
8/10. See beyond the art and enjoy.