Omohide poro poro
Tags: flashback

Plot synopsis:
The film opens in Tokyo, where 27-year-old office worker Taeko Okajima, is planning to take a 10-day vacation. Having previously visited her sister's husband's farm in Yamagata. She had a good time there before, and has decided to go back again.As she prepares for her trip, her mind drifts back to her youth, when she was 10-years-old. After school lets out, almost all of Taeko's classmates have interesting places they are going to go to, but Taeko does not. When she brings this up to her family, they suggest that Taeko go with the family's Grandmother to a hot springs resort.Taeko eagerly goes with her Grandmother, but finds herself bored when all her Grandmother wishes to do is relax in their room. Taeko goes exploring the myriad baths in the resort by herself, but due to either the overwhelming beauty of one bath (or the heat of the baths), she passes out.While packing, she receives a call from her older sister whose husband owns the farm, and they have a laugh over the past incident.On her way to the train to the farm, Taeko passes by a fruit stand, and is reminded of when the family received a pineapple.This also happened during her 10th year, and she recalls how almost noone knew how to properly cut it. Her father decreed that it would not be touched until it was found out, and a few days later, one of Taeko's sister finds out. There is much eagerness once it is sliced into pieces, but slowly, the family quickly discerns they do not like its taste. Taeko attempts to stomach the pieces she has, and her sisters give her their pieces. In the end, the family concluded that the banana is the "king of fruits."Making it to the train station, Taeko also recalls more about the year 1966, when she was 10-years-old. With the popularity of the Beatles in full-swing, her sisters became enamored with the trends of the time. Her sister Nanako was in art school, and kept up with trends, including wearing a mini-skirt. Her other sister Yaeko had a small crush on an actress in a female acting troupe. However, while her sisters remember these things fondly, Taeko recalls she was too young to really get into these trends like her older sisters.One day after showing her Mother her grades, her Mother finds leftovers from her lunch, and expresses her disappointment in her daughter being picky, and not finishing her food. The next day at lunch, she is sitting next to a boy who is fine with finishing the radish and onion portion of his meal, but dislikes finishing his milk (per school rules, a student can only leave one item to be thrown away from their meal). Taeko offers to give him her radish and onions, and she'll finish his milk. The two quickly make a trade, but Taeko quickly finds that though she has no problems drinking milk, there's a bit too much for her to enjoy a second bowl.Afterwards, Taeko and several of her friends take part in a classroom debate. The topics cover everything from running in the halls, to handling leftovers. Not much is done regarding the issues, and there is much bickering and yelling.After remembering these things, the adult Taeko boards her train for the farm.Once aboard, her memories shift back to an encounter, where three girls from another class gigglingly inform her that a boy in their class named Hirota likes her. Taeko has no idea who Hirota, and her friends show her some graffiti near the school, showing Taeko and Hirota's name under an umbrella-like drawing. Her friends do some research, and find out that Hirota is a good pitcher for his classroom's baseball team.One day, both Taeko and Hirota's classes are pitted against each other in a baseball game.Hirota's female classmates eagerly chant that Taeko is watching, and Taeko's friends cheer for their own homeroom team, in defiance of the other girls. During the game, the cold gets to Takeko, and she rushes for the girl's restroom 4 times. At the end, she isn't there to see when Hirota wins the game. Seeing the game over, she rushes off to head home.On her way home, she encounters Hirota in the street. Both are very quiet, until Hirota asks Taeko which type of weather she prefers: rainy, cloudy, or sunny. When she mentions she likes cloudy weather, Hirota's face brightens, claiming he likes cloudy weather too, proclaiming they are 'alike.' Hirota happily rushes off, and we also see Taeko do the same.Back on the train, Taeko recalls this incident, and starts laughing at the innocence of youthful romance. As the train continues onward, Taeko begins to ponder just why she is finding her memories preoccupied with her 10-year-old self. As she ponders this, the memories of her schoolfriends run through the train car, and disappear.She then recalls the day when the boys were sent to play baseball, and the girls were given a lecture about menstruation. Needless to say, the lecture leaves Taeko and her friends a little uneasy. One of their classmates tells a little about menstruation, as she is already going through this as well. There is also some unease in purchasing underwear from the school for "being prepared."At lunchtime, several of the boys shock the girls by asking about word that the girls are to purchase underwear from the school. It soon becomes apparent that one girl named Rie, told about this to a boy she has a crush on. However, the boy's inability to understand what the girls having their periods or the underwear is about, leads to them annoyingly trying to look up the girls skirts.

Review: (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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Takahata has such an eye for detail and subtlety; the characters' observations about life and coming to terms with who you were and are when combined with the beauty of the animation and scenery are poetic and elgiec.What could be a trite romantic tale instead blossoms into art due to the hyper-realism of Takahata's story-telling.This movie requires some work to understand, but the effort is rewarded generously.
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..
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.
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!.
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.
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).
Now, as a 10-year-old student in Tokyo, Taeko has to overcome embarrassing experiences, bad grades in mathematics, pubescent sisters and a strict parental home to go through the changes from a girl to a young woman and strike out in the new directions of life.The memories, pictured in terms of flashbacks, are increasingly interrupted with a slowly developing love story in the country (according to the motto: love is, when it is country love), which means, that "Only Yesterday" has not an 'inoperative' framework plot, but is constantly in upheavals resp.
But now, she is going through another recent change and that is the reason for the never-ending deluge of reminiscences.Director Isao Takahata, one of the founders of the Ghibli studios, tells Taeko's story by the means of detailed, lively, and close to reality drawings, which are simply masterful in their wealth of color and details.
From the director of Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday is an elegantly crafted, patiently narrated & wonderfully animated coming-of-age drama that provides a soothing experience with its countryside ambiance, beautifully covers the highs n lows of life while growing up & dares to go beyond the conventions of its genre for it is a realistic drama written for adults.The story of Only Yesterday follows Taeko Okajima; a 27-year old, unmarried woman who has lived her entire life in Tokyo but has always been fascinated by life in the countryside.
Deciding to take a break from city life, she travels to her relative's village but throughout her journey she keeps reminiscing about her childhood & the role it played in shaping her adult life.Written & directed by Isao Takahata, the plot keeps oscillating between the lead character's childhood & adult life from start to finish and takes us through many events that's easy to relate to, whether it's early life crush, puberty, the insufferable mathematics, stubbornness of parents while growing up or that dissatisfaction with both career & love many of us have felt in our twenties.Where Hayao Miyazaki likes to make extensive use of colours in his features, Isao Takahata aims for the minimal effect that provides his works a uniqueness of its own & here the hand- drawn animation is truly mesmerising.
The only issue that may arise is that if one is unable to relate to any of the characters in the picture then its 118 minutes of runtime is definitely not going to be a pleasant experience.On an overall scale, Only Yesterday is another stimulating work from Isao Takahata & Studio Ghibli as a whole that keeps its premise firmly grounded with its realistic story & believable characters, exquisitely captures the nature-friendly life of rural areas and brilliantly works as an intriguing coming-of-age drama from a woman's perspective, which is always a welcome tale considering how few examples actually exist in cinema..
Like many late 20 somethings she is looking for something more in life, but just isn't really sure what that is or is afraid to reach out for it.The woman in the film has flashbacks throughout the film remembering herself as a 10 year old in elementary school and at home.
This 37 year old man was moved enough to tear up a bit at the way it made you feel.I would highly recommend this film to anyone who likes good films not just good animated films.
Just be prepared that a younger child might turn around and ask what they are talking about.I believe the real world portion of this film is set in the early '80's as the 10-year old version of the lead is 10 at the time The Beattles first arrived in Japan, which would be about the mid 60's and is 27 at the time of the film.If you know a bit about Japanese family life circa 1960 and Japanese culture in general some of the societal things in the film will be easier to understand, but I don't think there was anything in the film that would make it necessary to know much about Japan to enjoy the story.Sadly this film does not appear to be available on DVD or VHS even from Japan-based companies, which is a terrible shame.
It takes the memories, discard what we consider important and conjures up an odd and sometimes humorous assortment of events that shows how much they matter and affect the female protagonist after so many years.Only Yesterday is unique in the sense of coming-of-age films that it does not offer us a heavily dramatized coming-of-age film, presenting us with a bland, plain-Jane main character, Taeko.
The ending was outstanding, it showed the romantic side of this story and it was so good and emotional it made me shed some tears, something I almost never do out of Drama.Miyazaki may be the most popular, with the more thrilling and adventurous anime films out there, making absolutely gorgeous and entertaining movies in my honest opinion, but with this movie, in my eyes, Takahata proved to be on par with (if not superior to) Miyazaki when it comes to directing a movie with a memorable story and realistic characters..
The film revolves around the life of a girl who is 27 years old and is finding solace in a countryside home and her childhood memories.
There is an extremely intelligent moment when her sister, when asked by Taeko to explain what dividing fractions means, is unable to answer coherently.The characters in this film are so bursting with life that the story becomes so involving that I don't want it to end.
As the film comes to a close, the adult Taeko is heard to say "I'll leave my ten-year-old self at home," but as the wonderful credits suggest, we must all face the reality before us that our past and future are, and will forever be, inseparable.This is a wonderful film, and Takahata-San is an incredible storyteller.9/10.
This is the 2nd film Isao Takahata did for Studio Ghibli.It's suppose to be based off of this actual manga that's only common in Japan.The movie is taken place in 2 different time periods.
Finally, in early 2016, an English-dubbed version of the film arrived in American theaters, in time for the 25th anniversary of its original release.Taeko Okajima (voiced in the American release by Daisy Ridley) is an unmarried 27-year-old office worker in Tokyo – the only city where she has ever lived.
The life of 5th grade Taeko feels unremarkable and virtually joyless (and the film spends more time on the challenging and frustrating parts of her story than the relatively pleasant ones).
Hayao Miyazaki is indeed a genius when it comes to making animated movies.However, his fellow director from Studio Ghibli, Isao Takahata is also commendable.Grave of the fireflies is Takahata's first movie that I was able to watch.And I was so amazed how the story was told considering that it was presented as an animated feature.This flick proves again that Director Takahata is unpredictable in his way of delivering a story.Only Yesterday is a film that makes you feel wrong for labeling flashback movies as nothing but dull and boring.I simply love how Taeko's story was told.Definitely, It is another splendid masterpiece by Director Takahata...A job well done indeed....
She is millennial-aged, while I am Gen-X.)Well, the movie Only Yesterday has its good merits, but, of course, it's rather slow- paced that makes it hard to be reasonably attentive.I found the ending strangely touching that is indescribable.Perhaps you might enjoy the movie more if you saw it in English dubbed version, rather than the subtitled version, because the dubbed version would keep the story moving at a reasonable pacing, without you struggling to understand some cultural notes that fly over our head.The best part, I think, is the pineapple scene, which is simultaneously fascinating (given cultural background as explained) and a little poignant.
On the surface it seemed simple but something about certain lines on the face gave each character a depth of emotion that was captivating.This type of anime is usually not my cup of tea, but I must admit, the story was so good and done so well that it makes me think that I should be more open minded if someone recommends another one like it to me..
The plot sees a woman in her late twenties heading out into the country to take her second vacation period to work on a farm while also thinking back to moments from when she was a 10-year old.Although the plot suggests that this will be a melancholic affair, it takes the film quite a while to starting being a film that is very much for adults because the telling of the tale isn't heavy-handed but is rather quite realistic in its ease of recollection and the connections it makes to the present.
The animation of the characters is just as important and I liked Taeko a great deal in both past and present.Overall I won't say I loved every bit of the film because I didn't, but it mostly worked for me and I was surprised by how effective and moving it could be at times.
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.
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.
The story follows a 27 year old office lady named Taeko Okajima who takes her first solo trip into the countryside to spend some time away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo's city life.
Overall, Only Yesterday presents a unique, mature and realistic look at a young woman's life, through family, friendship, childhood, adulthood, the good times, the bad times and uses some very inventive and unique techniques to display this through it's beautiful animation, but the pacing is unbearably slow and the story doesn't feel like it's in any different place by the end than where it was at the start.
It presents characters and drama so naturally and compelling that it not only leaves you with an utterly optimistic feeling, but the feeling that it actually made you appreciate life more, in all its charms and complexities.The film focuses on Taeko, a 27 year-old woman working in an office in Tokyo.
These scenes with Taeko getting adjusted to life on the countryside are mixed with flashbacks to her childhood which show the many experiences that shaped her personality.What's truly astonishing and daring is how 'normal' the story is.
The film sees 27 year old Taeko, an unmarried woman who has spent most of her life in Tokyo, journeying to the Japanese countryside in order to visit her relatives.
Only Yesterday is a beautifully animated film as one would expect from Studio Ghibli.