10. Anime Storytelling 1 - Garden of Words

April 12, 2021

10. Anime Storytelling 1 - Garden of Words

29 March 2021

Garden of Words

"you helped me learn to walk"

"you saved me"

5 Centimetres per Second

"i realised that he was always looking at something far away.

he can't even see me"

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Anime Storytelling

Garden of Words (Anime), 46min,

Japan, 2013, Makoto Shinkai

(writer, director, Storyboard, Art director, Color design)

5 Centimetres per Second (Anime), 1hr 2min,

Japan, 2007, Makoto Shinkai

(writer, director, Photography, Color design, Editing)

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btw i've updated the text (below is the old text)

updated blog post -

https://jt-write.blogspot.com/2020/12/114-covid-anime.html

Anime Short Films Watched this week:

i watched these short Anime films recently and love the stories!

i think these are the types of stories i really really want to tell.

Garden of Words

5 Centimetres per Second

both Anime by Makoto Shinkai

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Garden of Words (Anime), 46min,

Japan, 2013, Makoto Shinkai

(writer, director, Storyboard, Art director, Color design)

Loneliness is the central element of the film, according to Shinkai. In an interview, he said he created the film with the hope of cheering up people who feel lonely or incomplete in their social relations. However, he made a point that "this movie doesn't treat loneliness as something that must be fixed.

in this scene, the 15 year old boy is measuring her feet to learn how to make shoes for women.

rain & shoes

rain = alienation, difficulties, renewal, wash away

shoes = learn to walk again

"I was practicing how to walk, too.

I believe that now.

One day, when I can walk much further on my own,

I will go see her."

when it rains, they come here, a little shelter at the park, feeling yuck, needing to escape. they meet every time it rains in the morning when they feel bad - one doesn't want to go to school and the other not wanting to go to work. but they end up sharing moments when they don't have to feel alone.

“A faint clap of thunder

Even if rain comes or not

I will stay here,

Together with you”

"you saved me" (Climax)

in this scene, he tells her how he struggles and wishes for her to share her struggles too. and she finally manages to tell him - along with a hug, a shout/scream, sobbing. makes me cry every time i see this scene. this is when friendship is honest and free and safe to be vulnerable.

and yes, this scene is often misunderstood - i can see it's not romance.

it's a strong bond and connection they share.

it's time to be painfully honest, face reality -

be honest - more to oneself than to anyone else.

https://medium.com/@shraddhadhodi/10-interesting-things-about-garden-of-words-that-you-may-have-missed-81273c971a50

Tanka

なるかみの, すこしとよみて,
A faint clap of thunder,
さしくもり,
Clouded skies,
あめもふらぬか,
Perhaps rain will come.
きみをとどめむ?
If so, will you stay here with me?

なるかみの, すこしとよみて,
A faint clap of thunder,
ふらずとも,
Even if rain comes or not,
わはとどまらむ,
I will stay here,
いもしとどめば。
Together with you.

- Man'yōshū vol. 11, verse 2514 - 2513,
from the movie The Garden of Words -

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below: fav scenes

“I realize now, I was learning how to walk as well. I haven’t mastered the steps, I fall too. But im on my path, my path... and one day that path... will take me to her.” - Takao Akizuki

"i’m twenty-seven, but I don’t feel any smarter than I did twelve years ago" -Yukari Yukino

soundtrack review
https://blog.animeinstrumentality.net/soundtrack-reviews/kotonoha-no-niwa-the-garden-of-words-soundtrack-review/

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5 Centimetres per Second (Anime), 1hr 2min,

Japan, 2007, Makoto Shinkai

(writer, director, Photography, Color design, Editing)

this anime story is good too, but did not hit home as much as Garden of Words (2013).

also, 5 Centimeters per Second (2007) was done a few years before Garden of Words (2013). so this story may have been a warm up exercise - i believe it prolly is.

here are my fav scenes and why i love these moments...

“Hey… They say it’s five centimetres per second. The speed at which the sakura blossom petals fall… Five centimetres per second.” – Akari Shinohara

“And bit by bit, you’ll keep changing.”

“At what speed must I live to be able to see you again?” – Takaki Toono

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5 centimetre per second,

ep1 - childhood

Lol that's how fast or slow the cherry blossom flowers fall from the tree.

"It is the speed by which a cherry blossom get separated from its tree.”