Studio Ghibli is one of the most famous animation studios in the world. Hayao Miyazaki, co-founder of the studio, has directed many of the most beloved films of all time (animated or otherwise), and viewers of all ages are dazzled by his films the world over.
But Miyazaki is not the only director at Ghibli. Several other extremely talented animators have taken up the top-dog position. The most well-known of them (and the only one besides Miyazaki to have directed more than one film) is Isao Takahata, whose films are just as popular as his co-worker in Japan, but abroad, he tends to be overlooked. It's not hard to see why; whereas Miyazaki's films are grand fantasy spectacles, filled with excitement and wonder, Takahata is far more laid back and human; most of his films are set in what you'd call "The Real World", and are aimed more at adults than at all age groups.
Probably the least-known of any of Ghibli's works is a Takahata film, known as Only Yesterday. Its obscurity is such that it is one of the only Ghibli films to never be released in the United States, and for its release in Europe and Australia, it was not dubbed, and received no publicity or extra features. This is a terrible, terrible shame, because Only Yesterday is nothing short of brilliant.
Taeko is a 27-year-old Japanese woman who has lived her whole life in Tokyo (currently the year 1982). However, she has always dreamed of visiting the countryside, and the previous year she finally got her chance when she visited the family of her brother-in-law. Now, she's returning, and on the journey there, she finds her 10-year-old self following her.
The majority of the film is made up of flashbacks to Taeko's childhood. Nothing really special happens- she fusses over grades, discovers boys, acts in a school play, experiments with new foods, etc.- but that is where the film's joy lies. Many don't realize it, but the average life of a human being is filled with all sorts of interesting, exciting tales, no matter how mundane they actually are. Taeko's life is interesting because it is relatable, and hits quite close to home- rather impressive, considering that she grew up in a completely different culture, country, and setting. In the long sequence where she and her friends learn about puberty and periods, there are many laughs to be found as the boys tease the girls about it, and the girls worry about how they may be perceived (oh no- Nanako sat out of P.E. because of her period! Now everyone will think that EVERY girl that sits out of P.E. will be on her period!). The sequence works partly because it is funny, and partly because it is so relatable- didn't we all go through that at some point?
Strictly speaking, Only Yesterday did not have to be an animated film. There is nothing in the plot that couldn't have been done with live action. But if it were, there would have been something missing. The warmth and lovability of the characters is closely tied to the way they are exaggerated. A good example of this is a scene where Taeko reluctantly eats a pineapple- she hates it, and you can tell by the hilarious way her mouth sloshes about in disgusted motions as she chews. No real child would be able to display those expressions, and without the expressions, the scene wouldn't be funny. For such a simple story, somehow, the more complicated process was the one that was needed to make it work. It helps that the animation is lovely- the Japanese countryside is lovingly, painstakingly, and accurately rendered, and gives off the same sense of awe that one would feel when viewing the real thing.
As mentioned above, Only Yesterday was never dubbed into any other languages, but I actually believe that it should stay that way. No matter how relatable the situations may be, it is a very Japanese film, and no amount of English would change that. This is one movie that only really works with subtitles. The film is aimed at adults, anyway; everyone who is old enough to watch it should be able to read.
For whatever silly reason, Disney has decided to completely forgo releasing Only Yesterday in the United States. Who knows why they wouldn't want anyone to watch such a beautiful film, but it's quite a shame that they don't. Everyone should have a chance to see this work of art. If you're lucky enough to find some way to watch it, please do.
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Glad you loved the film and so pleased this dub has allowed it to reach a new audience. The dub is there for some who would rather soak up the gorgeous animation without having to read. An uninterrupted visual experience so to speak. Also, we stayed as faithful in spirit to the Japanese as possible.
ReplyDeleteGlad you loved the film and so pleased this dub has allowed it to reach a new audience. The dub is there for some who would rather soak up the gorgeous animation without having to read. An uninterrupted visual experience so to speak. Also, we stayed as faithful in spirit to the Japanese as possible.
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