Anime Highlight: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time
Hi, my name is HD and I run a blog called HardDoor, which focuses on anime and boxing. Teddy-chan asked me if I would like to do a guest post on anime here at TeddyChanTastical! and I obliged. In particular, I was asked if I could contribute something with Valentine's Day in mind. This had me thinking: what would be the best title to showcase as not only a good introduction to anime (especially for new or casual fans), but one befitting of the holiday, as well? To me, the 2006 film, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, fits that bill.
Known in Japan under the title of "Toki o Kakeru Shoujo" (or "TokiKake" for short), it is an easy-to-follow film with broad appeal, nice visuals, and an engrossing, heartfelt story about adolescence, love, and growing-up. The film centers on 17-year-old tomboy Makoto Konno, a carefree high-school girl who doesn't always get the best grades, is not the most coordinated, and would much rather spend her time hanging out and playing catch with her two guy best friends--the cool, smart Kousuke Tsuda and the laid-back, easygoing Chiaki Mamiya--than dwell on the future.
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| From left to right: Chiaki, Makoto, & Kousuke |
However, this day has been quite the eventful one: from getting a pop quiz in one of her more difficult courses and making a fiery mess in Home Economics, to getting crushed by a guy horsing around with his friend and suffering a doozy of a fall while on cleaning duty. Yet, it all pales in comparison to what happens after school, when she becomes an unwitting participant in an horrific accident…
…Or so it would seem, as young Makoto avoids this danger and discovers her time-leaping ability. She has no idea how she came about having such a power, but by being able to literally jump back through time, she uses it to do what any teen in her position would likely do: not be late to school, acing that pop quiz, eating that pudding of your's before your little sister gets to it, avoiding every mishap, and redoing every fun outing with your friends. It even comes in handy when avoiding an instance of one of her friends suddenly asking her out, but as Makoto will soon learn, changing her fortune or that of others does not always prove beneficial, and sometimes can bring unforeseen consequences…
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is sequel of sorts to a popular novel of the same name--in fact, Makoto happens to be the niece of the novel's heroine, who also has a role in the film--though no knowledge of the original is required to enjoy it. The word "masterpiece" is often used to describe the film, and aptly so. One of the reasons it resonates and works so well is in its on-point portrayal of adolescence and all of the things that come with the territory: the awkwardness, the life changes, the inevitability of growing-up, and so on. Makoto's friendship with Kousuke and Chiaki is at the center of this, as they are on the cusps of graduation and certain events and courtships arise that threaten to change that dynamic. In this regard, Makoto is like the quintessential teenager, being aware of the changes around her and unsure of what lies ahead, but now with her powers, she able to keep things just the way they are. Her earnestness and trial-and-error use of her powers help make her a very likable and relatable character, and the authenticity behind her and the others go a long way in breathing credibility and life into the film's story.
Along with the natural flow and deftness of the script, other complementary points can be found in the gentle, hand-drawn style of the animation and painterly details of the background art. The character designs themselves, supplied by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (Evangelion), are simplistic, but no less enjoyable, and the body language and excellent voice acting (be it in Japanese or English) accompanying them makes them all the more so. Along with a great score by Kiyoshi Yoshida (Kaiba, Shigurui) and vocal songs by Hanako Oku that hit the right notes in every scene they are in, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time comes together as a very satisfying and fulfilling whole.
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| The heroine in the original novel, and Makoto's aunt, Kazuko certainly know a thing or two about time-leaping… |
The film's director, Mamoru Hosoda, does a fine job bring this all about and in balancing its comedic, dramatic, and romantic elements. He has an interesting backstory, as well, having initially helmed a number of Digimon films and contributing work on other Toei Animation titles before being asked in 2002 to head Studio Ghibli's adaptation of the British novel, Howl's Moving Castle. He accepted, but not long after, he bowed out of the production due to creative differences with the studio. Him being the choice was already questioned, but with legendary director Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Princess Mononoke) having to come out of retirement to salvage the project, Hosoda had a lot of egg on his face. But after accepting an offer from Madhouse (Death Note, NANA, Trigun) to direct TGWLTT, his profile did a complete turnaround after it became a sleeper and critical hit, garnering numerous awards and accolades from both fans and critics.
For Valentine's Day, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time can make for a good romantic movie that can be enjoyed by girls and boys alike, even if they are not that into anime. The film is primarily aimed at teens and above, but aside from one sex-related joke mentioned twice, some mild profanity, and certain traumatic scenes, it can be reasonably safe for family viewing. It is currently available on DVD in regular and limited edition forms (which includes an additional disc of extras and the soundtrack in a hard, book-like case) and Blu-ray (which includes many of the additional extras found in LE DVD set, but lacks the soundtrack), which can be purchased at such stores as Amazon.com, RightStuf, Best Buy, and Barnes & Noble. All editions have both the original Japanese performances w/ English subtitles and an English dub--and with both casts doing an outstanding job, you can't go wrong either way. On an interesting note, this was the voice acting debut for both of Makoto's actresses, though it's hard to tell with the effort they both put forth.
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| Images like this will make much more sense when you watch the film… |
If you happened to like the movie, the original novel itself was just released last year by Alma Publishing Company and can be found pretty cheap at around $7.00. You might also want to check out its live-action sequel, Time Traveller: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, which is the most recent in a long line of TV and film adaptations. This 2010 film is distinctive in that it not only stars Makoto's Japanese voice actress, Riisa Naka, but in it, she plays as the original heroine's daughter (though both films are their own stories). A two-volume manga adaptation of the novel was illustrated by Gaku Tsugano under the title of "A Girl Who Runs Through Time" in 2004, while a single-volume manga adaptation of the anime film, by Ranmaru Kotone, was released around the same time as it (standard procedure for many anime properties). In similar fashion, a manga entitled "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time After" was also released around the time of the 2010 live-action film, but unlike the other ones mentioned, it has not been released in the U.S. The live action film can be found on DVD at the same retailers as the anime, whereas the manga can be found at Amazon and other booksellers, and the novel the easiest at Amazon.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a rare work that succeeds on so many levels and is told with a great amount of surefootedness and mastery. With its memorable story, characters, and visuals, there is a very good reason why this fine, heartfelt blend of humor, drama, and romance continues to be held in high regard to this day.
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