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Japanese anime director Isao Takahata has died

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Japanese anime director Isao Takahata has died

#31

Post by innocentoldguy »

I watched Grave of the Fireflies (Hotaru no Haka), alone, sitting it my in-laws' condo in Tokyo back in 1991. To this day, it remains one of the most emotionally wrenching film experiences of my life. The only movie I've ever cried through. I consider it the best "war" film I've ever seen.

I have enjoyed nearly every movie Studio Ghibli has produced, especially early films like Kaze no Tani no Nausicaä and Tenkū no Shiro Rapyuta but Hotaru no Haka has a special, honored place at the top of my list.

Rest in peace, 高畑さん

Re: Japanese anime director Isao Takahata has died

#32

Post by clarkevans »

irq11 wrote: post #8
royjacobs wrote: post #2

I'm assuming that a lot of people will be commenting about Grave of the Fireflies. It's a stunning movie, but I felt a much greater connection to My Neighbors The Yamadas. I found it to be such a delightful movie, full of small family moments. Very few actual crises, very few actual stakes, but so wonderfully realized. It's a great loss.

Kaguya hime no monogatari was a masterpiece.

The scene under the cherry blossom is tear jerking. The scene of the princess running is simply amazing. Motion in particular, with flowing kimono, provided an arresting emotional portrait.

Re: Japanese anime director Isao Takahata has died

#33

Post by swombat »

ninjin wrote: post #19
Vaskivo wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Grave of the Fireflies is a movie I can't think of watching again. Extremely beautiful but also emotionally exhausting. I really enjoyed Only Yesterday. But I tend to like "slice of life" stuff.

Indeed, “Grave of the Fireflies” was the first ever, and so far only, movie that has brought me to tears. If anyone ever questions if an animated movie can ever convey emotions like “real” movies, think of this masterpiece.

I wrote a long reply to this but then realised maybe you meant that it's the first and only _animated_ movie that brought you to tears?

Re: Japanese anime director Isao Takahata has died

#34

Post by yial »

ythn wrote: post #30
ninjin wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed, “Grave of the Fireflies” was the first ever, and so far only, movie that has brought me to tears. If anyone ever questions if an animated movie can ever convey emotions like “real” movies, think of this masterpiece.

> was the first ever, and so far only, movie that has brought me to tears What about "Life is Beautiful" and/or "It's a Wonderful Life"?

“It’s a Wonderful Life” has never failed to elicite tears from me at some point in the film. They’re never quite tears of sadness though. They’re this moving, so full of emotion, happy/ sad/ overwhelmed tears that actually feel like a cathartic experience when done.

I used to live in state college, pa.... the State Theater (name of the cinema, not a state run theater ) there would have showings of it around Christmas time. I would highly recommend.

Re: Japanese anime director Isao Takahata has died

#36

Post by gawkface »

d6de964 wrote: post #22
Vaskivo wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Grave of the Fireflies is a movie I can't think of watching again. Extremely beautiful but also emotionally exhausting. I really enjoyed Only Yesterday. But I tend to like "slice of life" stuff.

Slice of life films tend to depress and/or stress me. I tend to avoid them because I empathize too much. Just reading the wikipedia summaries of the films you wrote about, got me anxious, especially `Only Yesterday` because I'm at the same age with the protagonist and my career and love life are lacking. If a film has a [redacted-for-spoilers] aspect, even with all the drama, I enjoy it more. If you're like me, you'l…

The reason that I can empathize and I can feel the feels is the reason I watched slice of life :) But now when it feels too much of effort, romantic comedy or just pure comedy is what I seek for relaxation (and escape?). U seem like an "emotions" guy and I would love to hear any recommendations My myanimelist is same as my username here

Re: Japanese anime director Isao Takahata has died

#37

Post by royjacobs »

ekianjo wrote: post #17
royjacobs wrote: post #2

I'm assuming that a lot of people will be commenting about Grave of the Fireflies. It's a stunning movie, but I felt a much greater connection to My Neighbors The Yamadas. I found it to be such a delightful movie, full of small family moments. Very few actual crises, very few actual stakes, but so wonderfully realized. It's a great loss.

My Neighbors the Yamada is great but it is not really a Ghibli creation since it is adapted from an existing comic strip. Grave of The Fireflies comes from a book but is definitely a whole different thing.

Certainly, but I adore the stylized (if you can call any kind of anime stylized) pastel coloring, the deliberate rough edges. Delicious :)

Re: Japanese anime director Isao Takahata has died

#39

Post by mygo »

ninjin wrote: post #19
Vaskivo wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Grave of the Fireflies is a movie I can't think of watching again. Extremely beautiful but also emotionally exhausting. I really enjoyed Only Yesterday. But I tend to like "slice of life" stuff.

Indeed, “Grave of the Fireflies” was the first ever, and so far only, movie that has brought me to tears. If anyone ever questions if an animated movie can ever convey emotions like “real” movies, think of this masterpiece.

you know what’s weird? In Europe and America we consider animated films “cartoons”, say they are for kids, and generally don’t see them as a serious storytelling medium. But in Japan, an animated film is not seen in this manner. In fact, animated films enabled movie directors in Japan to depict scenes that were simply impossible or prohibitively expensive to create with cameras and actors. So back when movie cameras were just starting to capture a decent frame rate and resolution, there were already excellent stories being told via hand-drawn animations and voice. The Japanese animators really embraced the creative freedoms that animation enables and you can see it in the wonderful storytelling value of their animated works.

TLDR; in Japan an animated movie is a real movie.

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