Diary of Suzu Urano.
What They Say:
An empowering coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of World War II, In This Corner of the World is a captivating story about the resilience and triumph of the human spirit. Based on the award-winning Japanese manga by Fumiyo Kouno, In This Corner of the World is written and directed by Sunao Katabuchi and produced by GENCO and Japanese animation studio MAPPA. Bolstered by emotionally resonant storytelling and exquisite hand-drawn animation, this acclaimed animated feature recently won the coveted Animation of the Year award at this year’s 40th Japan Academy Prize. The film has been selected to screen in competition at Annecy 2017 and will have its North American film festival premiere in competition at LA Film Festival this June.
The award-winning story of In This Corner of the World follows a young lady named Suzu Urano, who in 1944 moves to the small town of Kure in Hiroshima to live with her husband’s family. Suzu’s life is thrown into chaos when her town is bombed during World War II. Her perseverance and courage underpin this heart-warming and inspirational tale of the everyday challenges faced by the Japanese in the midst of a violent, war-torn country. This beautiful yet poignant tale shows that even in the face of adversity and loss, people can come together and rebuild their lives.
The Review:
Everything surrounding World War II and the tragedy that all throughout both sides of the war has been adapted and represented in various anime in the past several decades. In This Corner of the World is a different take than any I’ve seen. The film is far more lighthearted and funny than you would expect, but not without the inevitable constant dread of what you know is coming.
In This Corner of the World takes place in the Hiroshima Prefecture through the eyes of Suzu Urano. The first act of the film sets her character, giving us several small vignette slices of her childhood leading up to the main section of her adulthood during the crux of the World War. Like many girls during that time, Suzu is sent off to marry a stranger from the nearby town of Kure. Though her actual family still plays an important role, the true stars of the movie is Suzu and her new in-laws.
From a pure plot perspective, In This Corner of the World sounds very cliche and simple, and at times, that’s exactly what it is. In fact, there is a line towards the end of the movie where a character makes note of the fact that she is just “so ordinary.” But because it is almost solely from the eyes of Suzu, we are able to experience the war and its effect in a unique way. Suzu is a simple girl that loves to draw more than anything and most of the film’s biggest moments are literally painted or drawn for us exactly how she imagines it in her head.
Speaking of art, I’d be mistaken to not stop and mention the wonderful style that MAPPA brings to this film. In This Corner of the World features gorgeous hand-drawn animation, with every person, building, and setting lovingly brought to life. From the initial scene that kicks off the movie, it is apparent that the artists and animators that made this love their work just as much as Suzu does in the story.
The animation and plot set up what life was like back then perfectly. The slow, relaxing mood of the port town is seamlessly integrated into the very gradual pace the film takes. In This Corner of the World clearly has a place it is getting to from the very beginning, but it takes its time getting to that endpoint, emphasizing the journey over the dreadful destination. It is in stark contrast to more depressing works like Grave of the Fireflies. Suzu is so unfazed by what’s going on outside of what she cares about, and it is reflected well. There are extremely subtle details that are revealed to her over the course of the movie that she simply is unaware of its significance. These moments can even go over the head of many viewers, because we are getting everything filtered through her eyes.
But if you are able to parse through, the revelations gained can bring about a range of strong emotions, making it well worth multiple viewings. I would argue that In This Corner of the World even approaches the subject of mental stability and outright illness with such grace and poise that you can go the whole movie and not even realize it. Actually, it could just be me and it was never there at all. That’s how smart the plot is. That’s why it makes the ending all the more disappointing. For all the subtlety that is built up over the course of its 2 hours or so running time, the epilogue so to speak goes on a little longer than it should have.
That, unfortunately, isn’t the biggest misstep, though, as it rapidly rushes towards a final scene that sheds its “we’re going to keep going even though you’re still figuring this all out” in favor of something forced and way too on-the-nose. By no means does it ruin the film, but it definitely is underwhelming in comparison to the skillfully-done rest and left me with a slight sour taste in my mouth.
In Summary:
Though World War II has been handled countless times in dozens of mediums, In This Corner of the World takes a much different approach to the story. Suzu and her family are unconcerned with the greater things happening in the world, and it is apparent in this slower, lighthearted, and subtle take. The beautiful animation and simplistic soundtrack lend a helping hand in creating a very re-watchable film that is just shy of being a masterpiece.
Grade: B+
Release Date: August 11th, 2017 (North America)
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