Los niños del mar

As Ghibli studios pushed us into both Anime and Japanese Culture, Now, Ayumu Watanabe has pushed Japanese anime into exploring the meaning of life. Away from the stereotypical anime subcultures. A wondrous and life affirming portrayal of how connected we are with each other and that we are all sons and daughters of the stars. The depiction of inception, the biological miracle that comes with fertilization is a central theme. This is a cerebral film that can be enjoyed purely for its superb visuals.But understanding that science still cannot explain how the universe functions, and dark matter, you have to appreciate that art has a role to play. What a magnificent anime, film and thesis. If you do not understand it, be aware that this is deeper than you think. Enjoy the cartoons.

Beautiful scenario and great soundtrack. Bring out the mystic feeling of the deep sea. However, the story is quite difficult to understand, a bit obscure. The original comic is better about the storytelling.

I went to see this film, mainly because the French critics were rave and eulogistic. Do I have the right to be honest? I did not understand anything about this overly complex and dreamlike cartoon. This metaphysical fable immerses the audience in the deepest seas, in a stream of visually stunning but incomprehensible sequences. I managed to stay until the end hoping for an explanatory denouement. Thus, I left the movie theater both frustrated and disappointed.

The anime was beautiful and a stunningly presented. The background score was simple and unobtrusive, but soundly reinforced the imagery.

The story itself involves a young girls journey through a single summer, evolving from childhood into adolescence. The major theme is the linking of the cosmic with the mundane and how they are essentially the same. The primary story deals more with the cosmic while the postscript after the ending credits deals with the mundane and links them as equally fascinating.

My major criticism of this film does not involve a lack of artistry within the production as every aspect was exemplary. The problem will be with the Western audiences lack of understanding of Buddhism in general and it's philosophical association with everyday life. What may seem entirely sensical and logically told as a story in Japan may not even be recognized as a such in say North America. Still, I found it highly beautiful and enjoyable. Sadly, others without an understanding of the philosophical underpinnings will not.

I see that many viewers of this film dislike the movie for its enigmatic storyline and message, and at first I felt the same way. But the movie and its imagery really stuck with me afterward, and upon reflection, I came up this interpretation:

Perhaps the message the movie is trying to convey is just that: the universe contains vast mysteries that humans do not understand, and perhaps are not capable of ever understanding. We try so hard to bring order to the world by explaining everything with science and reason, but sometimes, that just isn't possible. Sometimes, it may be better to simply marvel at and appreciate the miracles of the universe, from the creation of the stars to the birth of life. That's what I came up with, anyway.

As someone currently studying a scientific field in university, I think this message is very eye-opening. If you are a new viewer, I would suggest not to try to understand the movie so much as to experience and enjoy it!