The Voices of a Distant Star

Fantastic short film, all made by one man on a mac. Voices Of A Distant Star is the story of a future intergalactic war, and young couples separated by minutes, months, and eventually years communicating via texts, in one of the most entertaining movies about long distance relationships I've ever seen (the first one with space fights anyway). The direction alternates between simple objects and images caught in daytime shadows, and grandiose sweeping shots of ultra violet skys and vast alien landscapes and space. Likewise the plot alternates between introspective voice overs about longing and the passage of time, wonder at the magnitude and beauty at the psychical world, and anime style space battles with giant mech soldiers, aliens who resemble T1000esque Crustaceans, and Space Vessels which look like swans. Emotionally and visually moving anime, about growing up and growing apart.

Makoto Shinkai could direct traffic and I would watch. This was an amazing anime. You could feel the distance and loneliness of the two main characters. Shinkai wrote, directed and made this all on one computer and you can feel the very personal feel that it gave this animation.

I heard a lot of good things about this anime movie long before I watched it and did not think too much about actually picking it up. But I have to tell the truth when I saw it on sale that pushed me over the line to get it and I am very glad I did. It is was wonderful addition to my collection.

Even the bonus that comes on the DVD version about a cat is great, it is only 5 minutes long but he makes it great. I look forward to his works, I am sure it will be tugging at the heart-strings as he weaves his tale into our hearts.

Not the typical 'smash and blast' mech-warrior tale. And those looking for one will probably be disappointed, even though there are a few battle scenes.

A written haiku can give the fullness of something in a few words. The evocative images, minimalist dialogue, and soundtrack of this short file capture the full essence of two people in love, separated by war, in the same way. I don't believe a longer film could have done this.

First of all, it is really really good.

What amazed me the most is how in such a short period of time Makoto Shinkai is able to create such a wonderful, clear, interesting and beautiful story.

This 25 minute ova tells the story of two friends who are separated because of military reasons. as the distance between them grows, it is harder for them to communicate. Just as Makoto Shinkai's other movies the story basically tries to explain how time and distance make people grow apart even when they love each other. This movie however is still in every aspect bellow 5 minutes per second. The reason I didn't like it as much as other Shinkai's movies is because animation was not very good, or maybe I just didn't like it. Never the less, its still a great movie which I recommend to everyone, (anime fan or not). Its easy to follow, very well built, and as I already said, is by far the best work I've ever seen in such a short period of time. Very very good. p.s: watch 5 minutes per second (also by the same director) is the best!!

...the guy made this short anime from his home by himself on a Mac-book 3 and had his wife do the voice of the girl and he did the voice for the boy. those were the only 2 characters in the short. what he accomplished, major studios with major money could not do.

this is the third film i've watched by Shinkai, the first being 5 centimeters per second. right away you see similarities in the artwork, the rain drops falling, trains leaving the station, flowers blooming and all this is done to evoke the feeling of loneliness and works very well. i know that every time i watch 5 centimeters i either cry or get the feeling of loneliness. his most recent movie " children who chase lost voices " is another one that basically deals on the same subjects. i guess all his films deal on the same subject, but the way he does it, nobody in the world can do.

the story is about 2 junior high kids about to graduate and go to high school, a boy and a girl. the setting is Japan 2046 and space travel is now possible and we have developed warp technology which can take us anywhere in the universe. there are also aliens that we are fighting with in outer-space. the girl gets recruited to pilot a mechanized robot in outer space to fight aliens. they are both 15 years old at the time. when she goes off to fight and explore in outer space, the only way they can communicate is through text messaging, but the further away her mission takes her the longer it takes for the messages to reach earth. at the furthest distance it takes over 8 light years for the message to reach earth. she longs for him and vice versa, her age stays at 15 but the boy when they are at their furthest distance apart has aged to the age of 24 and he hasn't gotten a message for over a year. he promises to himself to do what he has got to do and not stress himself out thinking to much about her. meanwhile in outer space she is going through life and death battles against aliens in her mechanized suit. every time she gets a chance she thinks about him and planet earth and you really get an over-saturated feeling of loneliness to the point where some viewers cried. i didn't cry but the film did make me feel sad and lonely.

if your in a sad and lonely mood, unless you want to cry, don't watch it cause you are going to cry. hey, at least crying lets us know we are alive and only real humans cry, it is a good emotion. might want to make us better humans too.