IMDb RATING
7.3/10
2.4K
YOUR RATING
A dramatic yet heart-warming story of cross-cultural friendship among children in the aftermath of WWII, presented by Tokyo-based award-winning animation studio Production I.G. Based on true... Read allA dramatic yet heart-warming story of cross-cultural friendship among children in the aftermath of WWII, presented by Tokyo-based award-winning animation studio Production I.G. Based on true events.A dramatic yet heart-warming story of cross-cultural friendship among children in the aftermath of WWII, presented by Tokyo-based award-winning animation studio Production I.G. Based on true events.
- Awards
- 3 wins & 2 nominations total
Yukie Nakama
- Sawako
- (voice)
Yûsuke Santamaria
- Hideo
- (voice)
Kota Yokoyama
- Junpei Senou
- (voice)
Austin Nash Chase
- Various
- (voice)
Grant George
- Hideo
- (English version)
- (voice)
Kannon Gowen
- Jun Pei
- (English version)
- (voice)
Natalie Hoover
- Tanya
- (English version)
- (voice)
Polina Ilyushenko
- Tanya
- (voice)
Hiroshi Inuzuka
- Village Chief
- (voice)
Featured reviews
It's just kind of boring, so and so I think it's most because the children protagonist are not that the interesting, and because of we don't have, Interesting point of view character, everything else just became kind of meth.
Production level it looks very good and the character design has a soft child Effect to it, and The Shadows were really good.
Just a bit too childish for my liking her like that adult characters to be the main viewpoint, but it is so and so.
Kind of weird out by how it tries to be beautiful and optimistic even if something horrible is happening. It's kind of absurd at some point, but maybe in a children's eyes. It's not so bad after all.
Production level it looks very good and the character design has a soft child Effect to it, and The Shadows were really good.
Just a bit too childish for my liking her like that adult characters to be the main viewpoint, but it is so and so.
Kind of weird out by how it tries to be beautiful and optimistic even if something horrible is happening. It's kind of absurd at some point, but maybe in a children's eyes. It's not so bad after all.
Beautiful tale, as is am not sure if it's history to be precise, cannot say neither it's a concept derived from both sides though the source is quite telling the structure is entirely real, anime adaptations over the years is at a breakneck speed mostly the fact that they captivate you in a sense of belonging that keeps the thrill there for you pleasure, in that instance your thoughts begins to collect data from different facets of the same anime prediction is pointless that's why all i do keep on is my attention to details so i can make a good remark and as far as remark goes this one hits the spot.
Junpei and his little brother Kanta are growing up on a small, far- northerly island of Japan, near the east coast of Russia, during and after World War II. After the Japanese are defeated, Soviet soldiers and their families take over the island, forcing the Japanese inhabitants to live in barns and to get by on small rations of rice smuggled to them from their former military posts. At first, Junpei and his family resent the Russians, but then he and Kanta meet Tanya, the daughter of the Soviet commander who is living in what was once their home. Children being children, they soon are playing together, learning each other's language and maybe, just maybe, falling a little bit in love. But when Junpei's father is betrayed to the Soviets, Junpei blames Tanya, believing that she told her father a secret with which he had entrusted her. There are other possible suspects, but by the time Junpei learns the truth, he and all the other Japanese are being moved off the island into internment camps, far away from Tanya....
This is a really beautiful animated film, filled with both humour and loss, all told on a human scale where nobody is all-good and nobody is all-bad. One of the most affecting scenes involves the Japanese schoolchildren singing a folk song (in Japanese, of course) while in the next school room, Russian children are singing a Russian folk song; by the end of the scene, the Japanese kids are singing the Russian song and vice versa. Just one example of how this film shows the resilience of youth and the common humanity of everybody in the world. Perhaps my favourite film at Montreal's Fantasia Festival this year; a real gem.
This is a really beautiful animated film, filled with both humour and loss, all told on a human scale where nobody is all-good and nobody is all-bad. One of the most affecting scenes involves the Japanese schoolchildren singing a folk song (in Japanese, of course) while in the next school room, Russian children are singing a Russian folk song; by the end of the scene, the Japanese kids are singing the Russian song and vice versa. Just one example of how this film shows the resilience of youth and the common humanity of everybody in the world. Perhaps my favourite film at Montreal's Fantasia Festival this year; a real gem.
We have plenty of films depicting WW2, but not as much about when it ended. For the surrendering countries, the end of the war didn't mean peace. Despite the war being over, returning soldiers were still taken as prisoners of war by Soviets, shipped to Siberia as mentioned in the film; families were separated, taken to interment camps, and the conditions killed many.
This movie encapsulates and beautifully illustrates the Japanese experience of the 'end' of WW2. Each character represents a different attitude taken at the time towards duty and country, giving each attitude its justice without bias.
It's amazing to see the history of my German great grandparents reflected in this film, despite it being about Japan; this history is often entirely neglected since they were the bad guys, but through stories like these, we experience these hardships and sufferings overlooked by the world. The film represents both the Japanese and the Soviets as humans, likewise important despite the harm the USSR did to Japan.
The impact is great yet simple, a very enjoyable film, not too heavy yet plucks a few heartstrings still and leaves an impression. The animations is lovely and drives home the themes of the movie.
This movie encapsulates and beautifully illustrates the Japanese experience of the 'end' of WW2. Each character represents a different attitude taken at the time towards duty and country, giving each attitude its justice without bias.
It's amazing to see the history of my German great grandparents reflected in this film, despite it being about Japan; this history is often entirely neglected since they were the bad guys, but through stories like these, we experience these hardships and sufferings overlooked by the world. The film represents both the Japanese and the Soviets as humans, likewise important despite the harm the USSR did to Japan.
The impact is great yet simple, a very enjoyable film, not too heavy yet plucks a few heartstrings still and leaves an impression. The animations is lovely and drives home the themes of the movie.
Nice story. It's very humorous. I'm enjoying it. It's pictures a lot how idealistic Japanese class rooms look like.
It's awesome picture for people who like traditional Japanese and further continuation.
It's less westernized than today/modern japan.
It's awesome picture for people who like traditional Japanese and further continuation.
It's less westernized than today/modern japan.
Did you know
- SoundtracksGinga Tetsudou no Yoru: Hoshimeguri no Uta
Music and Lyrics by Masashi Sada
Arranged by Toshiyuki Watanabe
Performed by Hiroyuki Chida
By Courtesy of U-CAN, Inc.
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- Giovanni's Island
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime
- 1h 42m(102 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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