Lets talk about The Garden of Words/Kotonoha no Niwa

Makoto Shinkai is a name that has become increasingly prevalent over the years and for good reason, too. After hitting the anime industry in 2007 with his opus magnum "5 Centimeters Per Second", he quickly established himself as a director with the ability to combine masterful artistic talent with emotional, bittersweet storytelling.

I truly think this film does not get the love/attention it rightfully deserves. This is probably because of Shinkai Makoto's' other films like the worldwide phenomenon "Your Name" or "Weathering with You". I am in no means saying that the Garden of Words is better than them because it's not but it is not bad either. It is a fabulous, remarkable and an amazing film. 

This film manages to portray what other films try to portray in like 25 episodes or 2 or 3 hours in just a mere 45 minutes because that's how long the film is.

The synopsis goes a bit like this "On a rainy morning in Tokyo, Takao Akizuki,

 an aspiring shoemaker decides to skip class to sketch designs in a beautiful garden. This is where he meets 

Yukari Yukino,

 a beautiful yet mysterious woman, for the very first time. Offering to make her new shoes, Takao continues to meet with Yukari throughout the rainy season, and without even realizing it, the two can alleviate the worries hidden in their hearts just by being with each other. However, their personal struggles have not disappeared completely, and as the end of the rainy season approaches, their relationship will be put to the test".

"The Garden of Words" is a short film depicting the romance and relationship between a 15-year-old boy and a 27-year-old woman.                                           Takao, the boy, feels 

lost and alienated by his uncertain future and passion for shoemaking. Concurrently, Yukino feels lost in an adult society where she feels she does not belong.

It's a premise that holds the potential for a compelling story. How many films deal with such an age gap, especially with an older female? Very few

The story is told from a narrative perspective by a young man named Takao Akizuki during the mid-year of June. He is 15 years old and has hopes to become a shoemaker. On a rainy day in June, he meets a mysterious woman named Yukari Yukino. They seem to be striking up a conversation that begins with an unfamiliar mood. The rain dark clouds cover the skies with claps of thunder strikes their first unusual encounter in the garden.

 

The entire plot centralizes around the interactions between our two main characters: a young student and a mysterious grown-up woman. Be that as it may, the dialogue is very minimal but simultaneously so potent for a vast majority of the development that occurs, and the insights we gain into our protagonists' hinges upon brief and restrained conversations. It is the absence of dialogue in many cases that convey human emotions more eminently and passionately than when spoken and the visuals play an incredible role to enhance this. Given the film’s brevity, it requires every element to contribute to the plot and no element exists without a reason – be it simple movements, scenery, music, or dialogue. It is truly impressive to see how effectively and concisely deep emotions and their underlying intentions are conveyed. The story is told elegantly for nothing is wasted.

Rain is a fundamental aspect that initially represents the condition necessary for our protagonists to meet. I think with regards to the symbolism that Shinkai has employed to explore key themes, it is better if you watch and contemplate yourself on them as this is where the majority of the satisfaction lies in this movie. 

The most impressive aspect of Shinkai's film was how effectively extended metaphors such as the rain were used consistently and in an enlightening fashion which keeps the film short yet brimming with sentiment. These themes coalesce with our characters and their self-discoveries to tell a larger story at hand in a modern social context exploring the Japanese traditional notion of love. Takao’s burning desire to transcend into adulthood and realize his dreams are beautifully embodied by the older and seemingly sophisticated woman but even during the film’s brief journey, Takao’s preconceptions are deconstructed and despite their differences, they come to realize their similarities through their interactions under the rain which are painfully human. Perhaps my only significant issue I found was the lack of emotional intensity or potency that led our female main character to the position and predicament she was in. By no means was it weak but it seemed lacking compared to how brilliantly Takao was characterized and this slight imbalance for me, hampered the final climax to a certain degree.

The season continues on. Seemingly every day, the atmosphere of this movie gives off a natural feeling. It's enchanting to see how everything flows along with the pouring rain. The fact days pass by like pouring rain but later on, it shows more of a clear sky. Throughout this time, it's clear that Takao has a clear mind with what he wants to do. He wants to become a shoemaker and with a proper mindset tries to raise income to achieve the task. After all, money doesn't grow on trees and everything has a price.

Takao and Yukino's relationship throughout the movie seems to be based on a strange connection. It's hard to make out exactly what it is because of their unusual encounter in the garden in the first place. But still, there's definitely a connection between them. It's just that the connection here seems to rather blend due to Takao's lack of knowledge regarding Yukino. However, he cares for her. In fact, his rage builds up whenever Yukino's name is heard from Takao's ears when something negative is spoken behind her back. Most of the time though, Takao seems to be in his own little world.

From a visual perspective, Shinkai's latest is nothing short of a masterpiece. If you have watched any of his previous works (notably 5 Centimeters Per Second), you will be very much familiar with the gorgeous scenery and eye candy that accompany them. And is eye candy ever plentiful here? It is a visual spectacle in every regard, meant to have us immersed in the world. Perhaps too much so, as you might find yourself so stunned by the scenery that any dialogue will sound like little more than background noise.

 

For a film whose strengths lie in its representation through resigned soliloquies, much of the portrayal lies in the hands of the artwork and animation which are nothing short of a maste

The sceneries and landscapes are meticulously drawn with details that are exceptionally similar to real-life further enhancing the immersion of the experience. The musical score has a larger focus on softer pieces that almost act as an addition to natural sounds of rain and nature or the cacophony of city life. The soundtrack is entirely piano-based and ranges from subtler pieces that capture the ambiance of the moment to more prominent pieces such as “Greenery Rain” (one of my favorite anime OSTs) which accompanies many of the visual experiences.

n another note, the soundtrack of this movie combines a piano-like tone with a song of melody to top things off. The ED song, "Rain" by Motohiro Hata shows emotions flowing through the backgrounds of our two main characters. Needless to say, it puts you in the shoes of their emotions. Along the way, the calm and lighthearted OST gives off a balanced vibe of naturalism. The dialogues spoken by the characters show their everyday life tones while rage and emotions are expressed in a more intimate voice. I give praise to Kana Hanazawa who is known for her many works and in this movie, she shows the world her talent once again with her dazzling expressions and mannerisms.

“Kotonoha no Niwa” is a magnificent movie that adopts a more nuanced and authentic approach in exploring human relationships. As stated initially, this is not simply a bittersweet romance that many condemn it to be but a subtle journey into the solitude and desires humans hold, within a prominent and relevant modern-day social context. All of this is delivered to viewers in a film that entirely takes advantage of the anime medium, showing just how much artistry and cinematic storytelling that resonates within you (as most Shinkai films do) can be achieved in a what is fundamentally 45 minutes of animated images.

For fans of Makoto Shinkai, this is definitely a film to watch and enjoy. However, if you're looking for more of a deeper plot, then that might leave you a bit more unsatisfied. At the same time, some hopes just don't keep up with my own expectations especially in the story department. Needless to say though, the colorful and artistic visuals of Garden of Words will paint you a memory you won't forget. Along with the soundtrack and song, it captures a moment where you feel as if you were there with the characters. It's also from this moment that hopes are formed with Takao and Yukino. There's this feeling from this 46-minute film I got that people can relate to. It's about hopes and dreams for the future. Takao wants to be a shoemaker and that's what he aims to be. I'm sure most of us have our own hopes and dreams for the future as well. Well with that said being and done, I HOPE you enjoy the film.

If you want to watch the film, you can find it on 4Anime and here's the trailer.

 Do not forget to comment down below on which anime should I do a review on next, but till then 

RATINGS/RECOMMENDATION

Recommendation Level: Highly Recommended

Rating: 8/10