anime: THE GARDEN OF WORDS 言の葉の庭

title: THE GARDEN OF WORDS 

言の葉の庭

romanized: Koto no ha no Niwa

director: Makoto Shinkai

studio: CoMix Wave Films

Japan release date: May 13, 2013

genre: Drama, Romance

total gross: unknown

trailer  ~

CHARACTERS: 

TAKAO AKIZUKI 秋月 孝雄 - a hardworking, aspiring cobbler (shoemaker) who also takes care of his mother and brother, works as a dishwasher part-time so he can finance his dream

YUKARI YUKINO 雪野 百香里 - a secretive woman who loves to drink beer and chocolates for breakfast and loves to playfully swing her pumps

SYNOPSIS: 
A hard working 15-year-old male student Takao Akizuki plays hooky from his first-period class whenever it rains. He then walks to Shinjuku Goen garden, sits in a gazebo and relaxes. 

Yukari Yukino is a 27-year-old Japanese literature teacher who is going through a rough time, so she dawdles in a beautiful gazebo overlooking a pond drinking her beer and eating Meiji chocolates. 

A chance encounter leads both characters in the same gazebo on one rainy day. They will create a bond of unique relationship. 

REVIEW: 
First of all, I love anime director Makoto Shinkai from his previous works such as "5 Centimeters Per Second" and "Voices of a Distant Star" (if you haven't seen this go watch it now! ^_^); so I was very excited to watch this movie. His animation style is very nostalgic and relatable that it will touch your heart, I promise! 

As expected, every shot of The Garden is beautiful and very aesthetically pleasing. Besides that, it will give you goosebumps and make your heart soft. And as the movie progresses, you will fall in love with the lead characters and when the ending comes you are yearning for more. This is Shinkai's hook-line-and-sinker in all of his movies (that I've seen). You will be left wanting more but at the back of your mind he tells you and gives you satisfaction. 

It is a short movie (46 minutes running time) so if you end up not liking it, you didn't waste so much time. I highly recommend watching this film!! ^_^

re-watch value ~ 5 out of 5 hearts!!! 

watch the full movie English dubbed here ~ your welcome! 

FAVE QUOTES:

"A faint clap of thunder clouded skies,
perhaps rain comes
Will you stay here with me?" ~ Yukino to Takao

"A faint clap of thunder, 
even if rain comes or not, 
I will stay here,
Together with you." ~ Takao's response to Takao

*this is a Japanese tanka (short poem) from Man'yoshu, Book 11, verse 2,514*

“In the evenings, before I went to sleep, and in the mornings, in the moment I woke up, I realized I was praying for rain.” ~ Takao

GALLERY

ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK:

"RAIN" by Motohiro Hata 秦基博

Download the soundtrack here

If you want to sing along, here are the lyrics. 

OTHER FILMS OF MAKOTO SHINKAI:

YOU'RE NAME (Kimi Na No Wa) 

5 CENTIMETERS PER SECOND (Byōsoku Go Senchimētoru)

VOICES OF A DISTANT STAR (Hoshi No Koe)

A PLACE PROMISED IN OUR EARLY DAYS (Kumo no Mukō, Yakusoku no Basho)

credits ~ YouTube, Google Images, Wikipedia, GoodReads, Kojima48.blogspot.com

anime: NANA ナナ

Title: NANA

Japanese: ナナ

manga author: AI YAZAWA

anime director: Morio Asaka

genre: drama, romance, music, slice-of-life

release date: April 5, 2006 – March 27, 2007

episodes: 47

language: Japanese

country: Japan

CAST

NANA OSAKI 大崎ナナ (Nana or Nana O.)

~ rebel, hardcore, punk, femme fatale Nana; vocalist of rock alternative band Black Stones; ex-girlfriend of Ren from rival popular band Trapnest

NANA KOMATSU 小松奈々 (Hachi or Nana K.)

~ naïve, innocent, gentle, charming, soft-spoken, falls-in-love-easily Nana

**note - there is a Japanese actress named Nana Komatsu in real-life**

SYNOPSIS

This anime is based from the manga of the same title by Ai Yazawa. There are two young adult girls born the same day and same year, both named Nana, both dreamed of living a great and happy life in Tokyo. Nana Osaki is a rebellious, hardcore, outspoken, vocalist of Black Stones. She moved to Tokyo with her band and her goal is to beat her rival band Trapnest (where the guitarist is her ex-boyfriend Ren). Nana Komatsu aka Hachi is a gentle, heartwarming, innocent girl from the province and she moved to Tokyo to be with her boyfriend, Shoji and live happily ever after.

Both Nana's meet on the train and even if they didn't know at the time, they have great chemistry. Fate lead them to a great friendship they will remember for a lifetime.

REVIEW

Nana is an unforgettable story of friendship, love, love triangles,heartache, pain, fame and melancholy. It's not your typical fairy-tale romantic drama, it is darker and full of emotions. The story revolves about both Nana's strong friendship. Romantic love is secondary. Sure, both Nana went to Tokyo because of a man but they will soon find out that their friendship will endure all. I love it that this anime portrays that romantic love is important yet there is a time in our life that our platonic friendship is stronger.**note** Check out my review on Nana live-action movie.

credits ~ Wikipedia, Google images

GALLERY

**Nana complete cast**

*Nana Osaki and Ren*

*Hachi and Takumi*

*Blackstones aka BLAST with Hachi*

*rival band - TRAPNEST*

anime:KIMI NI TODOKE (FROM ME TO YOU) 君に届け

Title: KIMI NI TODOKE (FROM ME TO YOU)

Japanese: 君に届け

literal meaning: Reaching You

genre: ANIME, slice-of-life, romance, melodrama

director: Hiro Kaburaki

manga author: Karuho Shiina

release date: October 6, 2009 – March 30, 2011

episodes: 38

country: Japan

language: Japanese

CAST

SAWAKO “SADAKO” KURONOMA 黒沼 爽子

~ gloomy, shy, almost scary, loner high school girl; she gained the nickname “Sadako” from The Ring because of her long black hair (usually) covering her face

SHOTA KAZEHAYA 風早 翔太

~ popular, gregarious,handsome, ray-of-light personality, intelligent but kindhearted boy-next-door

SYNOPSIS

Sawako Kuronoma is your average middle-school girl who dreams of having many friends, however her fellow classmates often mistake her name to Sadako from the movie “The Ring” instead of Sawako. Whenever she approach a classmate they end up being scared usually her long, black hair falls in her face resembling Sadako. So her cheery personality become gloomier and lonelier that she stopped trying to make friends and just accepted her reality.

On the other hand, Shota Kazehaya is a friendly, intelligent, handsome, popular boy since elementary years that he made tons of friends. He is kindhearted as well and loves to help out his fellow classmate. He embodies Sawako's dream life.

First day of high school, Sawako was lost (and late) and bumped into Kazehaya, who gave her directions. She did not notice him but she caught his eye. He knew that she was not the scary “Sadako” girl that everyone is scared of. This is the beginning of their love and friendship.

REVIEW

Besides Bokura Ga Ita (my ichiban on slice-of-life manga, anime & live-action), Kimi ni Todoke is a very close second best. Kazehaya's personality and kindness is over the top. He is also my dream guy when I was in high school. And I know that there is that one guy in every high school that all girls dream of being their boyfriend. Best thing about this story are all the friendships that Kazehaya and Kuronoma will create and cherish. I'm a true believer that a good love relationship not only involves two people but (other) healthy friendships as well. There are more feel-good moments than drama which makes this anime series really worth watching. **Note** A live-action of the same title was released September 25, 2010 starring Japanese heart-throb Miura Haruma and lovely Mikako Tabe.

GALLERY

anime: SAY "I LOVE YOU" 好きっていいなよ

Title: SAY “I LOVE YOU”

Japanese:  好きっていいなよ

romanized: Suki-tte ii na yo

genre: slice-of-life,high school, romance, drama

director: Takuya Sato

manga author: Kanae Hazuki

release date: October 6, 2012 – December 30, 2012

episode: 13 + 1 OVA

CAST:

MEI TACHIBANA 橘 めい ~ anti-social, timid, loner high school girl

YAMATO KUROSAWA 黒沢 大和 ~ popular, friendly, boy-next-door

SYNOPSIS

Mei Tachibana had a “bad experience” in her elementary school years that she decided not to befriend any of her classmates for they not trustworthy. She lives by herself in an apartment (her parents live abroad). Meanwhile Yamato Kurosawa is the exact opposite of Mei, he is popular, gregarious, just a ray of sunshine. Everyone wants to be friends with him and so does he. One day he noticed Mei and showed interest. He tries everything to befriend her. This is the beginning of their friendship and more.

REVIEW

If you love slice-of-life, romance genre, you cannot miss Say “I Love You”. I can never get enough of this genre – it gives me a new breathe of life whenever I watch it. Notes ~ A live action of same title was also released on July 12, 2014.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Bokura Ga Ita

Mars

Kimi ni Todoke

Peach Girl

Kare First Love

GALLERY

*MEI TACHIBANA*

*YAMATO KUROSAWA*

honmei: KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE

 

Title: KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE

Japanese: 魔女の宅急便

Director: Hayao Miyazaki

Writer: Hayao Miyazaki

based on – Kiki's Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono

production company: Studio Ghibli

release date: 1989 July 29

running time: 102 minutes

original language: Japanese

country: Japan

English release by Disney

CAST

KIKI

Japanese voice actress ~ Minami Takayama

English voice actress ~ Kirsten Dunst

JIJI (cat)

Japanese voice actor ~ Rei Sakuma

English voice actor ~ Phil Hartman

OSONO (bakery owner)

Japanese voice actress – Keiko Toda

English voice actress – Tress Macneille

TOMBO (Kiki's guy friend /bff)

Japanese voice actor ~ Kappei Yamaguchi

English voice actor ~ Matthew Lawrence

PLOT

Kiki is a 13-year-old young girl who leaves her home to train (as a witch) for one year with her talking cat Jiji. She flies in her broom to the port city Koriko. Here she met a young man named Tombo who instantly fell in-love with the young witch. She also meets Osono (a pregnant bakery owner) where she will accept a job to deliver bakery goods in exchange of board and lodging. In this port city of Koriko, Kiki will learn about love, friendships, hardships and how to overcome struggles and the power of discovering oneself.

REVIEW

Definitely one of Hayao Miyazaki's masterpiece. Kiki's Delivery Service is my first anime movie (besides Astroboy as young girl) and I instantly fell in love. I have watched this movie hundreds of times and it never got old – you will be hooked every time.  

credits ~ Google images and Wikipedia

reel:MY LITTLE MONSTER

Title: MY LITTLE MONSTER

Romaji: Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun

english translation: The Monster Sitting Beside Me

genre: Romantic Comedy

anime: October 1 to December 24, 2012

episode: 13

SHOJO manga

CAST:

SHIZUKU MIZUTANI

HARU YOSHIDA

PLOT ~

My Little Monster focuses on the relationship between Shizuku Mizutani, who has absolutely no interests except in studying and her plans for the future, and a boy named Haru Yoshida, who sits next to Shizuku in class but rarely attends school. After Shizuku is tasked with delivering class printouts to Haru's home, she meets Haru, who immediately greets her as a friend, starting their new relationship. Nicknamed "dry ice," Shizuku is renowned as a girl who is emotionless and cold. However, when she met Haru she was touched by his innocence and his lack of knowledge towards human relationships. Though known as a violent and uncontrollable monster, Haru is actually kind and gentle. Haru immediately declares his love towards Shizuku, but it takes much longer for Shizuku to realize and accept her own feelings towards Haru. Together, as two previously unsocial beings, they help each other learn how to care for others and make friends.

Credits ~

Wiki - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_My_Little_Monster_episodes

Google images