In This Corner of the World is as much a celebration of life and the beauty that it entails as it is a story about the resilience of the people when faced with times of hardship and uncertainty. Set during World War II, the story of Suzu, a girl whom over the course of the two hour runtime grows and matures before our very eyes, and as she does a connection is formed between the viewer and her. Although we witness her grow as she is faced with misfortune, her desire to dream and stay positive remains a constant as she paints and draws the scenery around her as a means to escape the realities of war but to also appreciate the beauty that surrounds her in Kure, amongst the steep hillsides and adjacent to the inland sea which is adorned with warships. Suzu is 18 at the start of the film, a fact that may surprise a few people as the character designs are both playful and childlike. As you adjust to this stylistic choice however, a style that faithfully recreates the designs of Fumiyo Kouno's manga do we begin to realise just how effective this style is. There's a sense of maturity and care that graces each and every frame as 1940's Japan is brought to life and it's this juxtaposition that works together to conjure up a blend of levity and seriousness that makes for a huge punch to the gut.
At many junctures In This Corner of the World is a cosy film, laid back in its demeanour it invites its audience to soak in the atmosphere as the characters live their lives. The world has been meticulously crafted and has been animated in a beautiful painterly visage that juxtaposes amazingly with the more stark imagery. It is clear that director Katabuchi has spent a lot of time and effort in order to recreate 1930's/1940's Japan and its evident. In This Corner of the World is very much a slice of life and so utmost focus is applied to the interactions between the cast, from the way that they talk to each-other to the way in which they interact with one-another on a day to day basis. For many people this may mean that the film slows down to a halt with not much ever happening at many points in the film but these moments create the heart of the film. Pillow shots are used throughout the film as a means to break up the action and to create a sense of place. We're allowed to breath in and appreciate the painstakingly recreated scenery and an air of sentimentality billows throughout the film. These shots can often come across as unrelated and abrupt but instead of diluting the emotion that's brewing they instead intensify the impact as they, as I said earlier create a sense of place. The world within this movie feels tangible and real and the interactions that occur on screen feel genuine.
Gentle, warm and hand-crafted, the painterly aesthetics lull you into its world as the highly detailed recreation of Kure is brought to life. The main character loves to draw and so during the movie elements of her imagination splash onto the screen and intertwine with the events that are unfolding as a means to allow the audience to see the world through her eyes. What this allows director Katabuchi to do is to depict events and scenes that we've seen time and time again in a fresh and new manner. In This Corner is not short of inventive imagery that sets it apart from similar films. The character designs are equally charming although they can appear simplistic and lacking in nuanced facial expressions, the terrific voice work however points the audience in the right direction. Some of the nonplussed facial expressions work, intended or otherwise as a means to make the characters almost unperturbed by the events occurring, to them this is life, the sounds of bombs exploding and bullets ricocheting is almost one with the sounds of birds chirping and cicadas buzzing. Either way, the character designs embody the pleasing and homely designs of Fumiyo Kouno. Kouno would sometimes draw images with her non-dominant hand or with lipstick instead of ink as a means to make the images more varied and to more importantly depict the emotions of the characters visually and the animators of this film took similar approaches in order to achieve the very same. Like Suzu in the manga and film, both Kouno and the animators of the movie tested themselves in order to discover their capabilities when it comes to art and their imagination. A film about the atomic bombs and the devastation that they left upon Hiroshima and Nagasaki brings fourth obvious imagery which is why the way in which Katabuchi goes about depicting these events are imaginative and innovative when it comes to storytelling.
The hand-drawn backgrounds are full to the brim with historically accurate details which juxtapose perfectly with the animated and simplified character designs and the two compliment one another perfectly. In This Corner perfectly captures the moments in life and I found myself becoming absorbed in the story, so much so that at parts I had forgotten that I was watching a film, never mind an animated film. From cooking to cleaning as the characters go through the motions the film is able to inject a much needed sense of levity amidst the terrible events that occur and by the end of the film I had truly become attached to the characters in a way that I hadn't expected.
Audio is handled just as well with the voice actors all doing a terrific job which again goes a long way in cementing this world and making it feel real. Although many of the audio tracks don't necessarily stand out on their own, they all work wonderfully in conjunction with what's being depicted visually, the film opening up with 悲しくてやりきれない ザ (I Can't Bear How Sad It Is) however is poignant, beautiful and does a terrific job of setting the tone for what is to come. The original 1968 version by The Folk Crusaders is a truly fantastic song and the rendition by Kotringo is equally sobering with the lyrics hitting like a tsunami of emotions.
It's a testament to the crew behind this film that they were able to craft a two hour historical animated film and to hold ones attention throughout and to stick the landing is impressive. Animation affords us the ability to conjure up the most imaginative and exciting worlds, to create and depict lives with ones bare hands is powerful and it leads to all sorts of possibilities which is why when a movie like this comes along it reminds us that some of the most remarkable and touching stories take place in the real world, even sometimes in a little corner of the world.
9/10
