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[ZombiePlatypus]

And not in a good way.

Just got back from seeing this. I seriously feel like I was M night Shyamalaned.

!!SPOILERS Ahead!!

Basically, girl goes out to the boonies for the summer to live with her foster-aunt. Encounters a mysterious nostalgic mansion. Finds another girl that lives in said mansion. They become close friends. Like super close. Like we are romantic lesbian friends. Then girl finds out that mansion girlfriend is a ghost. Then she finds out mansion ghost girlfriend is her goddamn grandma. Why.

I don't even.

My friend was playing devil's advocate and saying that maybe we all saw lesbian undertones that weren't meant to be there, but Jesus Christ I dunno how this could be an accident. The two wouldn't shut up about being each other's "special secret friend" and how they love each other. Ghost girlfriend in some scenes even mistook the main character for her future husband (as in the protagonist's grandpa). Oh and there was all this gushing water from a high tide every time they met together on the lake. Which, I don't know how that's not supposed to be symbolic. There was even a scene where ghost-girlfriend wraps over the main character from behind while they're on a boat, to teach her how to row. It was weirdly reminiscent of the pottery scene from the movie Ghost.

Also, it just so happened that the main character's foster aunt happened to live next to her biological grandma's mansion? That's some FFVIII "BTW we're all from the same orphanage, we just forgot" level wtf-ery.

So yea not feeling this movie. I freaking love and adore Studio Ghibli, but between The Wind Rises and now this, maybe it's good they might be stopping making new films.

 

[Ratrat]

So yea not feeling this movie. I freaking love and adore Studio Ghibli, but between The Wind Rises and now this, maybe it's good they might be stopping making new films.

They have, and it's a crying shame. Winds is great, Kaguya is fantastic. I have not seen Marnie yet, but since it was based on a novel it's possible things were left out.

 

[Spinluck]

Nothing you have said convinces me that they should stop making movies.

 

[bobawesome]

I'm fine with pretending The Tale of the Princess Kaguya was their final film. It was directed by the superior Takahata, after all.

 

[Not]

Wow because The Wind Rises was just awful huh

Geez some of you people are annoying

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

When are people going to stop treating film studios like filmmakers? MAN THAT GHIBLI DUDE HAS REALLY FALLEN OFF, MAYBE IT'S A GOOD THING HE'S RETIRING.

 

[munchie64]

Their last 3 movies were awesome as far as I'm concerned and highlighted the three pillars of Ghibli rather well: Miyazaki, Takahata and everyone else.

 

[ZombiePlatypus]

They have, and it's a crying shame. Winds is great, Kaguya is fantastic. I have not seen Marnie yet, but since it was based on a novel it's possible things were left out.

I'm fine with pretending The Tale of the Princess Kaguya was their final film. It was directed by the superior Takahata, after all.

Kaguya might be my favorite Ghibli film. Not only does it look visually amazing, I thought the pacing, humor and overall story was really great. Cannot wait to watch it again.

Wow because The Wind Rises was just awful huh

Geez some of you people are annoying

Honestly, I thought it was a self-indulgent mess, and I say that as a Miyazaki fan. It felt really unfocused between shifting back and forth in trying to be a story about the main characters' lives, and zooming out and being a story about the that whole period and the war. Not to mention the film just going "fuck it" halfway through and becoming really technical airplane-porn for way too long.

It was visually beautiful, but the pacing was a huge mess. I also didn't like that whole "creative people can only be creative for 10 years" message.

When are people going to stop treating film studios like filmmakers? MAN THAT GHIBLI DUDE HAS REALLY FALLEN OFF, MAYBE IT'S A GOOD THING HE'S RETIRING.

They're a brand and have a track-record. They mostly make certain type of movies, with a certain level of quality. Just like Pixar. Why is it wrong to look at them as a collaborative, creative team that puts out independent but (for the most part) equally on par pieces of work?

 

[bobawesome]

Kaguya might be my favorite Ghibli film. Not only does it look visually amazing, I thought the pacing, humor and overall story was really great. Cannot wait to watch it again.

Be sure to watch the "Isao Takahata and His Tale of The Princess Kaguya" documentary afterwards. It was included in the GKids release in North America; I'm unsure about other territories.

I already adored the film but I was in love with it afterwards. The amount of love and care that went into making it is astounding.

 

[ZombiePlatypus]

Be sure to watch the "Isao Takahata and His Tale of The Princess Kaguya" documentary afterwards. It was included in the GKids release in North America; I'm unsure about other territories.

I already adored the film but I was in love with it afterwards. The amount of love and care that went into making it is astounding.

Didn't know this was an included extra. Will check it out for sure.

 

[Mato]

I enjoyed it. Very pretty movie also.

There was no ghost in the film, the girl was just daydreaming about the things her grandmother had told her when she was a baby. The girl was probably sleepwalking too.

 

[ZombiePlatypus]

I enjoyed it. Very pretty movie also.

There was no ghost in the film, the girl was just daydreaming about the things her grandmother had told her when she was a baby. The girl was probably sleepwalking too.

I like this interpretation, but, still not sure why she'd inject herself in her grandpa's shoes then, which still leaves us with the weird romantic-incesty vibe.

 

[Jotamide]

I like this interpretation, but, still not sure why she'd inject herself in her grandpa's shoes then, which still leaves us with the weird romantic-incesty vibe.

You're overthinking it. I liked Marnie a tiny bit more than Kaguya and waaaay more than The Wind Rises. I thought it was a lovely story, and worthy of being Ghibli's final film (for the time being).

 

[manzoman96]

Chris Stuckmann on YouTube gave it a positive review so I'm interested in checking it out still.

 

[Blader]

Marnie was great. I didn't pick up on any lesbian undertones whatsoever -- they were just friends!

For a weird Ghibli movie

Spoiler

with actual (fake) incest

try From Up on Poppy Hill.

 

[Tuck]

I loved it. Great twist. I do agree that there were serious lesbian undertones, but I thought the main character had a really well done arc over the story.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

Be sure to watch the "Isao Takahata and His Tale of The Princess Kaguya" documentary afterwards. It was included in the GKids release in North America; I'm unsure about other territories.

I already adored the film but I was in love with it afterwards. The amount of love and care that went into making it is astounding.

Is Miyazaki being a dick to Takahata in this documentary?

 

[jph139]

Yeah the lesbian grandma undertones were pretty obvious to me and a weird-but-still-predictable twist to tack on to the end. Still a great movie, though.

 

[Xe4]

I saw it this weekend. It was pretty late at night, so I was literally the only one in the theater. Kind of relaxing, as I could just kick my feet up and enjoy.

Spoilers:

I thought it was alright. Not my favorite Ghibli film, but definitely not their worst. The way I saw the story is that it wasn't a ghost, but her memories of the grandmother. At the end of the film it shows Marnie talking to Anna, and I took that as her telling her life story to her. Maybe a part of that got stuck in her subconscious. That's why she could imagine Marnie and the home she lived in so well. As for the Aunts house being close, well coincidences happen. Neither Japan nor England (where the book took place) are all that big so I could easily see them both being in the same small town.

And yeah those lesbian undertones were SUPER apparent. I just took it that it was Anna was just discovering herself via osmosis of Marnie's stories. I thought it was super tacky, but kinda cute, so I dunno.

My biggest problem with the movie was that it lacked subtlety. Literally 10 seconds into the film Anna straight up says that she hates herself, which should have been obvious from her actions alone, but the movie had to tell us. Also there seems to be some stuff from the book that just didn't make the movie. Like how does Toichi (the boat guy who never talks) know about Marnie and the house? Who was the flower girl Marnie danced with, just some random girl or was it Hisako?

Other than that it was good. When Hisako tells the story and you put all the pieces together it is a pretty cool moment, and the film is damn gorgeous, like all Ghibli films. I certainly don't think it was as good as Kaguya, but that film was the best Ghibli put out in a while, so it would have been hard to top anyhow. I liked it more than the Wind Rises, with its forced romance.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

.... wut

why with granma though. i mean i appreciate my granma, but cant imagine myself being super special secret friend even with her younger self. she's a product of her time and ... yeah, i... just cant relate... specially if lesbian undertones. why. why. why. why. why.

:s







also i agree with you op. wind rises was self-indulgent. pretty, though.

 

[Dice//]

^ Agreed about Wind Rises.

Kay, so are there REALLY lesbian undertones or are y'all reading into it like that because y'all just a bunch of perverts??

Anyways, looking forward to watching it.

 

[Asbel]

I saw it this weekend. It was pretty late at night, so I was literally the only one in the theater. Kind of relaxing, as I could just kick my feet up and enjoy.

Spoilers:

I thought it was alright. Not my favorite Ghibli film, but definitely not their worst. The way I saw the story is that it wasn't a ghost, but her memories of the grandmother. At the end of the film it shows Marnie talking to Anna, and I took that as her telling her life story to her. Maybe a part of that got stuck in her subconscious. That's why she could imagine Marnie and the home she lived in so well. As for the Aunts house being close, well coincidences happen. Neither Japan nor England (where the book took place) are all that big so I could easily see them both being in the same small town.

And yeah those lesbian undertones were SUPER apparent. I just took it that it was Anna was just discovering herself via osmosis of Marnie's stories. I thought it was super tacky, but kinda cute, so I dunno.

My biggest problem with the movie was that it lacked subtlety. Literally 10 seconds into the film Anna straight up says that she hates herself, which should have been obvious from her actions alone, but the movie had to tell us. Also there seems to be some stuff from the book that just didn't make the movie. Like how does Toichi (the boat guy who never talks) know about Marnie and the house? Who was the flower girl Marnie danced with, just some random girl or was it Hisako?

Other than that it was good. When Hisako tells the story and you put all the pieces together it is a pretty cool moment, and the film is damn gorgeous, like all Ghibli films. I certainly don't think it was as good as Kaguya, but that film was the best Ghibli put out in a while, so it would have been hard to top anyhow. I liked it more than the Wind Rises, with its forced romance.

Yep, Marnie was just Anna's imaginary friend, that's why she had to be a secret, cuz it's embarrassing to have an imaginary friend at her age. The movie moved slow then Hisako's retelling went really fast so it's confusing. The lesbian overtones are a big deal only cuz you grew up in a prudish puritan society. Once you know that Marnie was her grandma, you know that the love and embraces were a familial love. There is nothing romantic, sexual or incestuous about a grandma and granddaughter saying they love each other and embracing each other.

 

[TrounceX]

Best part about this movie is the very first Japanese trailer with that beautiful music by Priscilla Ahn. The movie I could do without.

My opinion on the "twist" is that the movie would have been much better without it. The art, the atmosphere, the laid back pacing - it was all very classic Ghibli. But they should have followed through with the lesbian relationship, finished off Anna's character arc, and went for the bittersweet farewell ending. Sure that would be very predictable and simple, but somehow that's part of the charm of a Ghibli movie.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

When Marnie Was There is an excellent film, with well-done atmosphere and fully-realized characters and narrative arcs. It's my favorite Ghibli film since Spirited Away. Not that I didn't greatly enjoy Kaguya, whose visual/technical achievements are extraordinary, but the characters and themes of Marnie left a greater emotional impression on me.

My biggest problem with the movie was that it lacked subtlety. Literally 10 seconds into the film Anna straight up says that she hates herself, which should have been obvious from her actions alone, but the movie had to tell us.

It's an accurate depiction of the thoughts of a person with self-loathing though.

Also there seems to be some stuff from the book that just didn't make the movie. Like how does Toichi (the boat guy who never talks) know about Marnie and the house?

It's pretty obvious that he's lived in the area for a long time, long enough to have been around when Marnie's family was living there.

Who was the flower girl Marnie danced with, just some random girl or was it Hisako?

There's no reason to believe it was Hisako.

Kay, so are there REALLY lesbian undertones or are y'all reading into it like that because y'all just a bunch of perverts??

A lot of people today don't believe two people can share an intimate friendship without being sexually attracted to each other. It's sad, really.

 

[CharminUltra]

I enoyed Marnie despite the predictable twist. If I had to come up with a score it'd be a solid 8/10.

Great art, great tone, great atmosphere, and loved the english VO. I live for this stuff (and I even dislike anime).

 

[Krev]

The switch in Marnie was very weird. I also thought they were lesbians, which was interesting. Nothing was hinting to "I'm your grandma looking after you!".

The Wind Rises was a goddamn masterpiece.

 

[Kai Dracon]

I rather liked the film and felt it sort of falls into the genre of magical realism. Not quite an imaginary friend story, not quite a ghost story. I felt it was written to only fully reveal itself after you see the end and look back. Marnie's feelings of intense love for Anna are because she senses a motherly connection, not a romantic girlfriend connection.

There's even odd hints about how the two of them are seeing one another, such as during the scene in the old silo during the storm. When Marnie vanishes, and Anna is distraught, later it is Marnie who tells Anna that Anna is the one who vanished and left her alone. Almost as if it was a kind of spiritual or dreaming time travel to allow grandmother and grandaughter to meet. But again, it's not explained and there is no overt magical gimmick.

Overall, the emotional crescendo of the ending felt a bit forced, more of the story telling the viewer why it should be so meaningful rather than the characters really selling it themselves. But I appreciated how it was bittersweet in light of Ghibli likely closing. It's a bit tragic due to how Marnie's life ended up. Anna's visit allowed us to see the good parts of Marnie's childhood survived in some way; the bad end did not erase the past.

 

[jph139]

A lot of people today don't believe two people can share an intimate friendship without being sexually attracted to each other. It's sad, really.

They hold each other and cuddle, share intimate secrets, have a secret relationship where they only meet at night. She's constantly dreaming about her. They say they love each other over and over again.

Hell, there's a scene where Anna is explicitly jealous of Marnie dancing with what's-his-name. Then she stands up and grabs her hands, and Anna blushes, and they start ballroom dancing in the moonlight. If Anna was a male character there would be no debate at all about romantic subtext.

Romance between two girls (or two boys) can be as non-sexual and innocent as a heterosexual relationship.

My biggest problem with the movie was that it lacked subtlety. Literally 10 seconds into the film Anna straight up says that she hates herself, which should have been obvious from her actions alone, but the movie had to tell us.

See, I really liked that. I think as far as teenage depression goes it was pretty accurate. I know I had some days where I laid in bed and just thought "I hate myself. I'm worthless. Life is meaningless." It was very raw and irrational and unsubtle, but she's a 12 year old girl, so it fits.

 

[hosannainexcelsis]

They hold each other and cuddle, share intimate secrets, have a secret relationship where they only meet at night. She's constantly dreaming about her. They say they love each other over and over again.

Hell, there's a scene where Anna is explicitly jealous of Marnie dancing with what's-his-name. Then she stands up and grabs her hands, and Anna blushes, and they start ballroom dancing in the moonlight. If Anna was a male character there would be no debate at all about romantic subtext.

Romance between two girls (or two boys) can be as non-sexual and innocent as a heterosexual relationship.

Romance inherently has a sexual component to it. That's what makes it romance, as opposed to other types of love/affection/attraction. You can have a deep love for another person, the kind of love that Anna and Marnie shared, without that being romantic love. That's true whether we're talking about members of the same sex or members of the opposite sex. In this case, we have a combination of storge and philia, not eros.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

hoo boy the technicalities

...

romantic relationship with grandma is still weird to me though. even if it's not sexual. idk. and why was she alluded into the grandpa role, too....

:x


anyway, i will go see it for myself to form my own opinions i guess. but these outlooks .... are not good.

 

[jph139]

Romance inherently has a sexual component to it. That's what makes it romance, as opposed to other types of love/affection/attraction. You can have a deep love for another person, the kind of love that Anna and Marnie shared, without that being romantic love. That's true whether we're talking about members of the same sex or members of the opposite sex. In this case, we have a combination of storge and philia, not eros.

Eh, I'm not sure I agree. I think a romantic relationship hinges on intimacy, and that's not necessarily sexual in nature. I'm thinking of long-distance relationships, internet relationships, relationships between people who are asexual; these lack any sort of desire.

Anna's feelings toward Marnie are deep (they love each other), intimate (they share deep, personal, private thoughts and feelings), possessive/exclusive (Anna's jealousy of Kazuhiko, the private nature in general), physical (hand-holding, cuddling, dancing), and manifest physically (blushing). I think those are all hallmarks of romantic feelings (eros, you could say), and I don't think there's anything strange about interpreting it that way.

Spoiler

Though I'll be real, listing it out like that kinda makes me feel like a weirdo.

 

[akira28]

that's weird, but its not like her grandmother is a lesbian trying to hit on her granddaughter retroactively through the past.

because that would be fucked up.

 

[ZoddGutts]

Kaguya was their true swan song anyways.

 

[UrbanRats]

Wind Rises was great, Kaguya was amazing, should've been their send off.
Also, Back to the Future already did the time travel incest thing, so did Futurama (full on, in this case).
Haven't seen Marnie but i can't imagine a Ghibli movie with strong sexual undertones.
You can have very intimate and strong love for someone without wanting to fuck them after all.

anyway, i will go see it for myself to form my own opinions i guess. but these outlooks .... are not good.

Bah, i'll take a weird and controversial original story, over another bland tale of happy friendship, to be honest.

That said, since both Earth & Sea and Arrietty bored me to tears, i'm not looking forward to this one.

 

[navii]

I haven't seen Kaguya, but Marnie was the best Ghibli film since Porco Rosso I feel.

like another poster metined, subtlety wasn't its strongest suit, but I still really liked it.

My gf also picked up the lesbian undertones.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

Wind Rises was great, Kaguya was amazing, should've been their send off.
Also, Back to the Future already did the time travel incest thing, so did Futurama (full on, in this case).
Haven't seen Marnie but i can't imagine a Ghibli movie with strong sexual undertones.
You can have very intimate and strong love for someone without wanting to fuck them after all.


Bah, i'll take a weird and controversial original story, over another bland tale of happy friendship, to be honest.

That said, since both Earth & Sea and Arrietty bored me to tears, i'm not looking forward to this one.

Still needs to see Kaguya.

Wind Rises was ... stilted for me. Not my cuppa. I also couldn't enjoy Earth and Sea and Arrietty.

But I'm in favour of original stories, controversial or not, so will give this a go. Just that, Ghibli has failed to deliver lately (for me).

I also dont like bland happy friendships stories. I favour darker, weirder movies. I cant remember the last animated feature films that I enjoyed... I likey older stuff.... Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Perfect Blue, Howl, Spirited Away, Grave of the Fireflies, those are the titles off the top of my head.

Anyway. Will give this a go and see how I go~

:>

 

[UrbanRats]

Still needs to see Kaguya.

Wind Rises was ... stilted for me. Not my cuppa. I also couldn't enjoy Earth and Sea and Arrietty.

But I'm in favour of original stories, controversial or not, so will give this a go. Just that, Ghibli has failed to deliver lately (for me).

I also dont like bland happy friendships stories. I favour darker, weirder movies. I cant remember the last animated feature films that I enjoyed... I likey older stuff.... Akira, Ghost in the Shell, Perfect Blue, Howl, Spirited Away, Grave of the Fireflies, those are the titles off the top of my head.

Anyway. Will give this a go and see how I go~

:>

How you liked Howl and disliked Wind tho.

Howl has an offensive happy ending out of the ass "lol this stupid war, why did we start it? let's end it, ahah what doofus we were, oops, sorry thousands of dead people, lol bye!".
At least wind acknowledges the conflict between following one's passion, and the evil implications it may bring (which is a good direct metaphor, for Miyazaki's troubled passion for war aircrafts itself).

I think Howl is the one that makes me rage the most, because it even has some good stuff in it, but it's just so stupid how it rushes for an happy ending completely unearned.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

How you liked Howl and disliked Wind tho.

Howl has an offensive happy ending out of the ass "lol this stupid war, why did we start it? let's end it, ahah what doofus we were, oops, sorry thousands of dead people, lol bye!".
At least wind acknowledges the conflict between following one's passion, and the evil implications it may bring (which is a good direct metaphor, for Miyazaki's troubled passion for war aircrafts itself).

I think Howl is the one that makes me rage the most, because it even has some good stuff in it, but it's just so stupid how it rushes for an happy ending completely unearned.

But Sophie is so cute

I can be bought over by cuteness~ Waheeeeey~

I just thought Wind was tedious and uh.... idk... theres something in it that felt super eager to push me to like the protag. He was really really really just a good guy, hard working etc. I was so bored ;____; I liked the lil sister character, though. She was cute.

.... I sort of got a bit tired with fluffy sweetness though, you are right. Maybe I just saw Howl when I still had threshold for those stuff. I imagine I'd probably meh at it now.... oh no i've become a bitter and jaded hag aaaaaaaaa ;____;

Soon I will only like gritty documentaries of respectable hard topics ;____;

 

[ZombiePlatypus]

that's weird, but its not like her grandmother is a lesbian trying to hit on her granddaughter retroactively through the past.

because that would be fucked up.

Lol yea...tell that to whoever put this story together.

They hold each other and cuddle, share intimate secrets, have a secret relationship where they only meet at night. She's constantly dreaming about her. They say they love each other over and over again.

Hell, there's a scene where Anna is explicitly jealous of Marnie dancing with what's-his-name. Then she stands up and grabs her hands, and Anna blushes, and they start ballroom dancing in the moonlight. If Anna was a male character there would be no debate at all about romantic subtext.

Romance between two girls (or two boys) can be as non-sexual and innocent as a heterosexual relationship.



See, I really liked that. I think as far as teenage depression goes it was pretty accurate. I know I had some days where I laid in bed and just thought "I hate myself. I'm worthless. Life is meaningless." It was very raw and irrational and unsubtle, but she's a 12 year old girl, so it fits.

Thank you.

Sexual or platonic, it all felt far too romantic to have a family member involved.

 

[UrbanRats]

But Sophie is so cute

I can be bought over by cuteness~ Waheeeeey~

I just thought Wind was tedious and uh.... idk... theres something in it that felt super eager to push me to like the protag. He was really really really just a good guy, hard working etc. I was so bored ;____; I liked the lil sister character, though. She was cute.

.... I sort of got a bit tired with fluffy sweetness though, you are right. Maybe I just saw Howl when I still had threshold for those stuff. I imagine I'd probably meh at it now.... oh no i've become a bitter and jaded hag aaaaaaaaa ;____;

Soon I will only like gritty documentaries of respectable hard topics ;____;

That's what Ponyo is for!
Their very best when it comes to adorable characters and warm visuals.

Also, consider that the main guy in Wind, builds airplanes for Kamikaze use in aid of the Nazis!
Not so perfect.


Anyway, Only Yesterday is their unbeaten champion, maybe after Mononoke, MAYBE.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

That's what Ponyo is for!
Their very best when it comes to adorable characters and warm visuals.

Also, consider that the main guy in Wind, builds airplanes for Kamikaze use in aid of the Nazis!
Not so perfect.


Anyway, Only Yesterday is their unbeaten champion, maybe after Mononoke, MAYBE.

Ew. I couldnt Ponyo. It was too sugary. I think I died mid-way.

Butbutbut, he didn't wants really to make fighter planes. What he wanted was to make passenger planes! His hands were forced!!! He was really just a good guy that is caught in unfortunate warring circumstances abloobloobloo

...bloo



Ew

I cant I cant with Only Yesterday. Nuuuuu. *runs flailing* Oh I also cant with Summer Wars. But I can with Wolf Children (I forgot actual title) and the Garden of Words was super pretty amg *______*

 

[PK Gaming]

Yeah I wasn't exactly on board with the twist especially all of that romantic build up and yet... it was hilarious in a way. Sort of like that episode of Futurama (you know the one).

That aside, the movie was pretty great imo.

 

[Asbel]

They hold each other and cuddle, share intimate secrets, have a secret relationship where they only meet at night. She's constantly dreaming about her. They say they love each other over and over again.

Hell, there's a scene where Anna is explicitly jealous of Marnie dancing with what's-his-name. Then she stands up and grabs her hands, and Anna blushes, and they start ballroom dancing in the moonlight. If Anna was a male character there would be no debate at all about romantic subtext.

Romance between two girls (or two boys) can be as non-sexual and innocent as a heterosexual relationship.



See, I really liked that. I think as far as teenage depression goes it was pretty accurate. I know I had some days where I laid in bed and just thought "I hate myself. I'm worthless. Life is meaningless." It was very raw and irrational and unsubtle, but she's a 12 year old girl, so it fits.

Eh, I'm not sure I agree. I think a romantic relationship hinges on intimacy, and that's not necessarily sexual in nature. I'm thinking of long-distance relationships, internet relationships, relationships between people who are asexual; these lack any sort of desire.

Anna's feelings toward Marnie are deep (they love each other), intimate (they share deep, personal, private thoughts and feelings), possessive/exclusive (Anna's jealousy of Kazuhiko, the private nature in general), physical (hand-holding, cuddling, dancing), and manifest physically (blushing). I think those are all hallmarks of romantic feelings (eros, you could say), and I don't think there's anything strange about interpreting it that way.

Spoiler

Though I'll be real, listing it out like that kinda makes me feel like a weirdo.

I'm quoting both your post cuz I'm addressing all your points. Seeing their relationship as romantic is normal, but once you know that Marnie was her gram gram, all of the traits you listed are also normal between grandma and grandchild, aside easy explanations for the secret and the blushing.

Keep in mind that Anna is emotionally immature for a 12 yr old, just compare her outburst and actions to that of the other kids. Also keep in mind that young Marnie is only a figment of Anna's imagination and that Anna's grandma was the only person in her life as a child. Young Marnie is not an entity with her own thoughts, all her actions were given to her by Anna's subconscious. This explains the strong love Anna shares intimately and physically with Marnie because it is the memory of her time with her grandma.

The jealously/possessiveness is also normal. My nieces and nephews are always jealous for grandma's attention, no one else touches grandma, grandma is all theirs. Granted, they are much younger than Anna (who is emotionally immature and has an imaginary friend she keeps secret out of embarrassment). And shy kids blush easily when they think they'll embarrass themselves. All of the traits you listed are normal even in a non-romantic relationship.

 

[Zebra]

Ok, so now that I've seen this movie I do want to throw in my 2 cents.

Spoilers.

The clearest interpretation of what's happening in this movie is that Anna is projecting the stories her grandmother told her as a toddler onto this house because the sight of it stirred back up all of those memories.

This projection of her young grandmother is a composition of two things: The person her grandmother was and the person Anna desperately needs/wants at this point in her life.

There's nothing romantic about it. Anna has felt unwanted for most of her life except for the year that her grandmother took care of her. She feels unwanted and unimportant at the beginning of this movie.
So, she see this house. Without realizing it the house triggers the memory of the photo, which triggers all of the memories of her grandmother's stories as well as the emotional memories of security and love she received from her grandmother.

Anna needs someone fully committed to her, so that's the relationship she imagines for her and this ghostly vision. She desperately wants someone who adores her and finds her interesting and makes her feel safe and welcome. And it's important to her that this person be her own age, which is highlighted by her struggles with her peers.

I can see where some of yall are coming from, but I don't think the movie supports their relationship being anything more than incredibly close friends. Besides, if the film did support it, remember that this is not actually her grandmother. It's Anna's image of her grandmother, which truthfully even if she could materialize physically would not be her grandmother, because a lot of this person is being invented by Anna herself.

 

[shattyboombatty]

And not in a good way.

Just got back from seeing this. I seriously feel like I was M night Shyamalaned.

!!SPOILERS Ahead!!

Basically, girl goes out to the boonies for the summer to live with her foster-aunt. Encounters a mysterious nostalgic mansion. Finds another girl that lives in said mansion. They become close friends. Like super close. Like we are romantic lesbian friends. Then girl finds out that mansion girlfriend is a ghost. Then she finds out mansion ghost girlfriend is her goddamn grandma. Why.

I don't even.

My friend was playing devil's advocate and saying that maybe we all saw lesbian undertones that weren't meant to be there, but Jesus Christ I dunno how this could be an accident. The two wouldn't shut up about being each other's "special secret friend" and how they love each other. Ghost girlfriend in some scenes even mistook the main character for her future husband (as in the protagonist's grandpa). Oh and there was all this gushing water from a high tide every time they met together on the lake. Which, I don't know how that's not supposed to be symbolic. There was even a scene where ghost-girlfriend wraps over the main character from behind while they're on a boat, to teach her how to row. It was weirdly reminiscent of the pottery scene from the movie Ghost.

Also, it just so happened that the main character's foster aunt happened to live next to her biological grandma's mansion? That's some FFVIII "BTW we're all from the same orphanage, we just forgot" level wtf-ery.

So yea not feeling this movie. I freaking love and adore Studio Ghibli, but between The Wind Rises and now this, maybe it's good they might be stopping making new films.

Just picked this up yesterday, and I really wanted to like it but felt a lot of the same things you pointed out.

It just felt like WAY too many "coincidences", and oddities that just seemed out of place or forced. Like ok, Marnie is her Grandma, but why? Her grandma's ghost went back in time to get Anna out of her shell? How is she seeing her at all? It seemed clear that she wasn't day dreaming since at the end she was running up the hill and had a lucid conversation with the girl on the bike, then carried on talking to Marnie in the silo. Also Anna was on the verge of mental disaster about the foster parents receiving a stipend from the gvt, but then when her mom un-promptdly confesses, she sort of shrugs it off like "it's ok, thanks for telling me".

And maybe it was a fluke of the dub/translation but yeah... the "romantic" tone of the friendship felt super weird. Whether or not it was supposed to be misleading, or implying something romantic, you really can't say it didn't come off that way, and it was ultimately pointlessly distracting. Like ok, they're good friends... REALLY good friends... REALLY REALLY good friends who love eachother FOREVER.

It was a visually beautiful film, but I'm not compelled to rewatch anytime soon.