Note: This has been acquired commercially! Please support anime in the US by purchasing the commercial version if and when it comes out! Thanks!
REVIEW of:
Who's Left Behind?
|
An
extremely realistic movie, "Who's Left Behind" takes place in
Japan before, during, and after World War II. The movie centers around
Kayoko, originally the youngest of four, as she grows up in a peaceful
Japan. It follows her from the age of eight until her early teenage years,
and though it is not advertised as a true story, it is more than true in
its style, characterization, and feel. As Kayoko grows, her household duties
increase and she learns how to take care of herself as she learns how to
care for others. When Kayoko is only twelve or thirteen, World War II hits
close to home when American planes begin to bomb Tokyo. As a protective
measure, Kayoko's parents send her to a more rural area to live with her
aunt and uncle. Here she is able to learn more about herself, this being
the first time she is away from home for long. Each step that Kayoko takes
helps her to find her own purpose in life, to create her own identity,
and to understand her world and her surroundings. "Who's Left Behind"
is approximately one and a half hours long. -
Kiwi Note: This has been acquired commercially! Please support anime in the US by purchasing the commercial version if and when it comes out! Thanks! |
-Quick Scale-
(click
here for the details on scoring)
10
= EXCELLENT!!
5 = Average
0 = TERRIBLE!!
| Kiwi-san (info) |
Akito-san (info) |
Ataru-san (info) |
|
| Artistry | 5 | 5 | |
| Character Development |
8 | 7 | |
| Clarity | 8 | 9 | |
| Plot & Storyline |
9 | 6 | |
| Style | 9 | 6 | |
| Comments | I don't even know where to begin... "Who's Left Behind?" is an incredibly sad yet touching story. It is a story about life, plain and simple. Realistic. I found the movie so well written at times that I had almost forgotten it was anime -- this rivals ANY American drama that I've ever seen. And it is one of only two anime titles that has actually brought me to tears, the other being Shin Kimagure Orange Road. All the characters are just so incredibly realistic and believable that I was really pulled into the movie. And this is most definitely a must see for anyone who has ever believed that "our country is the good guy and they are the bad guys." The questions "Who's Left Behind?" raises about war and its consequences are not new questions, though they come from a different perspective. I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys anime dramas, live-action dramas, or just realistic, touching, live-and-learn shows. | This anime was less than ok. I wouldn't recommend it. Its one of those movies about kids growing up too fast. The beginning was boring and lengthy, and at some points I just wanted to fall alseep. I mean, if you like watching little kids sing and cry for an hour, it might be your cup of tea. It's not like I'm a child-hater or anything. . . no, really! I just find children's singing torturous. I'm glad they got bombed. (Did I mention that holy water burns me? Oh well. . . ignore that.) The scenes in this anime weren't particularly thought-provoking or vivid, that's why the artistry and style scores are just average. The movie was easy to understand at least. But if there was a philosophical undertone, I missed it. Now that I think about it, ALL of the movie was boring and lengthy. Eventually, even Kayako's episodic hallucinations were uninteresting. At least everybody in the movie got what they deserved. | |
| OVERALL | 8 | 4 |
TOTAL OVERALL RATING = 6
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