She and Her Cat: Everything Flows (Kanojo to Kanojo no Neko: Everything Flows; Available on Crunchyroll) is a 4 episode short form anime series about a young, single woman (who the cat only ever refers to as Kanojo) and her pet cat (Daru). It’s also a story about love and being present. The story is told from… Read More Newman’s Nook: Being Present
Kotonoha no Niwa, or The Garden of Words, is Makoto Shinkai’s newest film. Shinkai always seems to weave in the theme of distance and its effects on love in his stories. Many people like to focus on the romantic aspects but I think to truly appreciate his works, one must consider the overall theme and… Read More Kotonoha no Niwa: Lonely Sadness
“Will it reach?” Mikako, a 15-year-old who is piloting a mecha on a UN mission to defend earth from an alien threat, asks this question. Does she mean the text message she is sending? Or does she mean her heartfelt feelings toward the intended recipient, Noboru? As is common in Makoto Shinkai films, the answer… Read More The Still Small Voice of a Distant Star
The second part of 5 Centimeters per Second, with Kanae, takes a step in a slightly different direction, portraying another kind of naive love while still continuing the sad tale of Tohno and Akari. Kanae is a girl who is helplessly in love. Always timing her meetings with him, always so quiet and shy, yet… Read More 5 Centimeters per Second: Distance of the Heart Part 2
I’m a pretty big Makoto Shinkai fan. I wouldn’t call myself a huge fan, but if I were to list my favorite storytellers, he would be one of them. Personally, I love the themes he explores in his short but perfectly paced stories, and combined with the beautiful animation and more often than not perfect… Read More 5 Centimeters per Second: Distance of the Heart, Part 1
Beautiful spring scenery. Sad and delicate snowflakes. Skies that ask to be gazed upon for hours. Perhaps each of these images made you think of a Makoto Shinkai film. From the windy expanses of The Place Promised in Our Early Days to the mythical environment of Children Who Chase Lost Voices, Shinkai has brought an… Read More Makoto Shinkai Week on Beneath the Tangles!