Kotonoha no Niwa / The Garden of Words

[Tatsujin]

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I agree with Southrop. It was a good movie but not brilliant as I simply did not graps the essence of the story ("2deep4me"). It also felt rushed at the end. What did he say after the credits? There were no English subs for it.
But what the movie did brilliantly were the visuals. Seriously, that was breath-takingly good!

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Shinkai does a good job with 40 minutes.

The poem goes「鳴る神の 少し響みて さし曇り 雨も降らぬが 君を留めむ], roughly translating to "Even if rain doesn't fall and the thunder doesn't echo, and the sky isn't cloudy, would you stay here?" This is the question throughout the movie with him coming to her only when it rains. Eventually he comes up with the answer meeting her on a sunny day and saying, "If you are here I will come even if it doesn't rain".

But before she answers the rain begins again. They go to her house where they take shelter from the rain, and she informs him that she is about to leave to Shikkoku when it clears (saying she practiced walking, even barefoot, so she doesn't need his shoes-- the thing protecting us and allowing us to walk).

Naturally Akidzuki feels betrayed and runs away, but she chases after him (barefoot) recalling his question, and when the rain stops and the shine lights through she hugs him, telling him that it's only thanks to him that she can walk-- he saved her (by giving her shoes, which are the thing that protects us and allows us to walk).

That combines all themes in the movie-- she has gained the strength to keep living and is going to Shikkoku to teach, and he will continue creating shoes and pursue his dreams and eventually they will meet on a sunny day (notice how during the ending theme the rain slowly stops).

The ending is hopeful and lovely.

Ah ... that clears it up. Thanks!

[xyx]

This song and http://www.rainymood.com/ express the entire movie to me.

[Tatsujin]

Decided to load this up on my thumb drive and give it to my co-worker. I wanna see what he thinks of it. I won't say anything to him besides "It's a movie, 45 minutes, watch it till the end."

So quick question, what exactly is a "Tanka"? I know what a Haiku is.

[froody1911]

So quick question, what exactly is a "Tanka"? I know what a Haiku is.

I googled tanka and the first result answers it

[Southrop]

By the way, since newy mentioned the missing English subtitles after the Ending, here is what is missing:

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Letter:

This letter turned out to be longer than I thought.
Thanks for reading all the way up to here.
I hope you continue to be in good health,
and that the warm seasons come quicker.
[...] I look forward to hearing from you.
2014.2.3 Yukino Yukari

"You weren't the only one practicing to walk; I was too, now that I think about it."
"One day, when I can walk further, I'll go see you."

[jevitsj]

A really great movie, with stunning visuals but it felt a bit short and somewhat rushed towards the end.

[froody1911]

I think this was very nicely done. Sure you could expand it into a 3 hour romance epic, but it works well here too. The bare bones narration reveals only what is necessary for the viewer to figure out the characters by themselves.

This movie is not "light" by any means and does require you to feel and and think it over.

By the way, since newy mentioned the missing English subtitles after the Ending, here is what is missing:

(click to show/hide)

Letter:

This letter turned out to be longer than I thought.
Thanks for reading all the way up to here.
I hope you continue to be in good health,
and that the warm seasons come quicker.
[...] I look forward to hearing from you.
2014.2.3 Yukino Yukari

"You weren't the only one practicing to walk; I was too, now that I think about it."
"One day, when I can walk further, I'll go see you."

Thanks for the translation. He's obviously talking about

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becoming an adult, attaining maturity and independence.

[Mistgun_Zero]

Ahh, 10-bit 1080p stucks on my PC. Damn, have to wait for a 720p version.....

[Tatsujin]

Ahh, 10-bit 1080p stucks on my PC. Damn, have to wait for a 720p version.....

720p version is already available. Check Nyaa.

[Mistgun_Zero]

Should have searched better.    Thanks.

[Tatsujin]

Come to think of it ... it's been raining off and on the past two weeks with some breezy winds. Hmm ... maybe I should go to the park and ... maybe I'll meet an woman in her 20s! ..... Ha.

I've re-watched this couple of times at least the first 25 minutes of it.

[xyx]

Come to think of it ... it's been raining off and on the past two weeks with some breezy winds. Hmm ... maybe I should go to the park and ... maybe I'll meet an woman in her 20s! ..... Ha.

I've re-watched this couple of times at least the first 25 minutes of it.

Stop dreaming

[Tatsujin]

Come to think of it ... it's been raining off and on the past two weeks with some breezy winds. Hmm ... maybe I should go to the park and ... maybe I'll meet an woman in her 20s! ..... Ha.

I've re-watched this couple of times at least the first 25 minutes of it.

Stop dreaming

Ha! Leave me alone! .... I don't have an umbrella anyways.

[Southrop]

Ha! Leave me alone! .... I don't have an umbrella anyways.

All the better. Run through the rain until you meet the girl of your dreams. She'll obviously offer to share an umbrella and ask if you want to go to her place for a shower. Obviously.

[Bob2004]

This was a nice film. Story was cute, though not all that interesting, but Shinkai Makoto's return to his famous style of stunningly beautiful, super-detailed art more than made up for it. Frankly this could have had no plot whatsoever, and I'd still have enjoyed it for the art alone, it was so good.

I'm going to have to give it a second watch at some point and focus on the story a bit more to take in the details, I think. But then his films are always like that.

[Tatsujin]

I went outside the room to see my sister sitting down watching some show on YouTube, I pushed my shoulder onto hers and asked her "Want to watch a movie?"

She said "No." So I persisted and shoved her shoulder a bit more "You said what?". Her "I said no!". I poked her neck and said "You said 'yes'?". She started talking about some pressure point in the body then agreed to watch it ... anyways, she ended up watching it in my room while I was a sleep. She thanked me after the movie finished - all the way till after the ending ... haha, she liked it a lot. And apparently she's not as dense as I am from watching it the first time.

[megido-rev.M]

I guess I'll give it a shot, to see whether I'm also dense.

[xyx]

I went outside the room to see my sister sitting down watching some show on YouTube, I pushed my shoulder onto hers and asked her "Want to watch a movie?"

She said "No." So I persisted and shoved her shoulder a bit more "You said what?". Her "I said no!". I poked her neck and said "You said 'yes'?". She started talking about some pressure point in the body then agreed to watch it ... anyways, she ended up watching it in my room while I was a sleep. She thanked me after the movie finished - all the way till after the ending ... haha, she liked it a lot. And apparently she's not as dense as I am from watching it the first time.

SISCON ALERT!!!   SISCON ALERT!!!

[Nodame-chan]

By far the best Shinkai Makoto movie. Finished watching it half an hour ago. Still overwhelmed with feelings.

I can't even express how much I loved this movie. I basically lived it. Gonna rewatch every time when I feel like a little piece of shit.