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We are going to need a new Miyazaki.
I don’t get too many Anime movies in. Only the ones spoon fed to me. I don’t seek out the odd series Adult Swim that is available for the diehard fan. I’m your average Anime viewer. Akira, Spirited Away, THE ANI-MATRIX!!! I have these Blu-rays on the shelf. For this weekend. I decided to stay at home and watch some anime movies. I found this list of anime streaming sites at techlistify and picked my favorite series.
But with the retirement of the Master Hayao Miyazaki following last year’s stunning The Wind Rises there is a void in what we will see here in the States. I’m not sure who John Lasseter has waiting in the wings, if anyone. But I jump at the chance to see some gorgeous hand-drawn animation on the big screen; an art form dead here in the Land of Computer Generated Bliss.
A Letter to Momo is a charming little movie written and directed by Hiroyuki Okiura. Working in the past as an animator on some iconic films (Akira, Ghost in the Shell) Okiura knows the craft and is able to tell us a vivid and somber story of a little girl named Momo.
After losing her father, Momo is sent three spirits that take the shape of ancient Japanese goblins. There is culture relevance of these creatures that is lost to me (that’s the beauty of Anime: I don’t have a clue what the hell is going on sometimes and it is that difference is storytelling and culture that gives these films a distinct, dreamlike quality that cannot be matched).
I won’t delve too deep into synopsis here as there are some composed reveals throughout the film that do not need to spoiled. But Okiura sure does take his time to reveal them. The movie is just at 2 hours long and drags in places. Momo is a sad and mopey little girl and it takes eons to have her open up. Yet as the pace is slow, the characters are allowed to develop and there is some well textured storytelling here.
A Letter to Momo deals with loss and touches on the complex emotions of a young child on the cusp of growing up. There is a beautiful arc to Momo’s character that is properly handled and makes the film worth a look for Western audiences. And while very little happens in way of action for the first two acts of film, it ends with a visual bang featuring some unique and breathtaking animation.
A Letter to Momo is not perfect but it is a satisfying film. And while Hiroyuki Okiura is no Miyazaki, he’ll definitely do for now. What you got Lasseter? Bring it.