, is a Japanese
anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
short film
A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...
written and directed by
Makoto Shinkai
, known as
, is a Japanese animator, filmmaker, author, and manga artist.
Shinkai began his career as a video game animator with Nihon Falcom in 1996, and gained recognition as a filmmaker with the release of the original video animation (OVA) ' ...
. It was initially screened at the
Tokyo International Forum
The is a multi-purpose exhibition center in Tokyo, Japan. The complex is generally considered to be in the Yūrakuchō business district, being adjacent to Yūrakuchō Station, but it is administratively in the Marunouchi district.
Tokyo Int ...
on February 10, 2013, though it was also shown alongside Shinkai's film ''
The Garden of Words
is a 2013 Japanese anime drama film written, directed and edited by Makoto Shinkai, animated by CoMix Wave Films and distributed by Toho. It stars Miyu Irino and Kana Hanazawa, and features music by Daisuke Kashiwa instead of Tenmon, who ha ...
'' during its Japanese premier on May 31, 2013. It was later posted on YouTube from September 2013 to January 2014. ''Dareka no Manazashi'' is a slightly futuristic story about the maturation of a recently independent young woman and her changing relationship with her father. The story develops through reminiscent scenes of their family life and the connection the girl and her father share with the family's cat.
The film was produced by
CoMix Wave Films
is a Japanese animation film studio and distribution company based in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The studio is known for its anime feature films, short films, and television commercials, particularly those made by director Makoto Shinkai. It was fou ...
, NEST, and TYO M1 Production in collaboration with The Answer Studio Co., Ltd. The voice cast includes
Fumi Hirano
is a Japanese actress, voice actress, singer and essayist who voiced Lum in the anime series ''Urusei Yatsura''.
Fumi attended Tamagawa University in Machida, Tokyo where she graduated with a degree in Theatre from the Department of Fine Art ...
,
Satomi Hanamura, and
Shinji Ogawa
was a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator from Setagaya, Tokyo. He was affiliated with the Herringbone agency.
He was best known as the dubover artist for Michael Douglas and Timothy Dalton, and for voicing Hyō in ''Fist of the North Star'' ...
. Hirano's narration was crucial in helping Shinkai structure the film. Other leading staff included Makoto Taiga, Miho Suzuki, and Takumi Tanji. Akihisa Matsuura directed the music, and Kazusa wrote and sang the theme song, , which was aimed at matching the tastes of a younger generation.
Online reviews and comments universally praised the film as heartfelt and artistically vibrant, though it was criticized for its brevity. It was described as "deeply emotional", particularly for older viewers due to its emphasis on family bonds as a family changes over time.
Plot
Set in the near future, the story focuses on a recently independent daughter , her parents, and their pet cat . Aya had recently taken a job that allowed her to move away from home, and her father, , lives at home alone with their cat while Aya's mother, , is working overseas. Mii is an old cat, originally obtained as a kitten by Aya's father to help his young daughter cope with her mother's absence, and is now in poor health. The story is narrated from the cat's perspective.
The story begins with Aya returning home from a rough day at work. After relaxing on her bed, she receives a phone call from her father, who wants to have dinner with her; however, she declines by lying about still being at work. The narrator then reminisces about Aya's childhood and family life, particularly dwelling upon how her maturity and independence had created distance between her and her father, who is increasingly lonely yet happy for her. Later that night, Aya awakes to another phone call from her father. Having learned of Mii's death, she visits her father and has lunch with him, an experience that brings the two closer together. Aya later visits her father to see the new kitten he buys. At the same time, her mother rings the doorbell and the family is reunited, their happiness renewed.
Production
''Dareka no Manazashi'' was written and directed by Makoto Shinkai, who directed ''
Voices of a Distant Star
is a Japanese science fiction original video animation (OVA) short film created and animated by Makoto Shinkai. It follows the lives of two close childhood friends, a boy and a girl, who get separated once the girl is sent into space to f ...
'' and ''
5 Centimeters Per Second
is a 2007 Japanese romantic drama animated film written and directed by Makoto Shinkai. It theatrically premiered on 3 March 2007. The film consists of three segments, each following a period in the protagonist Takaki Tōno's life and his ...
''. It was produced by
CoMix Wave Films
is a Japanese animation film studio and distribution company based in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The studio is known for its anime feature films, short films, and television commercials, particularly those made by director Makoto Shinkai. It was fou ...
, NEST, and TYO M1 Production in collaboration with The Answer Studio Co., Ltd. The assistant director was Makoto Taiga, the animation director and character designer was Miho Suzuki, and the art director was Takumi Tanji. The music was directed by Akihisa Matsuura, and the theme song, , was performed by the singer-songwriter Kazusa. Shinkai said he chose Kazusa to perform the theme song because she could provide "the sort of music that the young encounter", fitting with the film's theme. The voice cast includes
Fumi Hirano
is a Japanese actress, voice actress, singer and essayist who voiced Lum in the anime series ''Urusei Yatsura''.
Fumi attended Tamagawa University in Machida, Tokyo where she graduated with a degree in Theatre from the Department of Fine Art ...
as Mii,
Satomi Hanamura as Aya Okamura, and
Shinji Ogawa
was a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator from Setagaya, Tokyo. He was affiliated with the Herringbone agency.
He was best known as the dubover artist for Michael Douglas and Timothy Dalton, and for voicing Hyō in ''Fist of the North Star'' ...
as Kōji Okamura. The short film is 6 minutes 40 seconds in length.
The short film was made with the support of
Nomura Real Estate Group for its , a home living exposition at the
Tokyo International Forum
The is a multi-purpose exhibition center in Tokyo, Japan. The complex is generally considered to be in the Yūrakuchō business district, being adjacent to Yūrakuchō Station, but it is administratively in the Marunouchi district.
Tokyo Int ...
. According to Shinkai, the greatest challenge in the project was to keep the animation both short and entertaining while also covering the two main themes: family bonds and the future. Hirano's narration, which provided character background and insight into their personalities, helped Shinkai structure the film.
Release
''Dareka no Manazashi'' was announced on Shinkai's official website on January 10, 2013. On January 23, Nomura Real Estate Group streamed the trailer, and announced plans to screen the short film on February 10, during the "Proud Box Appreciation Festival". On May 22, 2013, Shinkai tweeted that he would also include the short with the Japanese premiere of ''
The Garden of Words
is a 2013 Japanese anime drama film written, directed and edited by Makoto Shinkai, animated by CoMix Wave Films and distributed by Toho. It stars Miyu Irino and Kana Hanazawa, and features music by Daisuke Kashiwa instead of Tenmon, who ha ...
'' on May 31, 2013. The two films were also screened together for the Italian cinematic release on May 21, 2014.
The entire film was uploaded to YouTube through Nomura Real Estate Group's ProudChannel on September 5, 2013, and was streamed starting September 9. English subtitles were added on September 11. It was originally scheduled to be taken down on January 12, 2014, but remained available until January 21. During the four months it was available, it was viewed more than 745,000 times. On March 28, 2014, ''Dareka no Manazashi'' was included with the "Extras" on the limited edition ''The Garden of Words'' DVD distributed by
Kazé
Kazé is a French publishing company that specializes in anime and manga. Its head office is in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. Founded in 1994, the company debuted by publishing '' Record of Lodoss War'' on VHS. It is currently run by Sony thr ...
in Germany (subtitled in German).
Reception
''Dareka no Manazashi'' was positively received in Japan, and attracted particular interest once available on YouTube. Megumi Sawai of ''RocketNews24'' quoted what she called typical online comments on the film, all of which described the emotional impact it had: "It was very good, and deeply emotional." "Hopelessly, I was reduced to tears." Sawai herself credited the film for the high quality of the art, and its message, saying it reminded her of the "bonds between family members, which remain unchanged even as the form of a family changes". ASCII.jp said that "even young viewers can be moved by sympathy" after watching it, but that its greatest emotional impact might be for older audiences.
According to Curtis Stone at Geekenstein, the artwork was "vibrant and meticulous" and story was "exceptional", and along with its execution and character development, he felt that ''Dareka no Manazahshi'' was "utterly enrapturing" despite its shortness. Stone was most impressed by how people could so easily relate to the characters emotionally, despite the film's brevity. His only minor criticism was that the ending left open tantalizing questions about the family's future, though he noted that this did not detract from the film's message. UKAniFest called the short film "heartstringy" and characterized it as one of those hard-to-find "little gems".
References
External links
*
Dareka no Manazashi' at Makoto Shinkai's official website
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dareka no Manazashi
2013 anime films
Japanese drama films
Animated drama films
Drama anime and manga
Slice of life anime and manga
Films directed by Makoto Shinkai
Anime short films
Anime with original screenplays
CoMix Wave Films films