Some interesting things in life come about purely by accident. So just in the early evening my friend called me to check if we could catch Transformers in the theaters, but sad to say he was way ahead of his time; Transformers won't arrive in Singapore until next week. Maybe he got caught in some time warp. And it was from there did I see Cathay's movie listing featuring an anime by the title The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (toki o kakeru shoujo).
And it ain't from Studio Ghibli. Hmmm. Ah, the wonders of the Internet. A quick check and it was a certainty this is something not to be missed. We did not regret this alternative choice of a movie; my effort to brainwash surrounding friends into otakus just got easier.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is not an original concept, but actually a "follow-up" (I won't exactly call it a sequel) to a 42-year-old novel by Tsutsui Yasutaka. It mimics the first story by featuring Konno Makoto, the boyish protagonist, in a close group friendship with two other boys in her class. Makoto is not an achiever, and struggles pretty hard - and pretty much in vain - to get life to work out to her liking. One day she chances upon a device that grants her the ability to Time Leap, literally jumping and tumbling back into the past. Her style of "entrance" has got to be funniest thing in the show.
Being the good mature responsible teenager she is, Makoto starts using this highly useful technique to score well perfect in her tests, "read" the sporting moves of her opponents, avoid trouble and injury, or even extend her play time. Quite the gleeful girl we see as she increasingly succeeds in life, happy to redirect all the troubles that will befall her elsewhere. I am sure given enough power and resources, she would have plotted for the betterment of mankind as well by counter-influencing the two World Wars, terrorism, global warming, political scandals and corruption, the JFK assassination, and such.
But of course we know the stress points and desires of a 17-year-old lie elsewhere. But then again, Makoto is also close to coming of age, possessing just enough maturity and sensibility to grade issues on the scales of Right and Wrong. I felt the use of this sweet-spot age has been a perfect medium for conveying the message on how our actions and personal selfishness can have far-reaching effects on others. Makoto will soon discover just what kind of consequences take place each time she modifies the past, and she must carry out drastic acts for the sake of her friends. While the first half was light with comedy, the second half brings on a heavier weight, carrying undeniable lessons that "if only i could turn back time" is not exactly a good thing.
While the character art, for a movie, leaves much to be desired, and even with some flimsy attempt to explain certain time travel logic, there is no doubt most audiences will completely overlook these shortfalls and be immensed in the experience Makoto has to go through, with the underlying themes of what it means to be a friend, to grow up and face up to obligations and responsibilities, and the world not being about yourself alone. Truly a must-watch movie for all ages, whether you like anime or not. And then, you too can come to understand the phrase,
"Time waits for no one."
Overall rating: 10/10
profound lessons; hilarious time travel
bland character art; time-travel theory