Voices of a Distant Star
Dir: Makoto Shinkai
2003
*****
I have to admit that after the brilliant She and her Cat, my heart sunk somewhat when at the beginning of Voices of a Distant Star it became apparent that it was going to be about a couple of school kids in love. Manga/Anime's obsession with school kids really doesn't interest me at all, I find it very odd to be honest. That said, after a couple of minutes it becomes clear that this is very much an original piece that really stands out, innocents being at the heart of the story. Again, Makoto Shinkai's animation style is gob-smackingly beautiful as is now to be expected, and the story has a real wholesomeness about it. It also comes apparent that there is a good reason as to why the two characters are so young at the beginning, so the whole school kids thing is completely forgivable in this instance. It is another triumph for Makoto Shinkai, a director who amazes me with every film he makes. Weirdly, Shinkai's films are the only ones in which I actually enjoy lens-flares and none of them are actually from a lens.