The Girl Who Jumped Through Time

PosterToki wo Kakeru Shoujo is a recent anime movie – there have previously been a live-action movie and other adaptations. The basic premise is that school girl Makoto gains the ability to jump through time, which she uses for fun, or so she at first thinks. The time travel is basically a plot device allowing the scenario of being able to go back and redo events while still maintaining knowledge of what had happened. There is a little comedy, a little drama, and so forth.

Overall it’s pretty good – a good story, and the backgrounds are packed full of interesting detail. I don’t want to give any spoilers, which in this case would be particularly regrettable, but after the initial fun it does get a bit dark, and I’d rate it as not particularly suitable for small children. It’s based on a novel, which does usually imply a more intelligent and coherent script than the norm.
Characterisation is not deep, but at least there is no problem in remembering who’s who. At the end I was left feeling a little dazed and confused, which is perhaps not the best way to leave one’s audience, but I have every intention of watching it again.
The animation design positively invites comparison with live-action, as apart from the very abstract-looking time jumps, it could be re-shot (with the appropiate budget) virtually frame for frame as live-action. The detailed street scenes are a striking feature. It does not use the fantasy potential of anime at all, any more than “Only Yesterday” does. If it was a live action Japanese movie, how would I rate it? Below the classics (Kurosawa, “Onibaba” etc) but more interesting than some, and more intelligent than others. Japanese art movies, however worthy, do have a tendency to feel rather longer than their actual runtime… This one doesn’t.

3 thoughts on “The Girl Who Jumped Through Time”

  1. dammm man
    Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo Movie was GREAT!! I RATE IT 5 STAR LOL
    one of the best movie i seen in a while aww was hoping would be a second movie but as you said i could watch it again =P

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