Rating: 10/10

Impressions:

This is one of those shows that makes me want to screen shot each and every scene of the movie. The quality is so fucking good I died multiple times by looking at the backgrounds. And since the whole show is comprised of 99% backgrounds, you can estimate the number of times my heart failed. This show definitely does not disappoint, with quality that makes Kanon look like Yoakena in comparison, and a familiar yet fantastic story about distance, which is both super sweet and oh so sad. Unfortunately, the actual movie, with all three parts, won’t air in cinemas until next month, so I guess we will have to wait for a DVD to see the rest.

This show is about distance, as was the other show I have seen from the same creator: Voices of a Distant Star, which ends in complete and utterly painful sadness. But because of that, it’s an awesome show to watch. The drama is created by the increasing distance between two people with extremely strong bonds. Sadness is created by the fact that the distances continue growing, and will never shrink. It represents harsh reality, and not everything ends in happiness. The internal monologue allows the viewer to delve into Takaki’s character immediately, and because of this, so much more pain is felt during the hurtful moments.

One difference between Byosoku and Voices of a Distant Star is that this show is set in the recent past, while the other in the future (where travelling to lightyears away is fairly easy, and of course, being Japanese, there exists mecha). This show ends in an emotionally unsure way in my opinion. I’m sure many people will find the ending sweet, though I, as well as many others as well, found it extremely sad. I don’t know why, but the way the story and romance is presented makes the perhaps neutral ending the saddest thing I have ever seen. I don’t think anything will top this in that aspect, except another work from the same creator.

The first half made me think that Takaki would fail in reaching Akari in time, thus perhaps resulting in him never being able to see her again. It is heartwrenching to hear him explain the amount of time he spends waiting as the train is delayed. When it becomes apparent that Akari had actually waited for Takaki for hours, a momentary sense of relief and joy sweeps over, though it is obvious the two will not stay together forever. This is another thing that makes it so realistic and sad: no matter how hard you try, some things just can’t be overcome. Takaki and Akari write to each other and even manage to meet each other again, though it is inevitable that they will not be together forever.

The way that the show focuses on Takaki trying to meet up with Akari for the majority of the time, with the actual time spent toegther being rather short, displays how insignificant it is compared to everything else. Happiness is hard to come by, and perhaps takes a lot of effort to obtain. After such painful waiting on the train for hours, Takaki would meet Akari and spend a night together. However, in the end, it is just one day compared to the rest of their lives. Of course, they might meet again later in life, though it is most likely that they will go separate ways and in the end, forget about each other.

This show really is a must see! As I have already mentioned, the quality is outstanding and makes KyoAni productions cry, while the story is heartwrenching and touching at the same time. The monologue-storytelling effect is excellent in this case, and excellent use of colours, backgrounds and music accompany the sad story perfectly. If you haven’t seen this, then watch it now, or you’ll die a horrible and twisted death! (Just kidding!) Character design could be better, but this is one type of show where character design doesn’t matter. It’s all about the emotion (and for me, the scenery!) This truly deserves a 10/10.

Preview:

Next time:
The full 3-part movie will air in March in Japan…guess the DVDs will be some time away…