In This Corner Of The World

What won the best animated film in Japan Academy Award 2016 is not a big hit movie “Your name.” actually. It is “In This Corner Of The World” – a movie which describes a woman who lived in Japan during WWII. Not only in the Japan Academy, it got a lot of prizes in different awards. Why has it become so popular, even though it is initially for mini theater?

(C) Fumiyo Kono, Futabasha/ In This Corner Of The World Production Committee

STORY

In 1944, the main character SUZU marries into a family in Kure, Hiroshima, when she is 18. Even in wartime, when people are extremely impoverished and in need, she deals with the circumstances with her positive personality. One day next year, however, bombs in an air raid deprives her of her important things.

SECRET OF THE HIT

This movie was made from an original comic of the same title by Fumiyo Kono. What was evaluated in Japan is its careful, detailed research upon development. As well as valuing the original’s story and atmosphere, filmmakers studied hard the history, society, people and town at that time. Thus, it has reality and characters look lively. The production company is MAPPA, which also made “Yuri on Ice,” and therefore the animation is high quality.

In addition, although we usually tend to associate war movies with battlefields and (male) soldiers, this one focuses on a housewife and her home. She is an ordinary woman who has ordinary life. Her story may not be very dramatic, but it is her reality. It describes how the war influenced such everyday people, mainly females.

IN AMERICA

I don’t know the film will be widely accepted in the U.S. But according to an article I saw, at its screening in NY, the audience showed good response. They said the story was pretty slow and had no big scene or unexpected drama, but they could feel people’s lives of the day vividly. It never tells us “you should do what.” Instead, it just teaches us “this is how the war is for people, don’t forget it.” This message must go beyond the border and tells something to every country’s people.