Taeko, a young office worker goes to the countryside for a working holiday and recounts her memories of 10th grade childhood along the way. During her countryside stay, Taeko must decide between remaining in the idyllic farmland and returning to the offices in Tokyo.
Adapted from a popular Japanese children’s comic, Omohide No Pokopoko, this Studio Ghibli movie serves to remind us to be thankful of the simple things in life that make us ourselves – the cartoons that we watched on Saturday morning, the teasing we got from the boys (or girls) in school and even slaps from parents when we misbehaved.
Only Yesterday offers deep insights into the unassuming and simple wisdom of rural communities. One of the most powerful scenes in the movie is when the sun rises while Taeko is working in the fields. Looking up to see the sun, Taeko realises that all the farmers have their heads bowed in prayer, thankful for the existence of the new day!
Poignant memories and beautiful hand-drawn scenery serve to make this movie a pleasure to watch.
This review is taken from Insights and is a part of Cooler Becky’s published portfolio. The original review can be accessed at http://insights.uca.org.au/reviews/dvd/no/only-yesterday.htm.
