The Place Promised in Our Early Days
by Makoto Shinkai
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DVD details
Actor: Hidetaka Yoshioka, Kazuhiko Inoue, Masato Hagiwara, Unsh? Ishizuka, Yuka NanriDirector: Makoto Shinkai
Brand: ADV Films
Editor: Makoto Shinkai
Producer: Makoto Shinkai
Writer: Makoto Shinkai
Producer: John Ledford
Producer: Mark Williams
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language); Japanese (Original Language)
Format: Animated, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 91 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-07-12
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Adv Films
DVD Reviews of The Place Promised in Our Early Days
DVD Review: Probably Shinkai's second best
Summary: 5 Stars
Great movie that could appeal to anime fans and non-anime fans alike. Good plot, good characters, interesting and sad story. I liked it and it's worth seeing at least once maybe twice. I didn't like it as much as 5 centimeters per second but still a well done movie. DVD Review: A wonderful piece
Summary: 5 Stars
The first best piece of art I've experienced in awhile across all mediums. While the characters are not complex, the story itself not brilliant, and the movie isn't very entertaining in the classical sense, its refined and done in a way to display everything clearly and beautifully. Some artists try and create there own world or own concepts and attempt to create something beautiful with complex ideals, characters with "depth", careful dialogue, or any other mindlessly dynamic "virtue" that the general public looks for in art. Makoto Shinkai creates something beautiful by not fabricating it but capturing it. It is not trying to make a statement, entertain, but just show something simple and beautiful. Something like a flower is beautiful but when you marvel at it you are not thinking about the complex system of photosynthesis by which it lives, there is just something about it that makes it beautiful that is impossible to define. This movie is beautiful in just the same way, the character dynamics and the story are there just to capture the beauty of a particular relationship. Makoto Shinkai has a refined style that keeps the story or the world surrounding the characters from distracting the viewer, he does something that seems virtually impossible for most artists today, he completely forgets about being entertaining, and I say that as a complement. All I can say is that it is a flawless work. Such subtly is lost among my generations popular art. DVD Review: well pretty
Summary: 4 Stars
the title alone is pretty, and the visuals are wonderful to watch and the japanese is very nice to listen to. the story is enjoyable and plausible, if you care about plausibility. you should certainly watch this movie.DVD Review: Excellent follow up to Voices of a Distant Star
Summary: 4 Stars
The Place Promised in Our Early Days is Makoto Shinkai's first full length movie. In this one he has attempted to broaden his focus beyond what he did with Voices of a Distant Star, taking more time to flesh out a plot that reaches beyond his main characters. In broadening his focus I feel that this movie loses a little in terms of characterization: where 'Voices' was very emotionally moving, this film is less so. Don't get me wrong, it is a great film, and what the director does here in terms of emotional depth is well beyond the reach of anyone except perhaps Miyazaki. However, I feel that Makoto Shinkai will do better with future films as he matures and finds his perfect balance.
Some here have said that this film is depressing. I didn't find it so, although it certainly does enter some dark territory, and until the end there's a feeling of uncertainty and foreboding that pervades the film, so maybe that's why others found it downbeat.
I thought the dub in this version was very well done, with the actors achieving the perfect tone for each character. The dub on 'Voices of a Distant Star' was not good, so I was concerned for this film.
In terms of subtitles, there was one glaring problem in that the text-reference subtitles (i.e for signposts, newspaper headlines, etc.) often get in the way of the visuals, and there's no way to switch them off - they appear in both the English dub and the Japanese version. In light of this, I'd advise fans of this director's work to seek out other versions of this film that have text-reference subtitles that are optional. Yes, they are that bad - mainly because in 90% of cases the text of signposts etc. don't matter.
The DVD sound and image are excellent, the film is presented in anamorphic format and enhanced for widescreen TVs. Extras include three video interviews with the Japanese cast, one with the director, and the usual spattering of trailers.
DVD Review: Shinkai Makoto creates another winner!
Summary: 5 Stars
Back in 2002, Makoto Shinkai won an award as "Most Valuable Newcomer" at the Tokyo Anime Fair 21 for his film "Voices of a Distant Star".
What made this film so different from many anime out there was that it was created only by a staff of one and that was Shinkai Makoto, himself.
Using a Power Macintosh 7600/120 computer and various consumer and professional design and animation software, he was able to write, direct and create an animation so beautiful that it was difficult to believe that one man was responsible for it.
Now, Makoto is back with another award winning animated film titled "The Place Promised In Our Early Days".
The film takes place after the Second World War, with Japan now divided into two factions.
Honshu and the rest of the Southern Islands came under the sovereignty of the United States and Hokkaido was annexed by "Union".
In 1996, an unsual tower was created South of Honshu and Its purpose is unkown.
In the Aomori prefecture (Northern Japan), the storyline focuses on three friends who made a vow to fly an airplane to the tower and find out its secrets.
Two programmers and their friend Sayuri made a promise that was meant to be kept until something happened to Sayuri and the promise was broken.
The film features three main parts. Focusing on the characters as they make the promise.
The next focuses on the lives of the individuals three years later, on how a broken promise has set two of the main characters into two different paths in their lives, one working for the Southern Islands as a master hacker and the other who has not fully adjusted because his love for Sayuri and feels empty without her.
And the third and final part which focuses on the two friends as they are put into opposing paths and the answer to Sayuri's connection with the tower.
If you thought Makoto Shinkai did amazing things with his first film, "The Place Promised In Our Early Days" is a glimpse of what Makoto can do with a full staff and potential for the future. Absolutely amazing!
The attention to detail on the animation is very well done. There is strong attention to detail for buildings, outdoor scenery and vehicles which are well done.
Even the audio was a pleasure to listen to and the surround sound is well done.
I've heard noises may it be rain or subtle noises used effectively on my rear speakers. Very nice!
Of course, with a beautiful looking and sounding film, it wouldn't make a whole lot of difference if the storyline is bad. Fortunately, the storyline of this film is quite good.
It's not to difficult to understand and it could have been "Ghost in the Shell" cerebral but fortunately, it doesn't go that far.
As for the DVD special features, the original Japanese trailer collection is included. You also get the interviews with the Japanese cast and an interview with director, Makoto Shinkai.
I may be a bit biased towards Makoto's work because I'm amazed of how one man has inspired so many people with creating an anime by himself and the potential shown through this film.
"The Place Promised In Our Early Days" is a film that doesn't disappoint and fortunately has a good balance via storyline, animation and with sound.
Makoto Shinkai has created another winner.
Description of The Place Promised in Our Early Days
In 1996, an enormous tower is constructed on the southern shore of Hokkaido, it's purpose-unknown. Curious, three school children make a vow to discover the mysterious tower's secrets. Will this promise have to be left unfulfilled when one of the three falls into a coma?Makoto Shinkai made an impressive debut as a writer-director in Voices of a Distant Star (OVA, 2002); The Place Promised in Our Early Days (OVA, 2004) is his first studio work. In this alternate world, Japan was divided after World War II: Hokkaido, renamed "Ezo," belongs to "the Union;" the rest of archipelago is an American dependency. Ezo is dominated by the Union Tower, a seemingly topless needle. Middle school students Hiroki and Takuya dream of visiting the Tower, and start building an airplane. They're joined by Sayuri, who nurtures a crush on Hiroki. As the characters move into high school, Sayuri falls into a coma. Hiroki and Takuya learn that her dreams are linked to the Tower and to experiments in contacting parallel universes. Shinkai fills the screen with sun-drenched landscapes that recall the films of Hayao Miyazaki, but the story rambles and falters. Although his understated style is often effective, Shinkai needs to learn to pace a longer work. The narrative often feels choppy, and the ending weak. Serious anime fans will want to watch the progress of this talented young director. (Unrated, suitable for ages 13 and older: alcohol and tobacco use, minor violence) --Charles Solomon
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