Deja vu all over again

// Synopsis: Makoto is a 17 year old plucky girl who pals around with her two guy friends. One day she inexplicably develops the ability to leap through time. Rather than questioning it, she uses it to try and correct mistakes and avoid uncomfortable situations. But she soon learns that the consequences of changing the past isn’t as simple as she thought.

// Review: I’ve watched a lot of high school slice of life anime lately and after a while it all feels a little derivative with the same silly romantic situational comedy. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time was a pleasant surprise for me, because after introducing one sci fi element, the movie goes on to create a very believable world with real characters.

/ Japanese girls seems to come in two flavors: demur and shy or aloof from typical female sentimentalities. Makoto is the later, but at the heart of her she is still female with the same anxieties and self-esteem issues. When she discovers this new ability to move through time, she goes through her Ground Hog Day phase where she continually leaps back to alter the past for frivolous reasons. It’s genuinely amusing and light hearted. But soon she finds out that changing the past for her benefit often comes at the detriment of others.

/ When the truth behind her power is finally unveiled it seems very sci fi and has the potential to become convoluted. But thankfully it doesn’t get in the way or become confusing. It’s just a plot device that the viewer can accept- common sense be damned, which sets the table for the final dramatic build up.

/ Makoto is a fantastic character. She is a very relatable person that lives a relatively normal life with normal interactions with family and friends that we can all identify with. But she also has a unique personality that is sincere, kind with the same vulnerability to selfishness and fear that we also all experience.

/ I loved the animation. The character models were solid but I was really impressed with the lovingly detailed painted environments. It was during the mundane in between moments that you feel transported to this world.

// Wrap up: This was a limited released film that came out of nowhere to garner surprisingly critical acclaim. I had a good time watching it and it makes for a great escape.

Entertainment rating: 4