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Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo
The Girl who leapt through Time
By Lee Renz L. Balberona
Time waits for no one
Whenever it flows, something withers in return. Its unforgiving
nature permits one’s existence to substantiate, but never does
it show a flare of sympathy. The movement of its hands is a
constant reminder that life is a pulpit for irreversible processes.
And ultimately, it is a treasure box of triumphs and mischiefs.
From a splendid novel written by the revered Yasutaka
Tsutsui, the original creator of the psychologically stimulating
Paprika which was also adapted into an anime film in the same
year, comes the tale of Makoto Konno, a puerile high school
girl who has accidentally obtained the ability to “literally” leap
through time. She initially uses her power to time-travel for her
own egotistical desires, but as she continues to descend through
the past, she gradually learns of the drastic consequences her
naivety ramifies to. Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo is absolutely one of
the most illustrious flicks that have reigned Japan’s animation
industry as it is maneuvered by the highly acclaimed Mamoru
Hosoda and visually
supplemented by the ever
so majestic Madhouse
Studios. The film
magnificently
brings us back
to our youth,
nourishes every
corner of our emotions with a strong affinity to its characters
and flourishes our minds with the underlying significance of
the spontaneous ticks of the clock’s hands.
Although the perplexing concept of time travel is
employed in the stream of events of the film, TokiKake adheres
strongly to the consequences and mishaps the aforementioned
phenomenon forks to rather than furrowing meticulously the
science which triggers the ability. The flick places our perspectives
to the expounding vision of Makoto as she incessantly leaps
through time to feed her narcissistic delights and fix the mistakes
she had committed. However, the aftermath of her slaphappy
concerns to the tread of seconds is what disjointed her from her
mundane life. The composition heartily resonates the naivety
we’ve had as teenagers and the incautious decisions we often
made whenever scarce chances fall before us. Furthermore, it
foregrounds the most essential platform in which every form
of existence in this planet revolves around which is “time” and
manages to invoke its theme from the very first second down
to the last drop. There is an absolute blithe atmosphere of
realism housing the film all throughout which makes more
gratifying to watch. It also manages to warmly captivate the
viewers with the accurate depiction of youth in the stage of life
in this story of puerility.
“Time waits for no one.”
Despite the number of times Makoto has to spring herself
back to the past, one thing remains constant in TokiKake, and
in life per se- the perpetual flow of time. The plot impeccably
encapsulates the reason why the ceaseless and inexorable
tick tocks of the clock should be provided with utmost heed
in the splendor of the film’s remarkable writing. Moreover, it
never digresses from its path and it consistently conjures the
crux of the composition regarding the aforesaid adage.
Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo’s most eminent component is
definitely lodged in its characters. Whilst the film takes most of
its time investing ourselves to Makoto through her self-serving
deeds, it also excellently introduces us to the other casts who
also play crucial roles for the development of the story itself.
These main ensembles include two of Makoto’s best friends
Chiaki Mamia, an externally thickened compassionate person,
and Kousuke Tsuda, a complaisant one.
Page 38
Anime Reign | Issue 2 | 2013