Movie – The Garden of words

Movie – The Garden of words
Score : 8/10
Year : 2013
Director: Makoto Shinkai
Country : Japan
Language : Japanese
Duration: 0h46 (the dvd I watched was 0h44). It seems others have seen a 0h48 version (extended credits for English or US editions?)


The garden of words is a beautiful and far too short Japanese anime drama film released in 2013. It deals with the sensitive meeting between, Takao, a teenager dreaming of becoming a shoemaker and Yukari Yukino, an older, mysterious woman, in a local garden. The movie follows their evolving relationship through the passing seasons and tells us of their growth.

The Garden of words deals with this fragile topic with good taste and some originality.
This movie, like other Japanese anime, was made using hand-drawing as well as rotoscoping and CGI helped especially the realism of the rain scenes.  

The drawings (at large) are exquisitely and realistically done, with great attention to details, even from routine objects. The skies are gorgeous at any weather; the reflections and natural scenes are authentic and lovely. The animation is fluid, and cinematography is picturesque. 

The humans as well as the few birds are nicely drawn and don’t appear lazy like I’ve seen in many other animated movies. 



Several scenes depict Takao Akizuki sketching: their close-ups reveal precise lines being drawn as well as the support (paper & pencil) and are very well done.

I liked the romantic piano score as a companion to the story telling as well as the allegories used in this movie, one of which made me think of a sentence Londo Mollari, citing his father, once said in Babylon 5 ‘’ My shoes are too tight, but it doesn’t matter because I have forgotten how to dance’’. In this Garden, the shoes were too tight indeed ; but, did it matter? You’ll have to watch and answer that for yourself… I have my own idea on the subject.

The only 2 flaws I can see with this movie:
Firstly, the ending pop-ballad (ish) song isn’t melodious at all; I think it should’ve been either instrumental or sang with a more subtle voice, and preferably by a woman to balance with the narration which was mostly the teenager’s voice.

Secondly, it’s too short! I think a full feature of this anime could deepen our thoughts and emotions as we get even more attached to the characters…

Nonetheless, on itself it’s already a very good short movie and I enjoyed its overall pace. The heroes were sympathetic and I wanted to see how the story would unfold.

After the ending song, there a short, and in my opinion, important scene ; so make sure you don’t stop the dvd as soon as you hear that song (it lasts a couple minutes). 





The garden of words… in the media. 

I’ve watched this basic French dvd edition EAN 3700091028149 which is a region 2 dvd. Its image was well transferred in 16/9, 1.85:1 format. Sound dolby digital 5.1 for both original Japanese (which I watched) and French dubs. There are only French subtitles and meager trailers by Kazé, the editior of this dvd in France.














There are a few other ways to profit from this movie, in full 1080p HD ; they are all on bluray editions with 5.1 DTS HD-MA sound, but it seems there are a few differences - to be confirmed.

First, in France, the BD is either alone, or in a ''collector cross edition''  which includes the BD, the previsously detailed DVD, the manga and novel of this movie translated into French (most probably). You can see them here :

Their languages are Japanese and French, with French subtitles. 

Bonus features on the BD :
Interview with the director (53') - I'm not sure this is the same as the UK edition which states ''English cast and director'' and lasts (52').
Animated stroyboard (46 minutes), I suspect it's identical to the UK edition, even though it's duration is (45')

It's possible to buy the novel+manga as a separate boxset as seen here (in French, as I mentionned).

As for the UK, I found thus far the BD which has the same 16/9 1.85:1 image format in full 1080p HD, sound is also 5.1 DTS-HD MA but in Japanese and English this time, and the following bonuses :

Interviews (52 minutes with the Japanese cast and director), - which could be the same or different to the French BD edition.

Storyboards (45 minutes) -which, as I said could be the same as the French edition and the shorter minute might correspond to slightly shorter end credits (I assume, I don't know anything as of yet)

Only on this edition : English production stillls, Japanese trailer, The Works of Makoto Shinkai, English commentary track with cast, Japanese commentary with English subtitles.

Again, in the UK it's also possible to buy the novel alone, in English, with ISBN 978-1939130839, and a very similar cover to the French novel+manga boxset. 

I didn't find the manga in English.