Only Yesterday

This is another fine anime film (derived from a graphic novel or manga) from the renowned studio Ghibli, that has not been shown In North America, except once on Turner Classic Movies since its release in 1991 and what a beauty it is! This is animation meant primarily for adults wherein a 27 year-old unmarried working woman sifts through her past. The film time-shifts from 1966 to 1982 and back again as thoughts of her youth bubble through the surface as Taeg reassesses her life which represents the lives of all Japanese women who are working in a male-dominated society. Beautifully detailed sequences are shown- especially of the brilliantly colored safflower farm- plus the faces of the characters are more expressive than is usually found in anime. The memory scenes are distinguished from the "present" through lighter coloring and a white bordering suggestive of watercolors. Although Only Yesterday is nearly plotless, there is still much happening on the farm where life changes significantly for our heroine. Much of the musical score was gleaned from European sources, for example Bulgaria which allows for much of the wistful feel to the movie. All-in-all, a rewarding experience for lovers of the studio Gihbli.