Admittedly, I became a fan of anime because it makes a great medium for fantasy. When I started, it was mostly mahou shoujo and shounen titles that were part of my viewing list. It wasn't until I was a bit older that I realized that anime can be a medium for all types of stories.
Kokurikozaka kara or From Up on Poppy Hill would have never made my must-watch list several years ago. It's hard to imagine making that exclusion these days.
In 1963, sixteen year old Matsuzaki Umi wakes up every day to perform her duties in managing their family's boarding house on top of a hill, including raising naval signal flags that can be easily seen from the sea. This daily activity doesn't escape the notice of Kazama Shun, Umi's fellow school mate and member of the journalism club, and he writes a poem about a girl and the flags that she raises. The two end up interacting during a public demonstration that Shun participates in to help save the Latin Quarter, a dilapidated building that houses the school's many clubs. Umi and Shun starts to find more opportunities to spend time together, but the mystery of Shun's parentage threaten their growing relationship.
From Up on Poppy Hill isn't your typical anime fare when it comes to storytelling. Yet, despite its rather quiet tone, there's no doubt that you are watching a Studio Ghibli production. The character and scenery designs, and the use of music are reminiscent of many of the animation studio's previous works. And while the story itself doesn't feature magic or a great history-changing struggle, it doesn't fail in emulating its predecessors' ability to evoke emotions among viewers.
Director Miyazaki Goro's sophomore film outing emulates and improves on the best parts of his first directorial effort, Tales from Earthsea. While his debut was steeped in the fantasy genre and loosely adapted from Ursula Le Guin's masterpiece, I remember that it's the characters that wound up making the most impression on me. In From Up on Poppy Hill, the characters, their journey and emotions take center stage, and that's why this film is the far more superior body of work for me.
As I've mentioned previously, From Up on Poppy Hill is a quiet film, and that quietness is most embodied by its lead character Umi. Umi is diligent and hardworking, but her duties aren't what really defines her. Her thoughtfulness and maturity gives her a quiet confidence that would make her stand out, especially to Shun, who himself does not fall under the usual mold of teenage high school boys.
Even with the pressing matter of the demolition of a beloved school building, it's the connection between Umi and Shun that drives the story. Every interaction serves to showcase the organic growth of their relationship, which is why the main struggle they encounter would be one that would rock that very relationship that you would root for throughout the film. What would be an innocent conversation about family would lead to a discovery of an unknown shared history between the two. I'm not going to detail that particular discovery in this post, since it's vital to the story and I'd rather not ruin the viewing experience for those who have yet to watch the film. All I can say is that a positive resolution was one I fervently wished for, threatening whatever anime gods I can if I don't get a good ending at the end of the film.
There are exciting moments in From Up on Poppy Hill, but never out of the scope of a teenage high school drama set in the 60s. What I can tell you is that the film leads to an ending that would be most fitting for Umi and Shun.
There are no grand gestures or rousing speeches.
It's an ending that's as quiet as the film's main character.
And sometimes, that's the best kind of ending you could ask for.
Happy viewing!!Labels: Adaptation, Anime, Drama, Film, From Up on Poppy Hill, Must-Watch, Romance
