The Garden of Words

Genre(s): Slice of Life, Romance, Drama, Seinen

Age-Appropriateness: 13+ (Adult themes)

Platforms: Netflix

Episodes: One 46 minute movie

TheAwersome Rating: 8.3 / 10 (Worth watching)

Premise: On a rainy morning in Tokyo, Takao Akizuki, an aspiring shoemaker, decides to skip class to sketch designs in a beautiful garden. This is where he meets Yukari Yukino, a beautiful yet mysterious woman. Offering to make her new shoes, Takao continues to meet with Yukari throughout the rainy season, and without even realizing it, the two are able to alleviate the worries hidden in their hearts just by being with each other. However, their personal struggles have not disappeared completely, and as the end of the rainy season approaches, their relationship will be put to the test.

TheAwersome’s Thoughts: This was a breathtakingly beautiful short film. I was reminded a bit of Disney’s Bambi in that it is primarily a piece of moving artwork; the visuals are disgustingly gorgeous. The kind where it almost makes you angry that it’s so detailed and perfect. The soundtrack is primarily just an elegant piano mimicking the rain more often than not, (stop with being such artists you guys it makes me realize how much junk food I eat) which really sets the tone for the short, simple, but sincere story.

If you’re going to watch this, please WATCH this -meaning this isn’t one to just have on in the background. It is a visual masterpiece of animation and artwork, coupled with a bittersweet story that’s satisfying in a way you don’t see too often in Western media.

TLDR: Short and sweet, ridiculously beautiful visually.

Garden of Words is another gorgeous piece of work by the director Makoto Shinkai, the mastermind behind Your Name, the highest grossing anime film of all time until Demon Slayer – Mugen Train. People have said it and I’ll agree with them, Makoto Shinkai may very well be the next Hayao Miyazaki. His current film, Weathering With You, has been in the #1 spot of the Japan Box Office for several weeks now. His other works are definitely worth checking out as well.