A thorough analysis of the emotion and beauty of "When the Promised Flower Blooms"! This anime is a must-see.

"When the Promised Flower Blooms" - Eternal Bonds and a Moment of Sparkle

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Release date

February 24, 2018 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Showgate

■Frequencies

115 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■ Director

Mari Okada

■ Production

Animation production: PAWORKS

■Works

©PROJECT MAQUIA

■ Story

The warp is the passing of time. The weft is the livelihood of people. The Iorph people live quietly in a remote area, weaving the events of their daily lives into a cloth called Hibiol. They stop growing physically in their mid-teens and live for hundreds of years, so they are called the "Farewell Clan" and considered living legends. Makia, an Iorph girl without parents, lives a peaceful life surrounded by her friends, but somewhere she feels "alone". Their days crumble in an instant. Seeking the long-lived blood of the Iorph, the Mezarte army attacks on an ancient beast called Renato. In the midst of despair and confusion, Leilia, the most beautiful woman in the Iorph, is kidnapped by the Mezarte, and Klim, the boy Makia secretly loves, goes missing. Makia manages to escape, but she loses her friends and her place to return to... Makia wanders the dark forest with an empty heart. There, as if called to her, she meets a "lonely" baby who has just lost its parents. Ariel grows into a boy. Makia remains a girl even as time passes. Different times flow in the same season. The bond between the two changes color in the changing times. A story of irreplaceable time that is woven together when two lonely people meet.

■Explanation

A huge, moving epic from Mari Okada, the creator of "Anohana" and "Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterunda"! Mari Okada, the screenwriter of "Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day" and "The Anthem of the Heart". She finally took on her first directorial role, saying "There is a work I want to make," and that work is "Let's Count the Promised Flowers on the Morning of Goodbye." This is the birth of a gem of a story depicting "encounters" and "partings" that reflect the lives of all generations. The staff supporting Director Okada is a gathering of industry veterans. The production is by PAWORKS, who has teamed up with Okada on "True Tears" and "Hanasaku Iroha." The original character designs are handled by master illustrator Akihiko Yoshida, at Director Okada's request. Shinohara Toshiya, the director of "Nagi no Asukara," will be the assistant director supporting the director, and Ishii Yuriko, also from "Nagi no Asukara," will be the character designer and chief animation director. The music is by Kenji Kawai, who also worked on "Ghost in the Shell." Time flows by. A boy and a girl meet in the midst of it all. The "eternal moment" they live in makes viewers question their own lives and brings great emotion.

■Cast

・Makia/Iwami Manaka・Erial/Irimi Miyu・Leiria/Kayano Ai・Crim/Kaji Yuki・Racine/Sawashiro Miyuki・Mido/Sato Rina・Lang/Hosoya Yoshimasa・Dita/Hikasa Yoko・Medmel/Kuno Misaki・Isol/Sugita Tomokazu・Barrow/Hirata Hiroaki

■ Main staff

・Director / Mari Okada ・Screenplay / Mari Okada ・Assistant Director / Toshiya Shinohara ・Character Original Design / Akihiko Yoshida ・Character Design, Chief Animation Director / Yuriko Ishii ・Main Animator / Toshiyuki Inoue ・Core Director / Yoshifumi Hiramatsu ・Art Director / Kazuo Toji ・Art Setting, Concept Design / Ariaki Okada ・Music / Kenji Kawai ・Sound Director / Kazuhiro Wakabayashi ・Animation Production / PAWORKS

■ Main Characters

・Makia A girl from Ioruf who has a lifespan of several hundred years. She may look quiet, but she has a strong core. When Ioruf is attacked by the Mezarte army, she accidentally escapes and picks up the baby Ariel. From then on, she decides to be Ariel's mother and raises him.
A human child who was saved by Eliarmachia. The drifter's settlement was attacked by bandits, and Eliar was the only one to survive.
・Leilia A girl from Iorph who is Makia's friend. In contrast to Makia, she has a lively personality. She is captured by Izoru by order of King Mezarte.
A boy from Iorulf who is a friend of Crimmachia. He is in love with Leilia.
Racine: He is the elder of the Iorph and leads the race. He tells Makia, "Once you leave the Iorph, you can't love people."
The owner of Helm Farm, where Makia wanders in after just meeting Mideriel. She is raising two sons on her own.
・Langmid's son. He spends time with young Ariel as an older brother.
・A childhood friend of Dita Ariel.
・Princess of Medmelmezarte.
A soldier from Izolmezate. He invades Ioruf on the orders of the king and kidnaps Leilia.
- Barrow travels around to sell the Hibiol he has purchased.

■ Theme songs and music

・Theme song: Viator (Lantis)
Lyrics: riya
・Composition: rioons
・Arrangement: rionos

The appeal and emotion of "When the Promised Flower Blooms"

"When the Promised Flower Blooms" is director Mari Okada's first film, and it was highly anticipated by many fans, and she delivered a moving story that did not disappoint. The film has a theme of the flow of time and the bonds between people, and it has succeeded in drawing audiences in with its beautiful visuals and deep story.

Depth of story

The story centers around the relationship between Makia, an Iorph girl, and Ariel, a human boy she ends up raising. Makia is an Iorph citizen with a lifespan of several hundred years, and stops growing in her mid-teens, when her appearance no longer changes. Meanwhile, Ariel grows up as a normal human. The difference in the flow of time between these two characters gives the story a unique melancholy and beauty.

As Makia raises Ariel, she fulfills her role as a mother while also coming to terms with her own loneliness. As Ariel grows and grows away from her, Makia begins to feel the weight of separation. This theme of "encounter" and "separation" can be seen in other works by director Mari Okada, but it is explored particularly deeply in "Goodbye, The Promised Flower."

Visual beauty

The visuals of this work fully demonstrate PAWORKS' technical capabilities. The background art of each scene, such as the village of Ioruf, Helm Farm, and the royal palace of Mezarte, is extremely beautiful and enhances the atmosphere of the story. In particular, the scene in which the daily events are woven into a cloth called Hibiol captures the hearts of the audience with its warmth and beauty of handwork.

The character designs are also very attractive, based on the original ideas of Akihiko Yoshida, and Yuriko Ishii is in charge of character design and general animation direction. The individuality of each character is conveyed through the visuals, such as Maquia's delicate facial expressions, Ariel's growth process, and Leilia's liveliness.

The power of music

The music by Kenji Kawai is also an important element in enhancing the excitement of this work. In particular, the theme song "Viator" is a song that symbolizes the theme of the story, with riya's beautiful singing voice and rionos's emotional melody matching perfectly. The background music used in the play also has the power to stir emotions as the story unfolds.

Cast performances

The acting of the cast was also superb, especially the performances of Iwami Manaka as Makia and Irimi Miyu as Ariel, which deeply touched the hearts of the audience. Makia's loneliness and strength, and Ariel's growth and conflict, were conveyed vividly through their voices. Kayano Ai as Leilia and Kaji Yuki as Klim also showed acting that brought out the charm of their respective characters.

Message from the Director

Director Mari Okada has said that she wants to convey the importance of "encounters" and "partings" through this work. This story, which is filled with her own experiences and thoughts, will deeply move and sympathize with each and every audience member. In particular, the universal themes depicted in the film, such as the bonds between family and friends, and growth and change over time, will resonate with many people.

Recommendations and ratings

"The Promised Flower Blooms" is a work that truly deserves to be called an "epic moving piece" with its beautiful visuals, deep story, moving music and acting. I highly recommend it to anyone who values ​​the bonds between family and friends, and to anyone who faces the passage of time. It is also a must-see for fans of director Mari Okada and those who like PAWORKS' works.

This film was highly praised when it was released in theaters, and won many film awards. It was especially praised for the beauty of its animation and the depth of its story, with many audiences saying it was a film that touched their hearts. Please experience this moving story at the theater, on DVD, or on streaming services.