Review of "Our Seven Days War": A story of youthful battles and friendship

"Our Seven Days War": A story of youthful rebellion and friendship

■Overview of the work

"Our Seven Days War" is an animated film based on the novel of the same name by Souda Osamu, which was released on December 13, 2019. It was distributed by Gaga and KADOKAWA, and produced by Asiado. It was directed by Murano Yuta and written by Okochi Ichiro. The film is a complete 88-minute episode, and is known as a milestone in youth entertainment. Set in Hokkaido in 2020, this work has been given new life.

■ Story

The main character, Suzuhara Mamoru, is a history buff who always reads books alone. The only people he can talk to are the chat members who share the same hobby. Mamoru has a crush on his childhood friend, Chiyono Aya, but Aya moves to Tokyo due to her father's work as a politician. The move comes just one week after Mamoru was supposed to give Aya a present for her birthday.

Mamoru dreams of eloping with Aya, along with Aya's best friend Kaori Yamasaki, the cheerful and popular Souma Ogata, the fun-loving Saki Akutsu, and the brilliant Hiroto Honjo, but their plan takes an unexpected turn. They plan to use an old coal factory that is no longer used as a tourist facility as their secret base and hide from adults for seven days for a birthday camp. This is the boys' greatest act of rebellion. However, when they meet Mallet, a Thai child hiding in the factory, things take an unexpected turn.

■Explanation

"Our Seven Days War" is a novel written by Souda Osamu in 1985 that created a frenzy among junior and senior high school students at the time and became a bestseller. A live-action film was released in 1988, in which 14-year-old Miyazawa Rie made her debut as an actress in her first leading role, and the theme song "SEVEN DAYS WAR" by TM NETWORK also became a hot topic. This work, along with the novel, which has sold over 20 million copies in total, has been loved by generations as a milestone in youth entertainment.

In the winter of 2019, the "Bokura" series was reborn as its first animated film, set in Hokkaido in 2020. Director Murano Yuta portrays the original themes of youthful rebellion and friendship from a modern perspective, bringing out new appeal.

■Cast

・Mamoru Suzuhara: Takumi Kitamura ・Aya Chiyono: Kyoko Yoshine

■ Main staff

Director: Yuta Murano; Screenplay: Ichiro Okouchi; Original character concept: Keishin; Character design: Hiroshi Shimizu; Chief animation directors: Hiroshi Shimizu and Yuki Nishioka; Scene design: Masayuki Sekine; Art director: Daiki Kuribayashi; Color design: Izumi Hirose; Director of photography: Toshiya Kimura; Sound director: Hiromi Kikuta; Music: Jun Ichikawa

■ Theme songs and music

・TM1 "The Night Before the Battle": Sung by Sano ibuki
・TM2 "Omajinai": Singer: Sano ibuki
・TM3 "Spirit": Vocals: Sano ibuki

■ Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Our Seven Days War" has touched many viewers as a work depicting youthful rebellion and friendship. In particular, the protagonists' attitude of standing up to adult society resonates with young people today. This new animated film faithfully retains the essence of the original while adding a new interpretation from a modern perspective.

While respecting the themes of the original work, director Murano Yuta brings out new appeal by setting the story in modern-day Hokkaido. In particular, the scene in which the coal factory is turned into a secret base is visually beautiful and has the power to draw the audience in. In addition, the careful depiction of the characters' feelings and growth adds depth to the story.

The cast is also superb, with the delicate acting of Suzuhara Mamoru, played by Kitamura Takumi, and the strength and kindness of Chiyono Aya, played by Yoshine Kyoko, adding excitement to the story. In addition, the theme song sung by Sano Ibuki also adds to the atmosphere of the work and resonates with the hearts of viewers.

■ Recommendation points

"Our Seven Days War" is a work that can be recommended to a wide range of generations as a work that depicts youthful rebellion and friendship. It is especially recommended for adults who miss their youth and young people who are worried about their future. In addition, this work, newly drawn as an animated film, is enjoyable not only for fans of the original work but also for anime fans.

This film is also suitable for family viewing. It will be a good opportunity for parents and children to talk about adolescent rebellion and friendship. It is also visually appealing, with beautiful scenery of Hokkaido and a secret base in a coal factory, so we recommend watching it on a big screen at the cinema.

■Comparison with related works

"Our Seven Days War" is known as a monumental work of youth entertainment, but let's compare it with other works with similar themes. For example, "Stand by Me" and "Your Name" are also famous for depicting youthful friendship and rebellion, but "Our Seven Days War" particularly emphasizes rebellion against adult society. Also, by being drawn as an animated film, its visual appeal also sets it apart from other works.

Another difference from other works is that the original is a novel, which allows fans of the original to enjoy new interpretations and perspectives. Compared to the 1988 live-action film, the animated version incorporates a modern perspective, portraying a more realistic portrayal of youth.

Conclusion

"Our Seven Days War" is a moving work that depicts youthful rebellion and friendship. This animated film, which faithfully retains the essence of the original work while adding a new interpretation from a modern perspective, is a work that can be recommended to a wide range of generations. It is especially recommended for adults who are nostalgic for their youth and young people who are worried about their future. It is also suitable for viewing with the whole family, and has great visual appeal, such as the beautiful scenery of Hokkaido and the secret base of a coal factory, so be sure to watch it on the big screen at the movie theater.