23/31
Goes to school at Tomoe Gakuen after not fitting in at her original elementary school. She meets unique students and learns new things at school even as Japan descends into war. Ano nePerformed by AimyonLyrics & Music by Aimyon Arranged by Yûsuke Tatsuzaki, Takashi Kondô & Yûsuke Tanaka courtesy of unBORDE/Warner Music Japan. When Toto-chan is forced to drop out of elementary school because she is too much of a bother to her wise, pious homeroom teacher, her mother nervously tries to enroll her in a school founded by a loving and progressive gentleman. And so begins one young girl’s journey to discover herself and the world around her, even as Japan’s involvement in World War II deepens. The animation is close to the original book illustrations, detailing how Toto-chan grows from a confused 7-year-old who can’t fit in in a strict society to a 10-year-old with friends, ambitions, and an understanding of the world and its many joys, frustrations, and tragedies. Beautifully rendered, it transcends its realities with some wonderfully imaginative sequences in which Toto-chan looks at the world around her, finding beauty in a stationery train compartment or on a rainy evening. The score also works wonderfully to create a world of wonder and innocence that is torn apart by totalitarianism and dictatorial rule. Fortunately, the film doesn’t portray Japan as innocent in the war. It’s only through Toto-chan’s eyes and ears that we see Japan’s willingness to take on the conflict, its impact on society, and its devastating consequences. Early scenes of children reciting propaganda songs at school become whispered conversations about muzzles for dogs in the US and UK. Later, Toto-chan’s beautiful bento boxes turn into rice and pickled plums, wounded and disabled people in uniforms pass by Toto-chan, and her ever-present and intelligent father disappears in the final act. The effects of hunger and malnutrition are evident in her classmates as they become irritable, suffer from stunted growth, and fail to attend school. It’s all truly harrowing to watch, vividly told through the eyes of an optimistic and loving child, and juxtaposed with the beautiful journey of a young girl coming to terms with herself. “Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window; is a lovingly crafted animation that captures a brief period of brutal change in a country newly embroiled in modern global politics, and the innocent generation that had to rebuild the country after the fires died down. 9/10.
LIVELLO SEGRETO 2024 EPISODIO MAGNET
