Recommended Online Viewing: Voices of a Distant Star

The other day I mentioned I was going to list 5 anime suggestions for someone with little knowledge of the medium. I still plan on this, but I came across a nice bit of news I thought I’d share first.

The films of Makoto Shinkai are being streamed for one day only, starting tomorrow. Shinkai is a relatively new director and creator, his first publicly seen film was a 5 minute video that debuted 10 years ago. These days his films and movies are gaining a devoted following both here and overseas, due in part to their imaginative stories and interesting characters.

If you get a chance, watch all three films. All three have a simple, accessible feel to them yet are visually arresting. If all you have is a half hour, I strongly suggesting watching Voices of a Distant Star. It’s a short tale of a couple in high school who are separated when the girl named Mikako is drafted to fight in a galactic war against an alien race. While this sounds like it should be loud, violent, and full of adrenaline, it is rarely any of these things. As Mikako leaves, she is able to text message her boyfriend. At first the messages are instantaneous, however as the fight is pushed further from earth they take months, and finally, years. The story takes a look at how each of them changes in this short time.

Voice of a Distant Star was  done entirely on Shinkai’s personal Mac, with the first voice-overs done by himself and his wife. Later films would carry the same feelings of loss, change, and hope, however this one is considered to be his first masterpiece. Take some time out of your Saturday to get it a shot.

The site Cruchyroll is hosting all three.

(HT: ANN)