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The Girl Who Leapt Through Time Movie Review

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a 2006 science fiction romance anime film directed by Mamoru Hosoda. It is one of his greatest achievements as a filmmaker.

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“Time waits for no one“

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When Makoto discovers her ability to travel through time, she decides to use it to prevent various incidents. She then discovers that there is another person close to her with the same ability. Discounting the television adaptations or continuations that he had done before, this was the first true Mamoru Hosoda feature film. It is an adaptation of the eponymous novel that had been adapted numerous times before, but this is its best adaptation.

This movie has a phenomenal script. The first half would make you believe that you are in for an extremely charming, lighthearted and fun, but somewhat shallow teenage story, but the second half added some serious depth into the proceedings, making the film feel much more sophisticated as a result. It all led to what is one of the most effective and moving coming-of-age stories in anime history.

Thematically, this is a very clever story. It features one of the best character arcs in the history of this medium. Makoto Konno is a phenomenal, relatable and complex character. Her arc is one of the finest in all of anime – she’s right up there with Chihiro. Through her, the film explores the teenage experience, especially as it relates to that shared feeling of limitlessness. You think that you can do anything at this age, but reality will quickly tap at your door, which is exactly what happened to Makoto. Personal responsibility is a strong message here as is the existentialist thread about the impossibility of stopping time and the importance of living in the moment as you cannot really know what will happen in the future.

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This is a coming-of-age story first and foremost, but it’s also a strong romance and a science fiction tale. Chiaki is a terrific character and you really feel his pain as he is literally stuck out of time, but he still found his place in a different time than his, which made for such an interesting arc. The two shared such a moving romance that never came to be, but was hinted to become feasible in the near future. That final goodbye sequence was genuinely heartwarming and just perfectly poetic. Anime romances are often the best ones due to that added touch of tenderness and playfulness.

Other characters did not get much to do. The aunt only appeared in a handful of scenes while the rest of her family was pretty much ignored. Kosuke was solidly developed and I really appreciated this complex dynamic between the three friends. The movie posits that when girls are friends with boys at this age there is bound to be some sexual tension between at least some of them. I loved the humorous exchanges between the other students and the goofiness in certain scenes was adorable and hilarious.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time has very intriguing and unique time travel ideas and the mixing of these genres itself was quite original. The time travel scenes were initially surprisingly comedic, but eventually they became more impactful and much more emotional. The twist in the third act was terrific and it enriched the story beautifully. The dialogue was also quite strong. The tone perfectly conveyed that feeling of limited time that somehow still feels endless, which is exactly how summer vacations during high school feel. It’s all so nostalgic.

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This is also an audio-visual marvel. The time travel scenes included Van Gogh-inspired watercolor aesthetic mixed with Bach music. The result was quite timeless and highly artistic. The background work was gorgeous as well. The animation is superb overall while the score was beautiful and at times quite moving. There were scenes with padding – running and crying sequences for instance – but the for the most part the deliberate pacing led to stronger characterization and a very well developed plot.