Only Yesterday (1991)

Name: Only Yesterday (1991)
Genre: Drama, Romance, Animation
Released: January 1, 2016
Duration: 118 min
Rating: 90

2016

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 19 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 116 Ratings

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8.2

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8.2	User Score Universal acclaim based on 116 Ratings

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Only Yesterday (US)

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Movie Details & Credits

GKIDS | Release Date: January 1, 2016 | PG

Summary: It’s 1982, and Taeko is 27 years old, unmarried, and has lived her whole life in Tokyo. She decides to visit her relatives in the countryside, and as the train travels through the night, memories flood back of her younger years: the first immature stirrings of romance, the onset of puberty, and the frustrations of math and boys. At theIt’s 1982, and Taeko is 27 years old, unmarried, and has lived her whole life in Tokyo. She decides to visit her relatives in the countryside, and as the train travels through the night, memories flood back of her younger years: the first immature stirrings of romance, the onset of puberty, and the frustrations of math and boys. At the station she is met by young farmer Toshio, and the encounters with him begin to reconnect her to forgotten longings. In lyrical switches between the present and the past, Taeko contemplates the arc of her life, and wonders if she has been true to the dreams of her childhood self. [Gkids]… Expand

Director: Isao Takahata

Genre(s): Drama, Romance, Animation

Rating: PG

Runtime: 118 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Time Out London Tom Huddleston

May 31, 2016

[A] calm, reflective, gorgeously uneventful slice of nostalgic romance. Read full review

100

The Film Stage Michael Snydel

Feb 23, 2016

Only Yesterday is unabashedly modest, but in its twin dialogues between the past and the present, and the undying lure of the country and the city, it’s a singularly specific story whose message echoes decades later. Read full review

Noel Murray

Feb 24, 2016

Only Yesterday is animated, but rarely cartoony, in either its design or its storytelling. Read full review

Sherilyn Connelly

Dec 30, 2015

It's both an important part of Ghibli's history and a gem in its own right. Read full review

Steven Rea

Feb 25, 2016

It's transformative. Read full review

Ty Burr

Feb 25, 2016

Takahata and his animators balance aspects of nostalgia and the present day, urban modernity and rural timelessness, love and regret with a visual and aural sensitivity that draws a viewer in from the first frames. Read full review

Brad Wheeler

Feb 25, 2016

A butterfly metaphor is employed by the time-flipping Takahata, a filmmaker whose delightful Only Yesterday took 25 years to arrive right on time. Read full review

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User Reviews

ovoon7

Feb 23, 2016

One of the most realistic and heartfelt animations I've seen. Only Yesterday is a lesser known Ghibli film, because it's director by Isao "The other guy" Takahata, whos works are often overlooked, as he has the weirder, less appealing, and less kid friendly films (See, "Pom Poko" andOne of the most realistic and heartfelt animations I've seen. Only Yesterday is a lesser known Ghibli film, because it's director by Isao "The other guy" Takahata, whos works are often overlooked, as he has the weirder, less appealing, and less kid friendly films (See, "Pom Poko" and "Princess Kaguya"). As a director or film maker, excluding his use of Ghibli as a studio, I'd say he is one of the greatest Japanese directors of all time.

Only Yesterday is a very simple movie about a girl moving her life to the country, assimilating to farming, and finding love. It's slow, realistic, and showcases the ups and downs in life, and it flashes back consistently through the main character's childhood.

The movie tone is very bittersweet, and for an animation, feels more real than most live action romance films from Asia that I've seen.

This movie is not for everyone, none of Takahata's films are really, but it's an outstanding film regardless. Oh, and watch Pom Poko if you haven't yet, it's awesome.… Expand

7 of 7 users found this helpful70

Mahmus

Sep 25, 2020

Such beautiful and moving films. Easily one of Ghibli's best and most mature works.
An introspective exploration of childhood memories and their role in shaping life as an adult, like most Ghibli movies, it's a movie about growing up, told in a way that makes the viewer reflect on their ownSuch beautiful and moving films. Easily one of Ghibli's best and most mature works.
An introspective exploration of childhood memories and their role in shaping life as an adult, like most Ghibli movies, it's a movie about growing up, told in a way that makes the viewer reflect on their own childhood and realize how even the smallest things can make a big impact in the future, as well as how something seemingly hugely important may not really affect you in any way. Life is strange that way.

What a masterpiece.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DomiWood

Oct 5, 2020

Most underrated and insanely nostalgic Ghibli masterpiece, it was a real beauty watching all the memories of past perfectly conected with beautiful plot. Isao Takahata truly is master of realism and that what makes his films feel so unique despite them being animated.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Danonino

Feb 25, 2016

This movie has beautiful animation and a even more beautiful story. If you want to feel good, this is the movie for you. The characters are lovable and the storyline flows very smoothly.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

black-panther

May 13, 2016

very good movie
the animation is great the art style the story telling everything is just so good
watch this movie
give it a go its certainly worth checking out

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

EpicLadySponge

Mar 10, 2016

It's already March 2016 and this qualifies for best 2016 film. If it only feels just like yesterday back in 1991 for Japan, then I would claim this to be the best Japanese film in 1991.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

InclusiveCritic

Dec 3, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. While there were many interesting moments in this film, its ending was particularly dissatisfying from a feminist perspective. On a positive note, the scripting for children and teens felt very naturalistic, and the countryside art was very appealing. The portrayal of the harm done by sex-divided puberty education was a notable high point of the film, though the lack of criticism towards the teachers and system that led to the boys' stigmatisation of periods and harassment of the girls was frustrating.

Likewise, the moments of pure sexism that are left to go unchallenged could have been a compelling tacit damnation of patriarchal society and the misogyny it generates. (Of particular note is the scene where two young women discuss their fathers hitting them without any implication that it's wrong, suggesting this kind of domestic violence is fully normalised in their lives.) However, by having the protagonist give up on her career at the end, and choosing to become the wife of a farmer rather than an independent farmer or farmhand, it seems that the movie chooses to resolve the tensions of her desire for personal fulfilment vs societal expectations by simply forcing her to conform and take on the socially accepted role of 'wife' instead of meaningfully engaging with any other concepts of female agency.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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