Only Yesterday (1991)

GKIDS | Release Date: January 1, 2016

8.2	USER SCORE Universal acclaim based on 116 Ratings

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ovoon7Feb 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, 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

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InclusiveCriticDec 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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smiyamotJul 9, 2016

As a movie, I did not like it I found it disjointed and kept me wondering why the director is showing me this. The subject matter of the movie is a young woman who is trying to find her place in the world, and thinks back to her time in theAs a movie, I did not like it I found it disjointed and kept me wondering why the director is showing me this. The subject matter of the movie is a young woman who is trying to find her place in the world, and thinks back to her time in the 5th grade when much of her life was shaped. Made me think of a first draft that needs to be worked on, maybe some scenes need to be moved to make the story line smoother and more relevant, or maybe cut because they are extraneous.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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EpicLadySpongeMar 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

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Compi24Nov 4, 2020

Well, this is rather embarrassing, isn't it? Not only am I on the wrong side of a Ghibli film, but I'm on the wrong side of an Isao Takahata film with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (if that means anything to you). Now, don't get itWell, this is rather embarrassing, isn't it? Not only am I on the wrong side of a Ghibli film, but I'm on the wrong side of an Isao Takahata film with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (if that means anything to you). Now, don't get it twisted, "Only Yesterday" isn't a bad film by any stretch. It's consistently gorgeous to look at, insightful on the whole and sweet as all get-out. I guess I just wasn't expecting this to be as much of a plunge into the realm of reality as it ended up being, especially coming from the last Ghibli film that I saw — "Howl's Moving Castle." The first 45 minutes are moderately delightful and quaint, but the dip in entertainment value within the second act was almost insurmountable for me. Maybe Yamagata's countryside really is tranquil enough to lull someone to sleep? Or perhaps it's the long, drawn-out conversations on agriculture that do the trick. Jesus Christ, I feel like such a heathen for bagging on a Ghibli film like this. Man, I really wish I had enjoyed this more than I did.… Expand