{"id":28341,"date":"2025-01-22T22:43:46","date_gmt":"2025-01-23T03:43:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/?p=28341"},"modified":"2025-01-22T22:43:46","modified_gmt":"2025-01-23T03:43:46","slug":"the-colors-within-demonstrate-the-advantages-offered-by-animation-to-depict-keenly-humanist-dramas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cinemadailyus.com\/?p=28341","title":{"rendered":"The Colors Within Demonstrates the Advantages Offered by Animation to Depict Keenly Humanist Dramas"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

\u00a9Courtesy of GKIDS<\/p>\r\n

Honestly, in recent years, Japanese anime has delivered some of the smartest and most realistic on-screen depictions of teenagers. Amongst filmmakers of any variety, few represent teen life with as much sensitivity as Naoko Yamada<\/a>. She addressed school bullying in A Silent Voice : The Movie<\/strong><\/a> and young love in Tamako Love Story<\/strong><\/a>. In her latest feature, she covers almost everything else teens might care about, including music, spirituality, and the high school decisions they make that largely shape the rest of their lives. The three main characters have a lot to deal with, precisely because they are teens, but they find support and creative satisfaction making music together in Yamada\u2019s Oscar-qualified animated feature, The Colors Within<\/a>, produced by Science SARU and releasing this Friday in theaters, from GKIDS<\/a>.

Totsuko is a boarding student at a private Catholic girls\u2019 school in Nagasaki. Despite her clumsiness, she is reasonably popular with fellow students, so fortunately bullying is not a concern. Part of her extraordinary empathy comes from her unusual talent to see the color of people\u2019s auras (for lack of a more precise term). The beauty of Kimi\u2019s aura particularly fascinates her, so it distresses Totsuko when the day-student drops out of school.<\/p>\r\n

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Fittingly, Totsuko follows a cat (who often have mysterious roles to play in anime) to the used bookstore where Kimi now works. Given the unhurried pace of business, Kimi often practices on her older brother\u2019s guitar while working behind the register. On impulse, Totsuko suggests starting a band with Kimi, at which point a fellow customer, Rui, eagerly asks to join too.<\/p>\r\n

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\u00a9Courtesy of GKIDS<\/p>\r\n


Of the three, the tech-savvy Rui has the most musical experience. He also has access to a rehearsal space in an abandoned but well-preserved church on the coastal island, where he lives with his physician mother. According to family tradition, Rui must attend medical school, to continue her practice, caring for the small community. Consequently, he feels compelled to conceal his passion for music from his mother.

In fact, all three teens feel burdened by secrets. Kimi has yet to tell her hard-working guardian-grandmother she dropped out of school. Totsuko\u2019s school forbids fraternization with boys. She also assumes her musical activities would be frowned upon in general, but kindly Sister Hiyako constantly surprises Totsuko with her spiritual enthusiasm for seemingly secular music.<\/p>\r\n

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Quite persuasively (at least for viewers), the good Sister contends whenever \u201cmusic celebrates the good, the beautiful, or the truthful, it could be considered a hymn.\u201d The same is true for songs that express the \u201csuffering of the soul.\u201d That is a beautiful sentiment that serves as the film\u2019s foundational cornerstone.

Arguably, this is one of the few films that fans of CW teens programs would enjoy just as much as patrons of Christian cinema. (It is highly accessible and enjoyable for the rest of us in between, as well.) Refreshingly, Yamada and her frequent collaborator, screenwriter Reiko Yoshida, explore their young characters\u2019 abiding interest in spiritual and artistic matters. Frankly, romance is the one thing absent from the film (but the audience should hardly notice).<\/p>\r\n

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\u00a9Courtesy of GKIDS<\/p>\r\n

Instead, it focuses on the ways the central trio take responsibility for their decisions. In fact, the Serenity Prayer<\/strong> features prominently in The Colors Within<\/strong>, but Sister Hiyako advises Totsuko to give equal emphasis to both the things she must accept and those that she can change, rather than simply focusing on the former.

Admittedly, The Colors Within<\/strong> starts somewhat slowly, but Yamada\u2019s earnest three main characters richly reward viewers\u2019 initial patience during those early establishing scenes. Eventually, Sister Hiyako also emerges as a wonderfully understanding and compassionate figure. Yui Aragaki\u2019s original Japanese voice-over performance stands out, even for subtitle-reliant viewers, for its appropriately soothing warmth.

The Colors Within<\/strong> demonstrates the advantages offered by animation to depict keenly humanist dramas. Yoshida\u2019s story always remains totally grounded and easily relatable, but the medium allows Yamada greater expressive freedom, which further amplifies the film\u2019s eloquence. Altogether, it looks and sounds quite lovely. Highly recommended for teens and aspiring musicians, The Colors Within<\/strong> opens this Friday (1\/24) in theaters.<\/p>\r\n

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Grade: A-<\/p>\r\n

If you like the review, share your thoughts below!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Check out more of Joe’s articles.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Here’s the trailer of the film.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n