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Voices of a Distant Star review darktruth
# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
At first glance, Voices of a Distant Star may not look like something that was completely created by one man. Makoto Shinkai
breaks this perception to write, produce and direct a short and touching story of two young lovers separated by time and space. It is the year 2046 and the Tarsians have begun their mission to eradicate the human race. Mikako joins the interstellar war, leaving behind Noboru, her one and only love. With nothing but a mobile phone as a means to send her messages to Noboru, Mikako continues to fight the alien forces in the hope that she may return to her beloved even as they drift further and further apart in time and space.
The plot was the feature that first drew my attention to Voices of a Distant Star, leading me to buy the DVD. Approximately 25 minutes in length, Voices of a Distant Star has a fairly basic plot: two lovers separated by time and space. The majority of this anime focuses on the thoughts of Noboru and Mikako, as each reminisces about their time together and longs to be with the other. It may seem a tad bit plain but it is much deeper than that. It is heartbreaking to see the two of them unable to communicate verbally or visibly and only relying on a mobile phone. Noboru's patience for Mikako also brings great pain and anguish for both of them. The emotional depth of Voices of a Distant Star brings on a rollercoaster ride but the ending will leave some viewers with mixed feelings. There are, however, some flaws. Although the story focuses around the two main characters, neither of them are well developed but given the length of the anime, this can be forgiven.
The lack of character development is compensated for by the lush CGI visuals of the battle sequences. Though you may have seen them in the trailers, do not be fooled, as the battle scenes are quite short. Nevertheless, they are quite a welcome break from the constant thoughts of the two characters. The visuals are well matched with the background melodies, which consist mainly of piano pieces that emphasise the increasing pain and despair between the lovers. There is one vocal song entitled "Through the Years and Far Away" that plays towards the end of the anime. It is here where the music actually drives the actions, dialogue and story to its climax.
What makes Voices of a Distant Star unique is that it uses the plot to create a lot of emotions and sympathy in the viewer. The visuals and action scenes add to the animation quality, which is comparable to respected titles like Neon Genesis Evangelion, Blood the Last Vampire, Samurai X and other high-budget studio developed animations. The fact that it was created by one man is a fascinating point to remember. It may not be the best romance story but it is definitely a rare gem.
~ darktruth
