Forum - View topicREVIEW: She and Her Cat -Everything Flows-
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Merida
 Posts: 1945 |
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What a nice surprise to see a review for this lovely little series! I liked the original quite a bit, but it didn't make me tear up like this adaption did. From the beautiful animation to the excellent voice acting, this turned out to be a true (small) gem.
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JaggedAuthor
 Posts: 981 |
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As someone who owns an elderly cat with failing health, this show was difficult to get through - but beautiful nonetheless.
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robertbaldie
 Posts: 154 |
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Surprising how much impact four 7-odd minute-long episodes can have. Turned out to probably be my favourite show of the winter season. (if it even qualifies).
On another note, the whole atmosphere really reminded me of One Week Friends. I wonder if anyone else agrees. |
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whiskeyii
 Posts: 2247 |
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Such a touching anime. Short, but very poignant. I wasn't expecting a lot out of this show since I don't really watch shorts, but it really got to me. T^T
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samuelp
Industry Insider
Posts: 2231 Location: San Antonio, USA |
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I did the english translation that will be on the Japanese dvd/bluray release.
I was translating it on my laptop in a family restaurant (Jonathan's) near my apartment, and I ended up like seriously crying there at my table typing up the translation... The waitresses were all looking at me funny 'cause I'm there alone, crying into my laptop... |
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WingKing
Posts: 617 |
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This was a wonderful short, definitely one of my favorite shows of the winter.
Also, between this and the magical girl series, I just wanted to say I'm really happy to see that ANN seems to have started giving review coverage to some of these seasonal shorts now. I've always had a special interest in the craft of short-form storytelling, so I hope you're able to keep that up in the future! |
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Zin5ki
 Posts: 6680 Location: London, UK |
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Thank you for this review, it aligns with my sentiments and identifies certain formal features that I did not notice.
You have praised Daru's movements, but how did you find his monologues? There was an eminent sense that his human voice actor had grasped how a cat appreciates its world, taking concern in bodily appearances and scents rather than private temperaments, in the sound of a train rather than its function, and in the fleeting present rather than the impending future. This last trait was demonstrated to a fitting extreme, spoiler[as Daru nonchalantly describes his own death as an act of going to sleep, without the slightest sense of self-mourning.] As I am sure you would agree, there is something to be praised about how the show captures a cat's insouciance towards its own limited life and modest circumstances, something expressed quite movingly in the sequence after the final credits: spoiler[Another cat is adopted by Miyu, and beings to speak of its new owner in much the same fashion that Daru did.] This testament to the universality of catlike carelessness was something I found as touching as anything in the last two feature films Shinkai himself directed. |
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relyat08
 Posts: 4125 Location: Northern Virginia |
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I just want to say a massive "THANK YOU!" for your work. I have it pre-ordered and can hardly wait to sit down and rewatch this wonderful short. You are the real MVP. 
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kotomikun
Posts: 1205 |
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Huh, I didn't even know this show already finished. I guess I need to watch it sometime, since it sounds like it was a lot better (and shorter?) than I expected. The original Shinkai version was a little too minimalistic... more of a prototype than a finished project.
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Sam Murai
 Posts: 1051 |
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*looks at everyone's posts above* Oh, umm, well…
I really liked the original and was unsure about this new version, which didn't seem to easily lend itself to an expanded treatment, but I was open to it. Unfortunately, aside from the solid and beautiful design work and quality, I thought it was rather lousy. It felt like little more than a stretched-out half-hour version of the short. It tried too hard to be "thoughtful" and "effectual" and in trying to emulate and invoke Shinkai's narrative style. As a result, the show and script came off as artificial and hollow. It felt like it was done better elsewhere and was actually an aggravating watch. At its worse (namely towards the end) it was emotionally-manipulative—and even that was weakly implemented. Because it tried too hard to become "She and Her Cat 2.0" and play "Shinkai", it felt like it had no identity beyond its name. It brought little else to the table, to the point where I genuinely question its existence, harsh as that sounds. The only thing it succeeded at past its visuals was making me appreciate the original short even more, which said more and was far more impactful with less. |
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zrnzle500
 Posts: 3767 |
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To be honest, I decided to watch this show because HanaKana was in it. While I think she did well, I don't think she'll win any awards for it, nor frankly would she deserve to. And this is coming from someone who considers her their favorite voice actress. This really describes her career as a whole, which is to say she has a popular voice and her acting is good, but not something she would win any awards for. I think the episode focusing on her character in Girls Beyond the Wasteland came from a place close to her heart. She is my favorite voice actress but not the best in my opinion (Saori Hayami or Aoi Yuuki).
As to the show as a whole, I think it was the best short this past season and one reason I find this season's shorts lacking. Just when the reviewers decide to take on shorts again after a great season for them, we get this lot. Hopefully we'll still get at least coverage like this after this weak season for shorts. |
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LightYapper
 Posts: 131 Location: Somewhere on Earth |
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Thanks for the review, Nick. I had no idea that it existed until I saw this review. Frankly, we are lacking shows that are able to convey their themes through meticulous direction and strong aesthetics these days, so this one came as a pleasant surprise. So, She and Her Cat, it is.
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bs3311
 Posts: 416 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio |
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This was a real nice surprise. Probably one of the best short ova sized series. Loved the framing in episode 2 and how the girl was walking further left to continuously reach left of frame with Daru representing her struggle to get along with others and issue on taking her opportunity with Daru for granted even if the cat made an oopsie
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Parsifal24
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I was unsure if to watch this as it was based on the Shinkai work in question and yes that was not much and I grew out of my rabid love for his work after haveing seen everything he has done and feeling like he made the same story five to six times.
This, however, sounds like an interesting watch in wich the source material gets expanded and deepened so definitely could be worth a watch. Also on an unrelated note haveing read this, the Psycho-Pass 2, and Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū has made Nick (along with Rebbeca) my two favorite reviewers. |
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