A Letter to Momo, Blu-ray (2014)

by | Oct 25, 2014 | DVD & Blu-ray Video Reviews

A Letter to Momo, Blu-ray (2014)

Director: Hiroyuki Okiura
Studio: Production I.G./Cinedigmentertainment /GKIDS
Video: 1.85:1 for 16:9 1080p HD (2 discs: Blu-ray & DVD)
Audio: Japanese or English DTS-HD MA 5.1 or 2.0
Music: Mina Kubota
Extras: “The Making of A Letter to Momo,” Foreign trailers & TV spots, U.S. trailer
Length: 120 minutes
Rating: *****

This sensitive anime on a supernatural theme has sqirming and morphing ghosts and spirits and is also very touching.  It comes from the creators of the award-winning Ghost in the Shell, and allows you to hear the original Japanese soundtrack if you want, although the English-dubbed track is very good and worth watching. This one we reviewed was also made by the director of Ghost in the Shell.

Just before her young father died, Momo had a fight with him about which she feels bad. She found an unfinished letter in his desk which begins only “Dear Momo,” and nothing else. She and her widowed mother move to a remote Japanese island and Momo quickly discovers in the attic three different-looking yokai—strange and mischievous spirit beings which only she (and another little girl) can see. The spirits are in their way somewhat monstrous and very Japanese but have a human side to them and are very funny. She tries to keep them hidden from everyone but they create chaos in the little seaside village by their constant hunger and looking for food everywhere. On one outing they attempt to carry off some baby wild boars but everything goes wrong in hilarious ways. Little boys will laugh their heads off at the farting jokes.

They have some amazing adventures together and at the same time Momo is slowly accepted into the group of young people on the island. The monsters prove to have a serious side and in the end may help Momo to learn what her father had been trying to tell her. The emphasis on nature and the ecology is similar to that of Myazaki in his award-winning animations, and the beauty of the hand-drawn, non-computerized images make this a lovely and artistic film.  It also shares his childlike curiosity about things. The realism and touching understanding with which it deals with regret and grief make it a valuable film for both children and adults to see.

—John Sunier

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