Takahata’s follow-up to Grave of the Fireflies is a far more serene memory piece. Twenty-seven-year-old Taeko reminisces about her 1960s childhood when travelling from Tokyo to the sleepy country town of Yamagata. Takahata renders these flashbacks in a different style than the present-day scenes—corners slightly fade into white, details on the edges are blurred—altogether lending these moments a sense of impermanence. A surprise smash hit in Japan, this adult animated film is a poignant look at the cost of growing up. 

Director: Isao Takahata. Cast: Miki Imai, Toshiro Yanagiba, Yoko Honna. 1991. 118 min. Japan. Color. Japanese. 35mm. 

All film screenings of Everyday Life: The Films of Isao Takahata are available here.