Spoilers Ahead
I started this anime in English Dub, quickly had to change to Japanese. The subtitles were a little quick for my ill brain to keep up with so I soldiered through it until Suzu became older I then switched it back and could stand the dubbed. The art style looks similar to older anime, I was surprised to see a more water colored world compared to the vibrant and smooth anime I’m used to viewing. But really, the voices of young Suzu, Sumi, and Tetsu Mizuhara, all sound like they’re 30 year olds talking into a bucket full of water, either that or my ear infection is fixated on them but allows adult voices to sound clear.
“In this Corner of the World” takes place in Hiroshima and Kure and is mainly set in the 1940s as we follow the life of a girl named Suzu, a young daydreamer, we start off seeing her life as a child with the work she does with her family and school, and when she meets a boy as they are being carried away in a basket. She also meets a ‘ghost’ while napping at her grandparents, the person was not actually a ghost but instead Rin, who she later meets again in the Red Light District, Suzu seems to have a poor memory so she doesn’t remember her instantly nor does she ever seem to remember when she first met her husband until the end, the boy she road with in the basket, Shusaku.
When she’s 18, Shusaku Hojo (22) asks for her to marry him and move to Kure, with no idea who he is, she decides to marry him anyway, even though she was told she can say no, often it’s mentioned she was forced into the marriage though. After moving to Kure to live with him and his family, she truly grows up and learns to be a wife and major part of the family unit during a violent time in history. During the food shortage she found ways to keep the family fed using herbs and attempts to increase the size of rice. In the beginning, she seems to fall into a depressed state, a bit homesick after going there and becoming a housewife with little time to draw and be herself. At one point her old friend, Mizuhara comes to see Suzu, he’s also a man who’s in love with her and she also wanted to be with him. Shusaku noticed this and in a way he gave Suzu permission to do the nasty with Mizuhara, I mean it’s not said out loud but he sends her to be with Mizuhara, alone, Shusaku even locks the door so Suzu can’t come back in, and Mizuhara TAKES THE OPPORTUNITY! He doesn’t get to get far though, Suzu realizes she loves Shusaku, I wonder if Shusaku knows she didn’t take the bait.
I absolutely LOVE the transitions between life and Suzu’s view of the world through art. Her easily distracted mind was so relatable, where she should be doing something else but it travels to this other world and she sees scenery with a different vision and must capture it. Even when all hell was breaking loose, her mind traveled to this other world, this world of pencil lines, ink strokes, and bursts of colors.
As stated in my “Week 3 of Anime Viewing” blog post, I’m not a public political person, so my thoughts on the war and the ideals from each participant’s side will be kept to myself. But I will say, it was interesting to watch an animated film in the viewpoint of the civilian Japanese people during World War II. War causes many struggles to those who are just trying to live day to day. When Suzu and Harumi found themselves outside during an air raid and Suzu became stuck in the moment, even though she knew she shouldn’t be but she wanted to paint the scene, I could feel that. Her art was no longer just a passion, it wasn’t just a hobby, it was an escape. It was heartbreaking to see Harumi’s death, you don’t view it in the explicit details but Suzu’s memories, in all it’s artistry portray’s the pain and sorrow quite well. Suzu ends up losing her dominate hand from the blast that killed Harumi, moving her into another state of depression.
I wish we could have seen more scenes with Suzu and Shusaku, like them getting to know each other a bit more. The scenes I did see were either uncomfortable (between them) or sweet, or Suzu was dealing with her emotions, which are understandable emotions but at times seem rather childish. That little kissing scene when they forget all else around, including her in-laws, at the shelter door, was so freaking cute! I love near the end when Suzu says the title to Shusaku on the bridge where they first met.
A couple last minute questions… I may be a little on the oblivious side here, but what did Suzu’s grandma mean when she was talking about the umbrella because she said he’d ask to open it? I mean, I suppose because he didn’t do what should have been done, it plays into his reserved character a bit more, like he’s wants to do ‘stuff’ but kinda not ready to do stuff, I don’t know, I could be reading into a bit much. And what’s the name of their adoptive daughter?
TL;DR
A young woman with her head in the clouds named, Suzu, marries a man 4 years older than her that she met when she was much younger in the city, his name is Shusaku Hojo. She moves from Hiroshima to Kure to live with his family and become a housewife. She is an exceptional artist, but late in the movie she loses her dominate hand after an explosion which also killed her niece. The film’s art style and animation is similar to older anime, it gave the movie a beautiful appeal when you include Suzu’s mind changing from real life to her artist vision of ink and pencil strokes. “In this Corner of the World,” we are given a glimpse into the struggles of those trying to survive and live day to day during an increasingly dangerous war, World War II to be exact. In the end, most of Suzu’s family dies due to the bombing and she and Shusaku appear to adopt a child who lost her mother. Lots of sadness, art, and growing relationships.
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