Product Details

• Actors: Miki Imai, Toshirô Yanagiba, Youko Honna, Mayumi Iizuka, Masahiro Ito
• Directors: Isao Takahata
• Writers: Isao Takahata
• Producers: Hayao Miyazaki, Yasuyoshi Tokuma
• Format: NTSC
• Language: Japanese
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Run Time: 118 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005JOE4
• For more information about "Only Yesterday (Omohide poro poro)" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

73 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars OCEAN OF MEMORIES........ANOTHER HEARTWARMING TALE FROM STUDIO GHIBLI!!!!, October 9, 2005

By 

Mohd Jafar (Hyderabad, AP India) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Only Yesterday (Omohide poro poro) (DVD)

"Omohide poro poro" (which translates as "memories of falling teardrops" in english) or "only yesterday" as the west knows it, is a heartwarming coming of age film from studio ghibli, directed by Isao takahata who's best known for his heartbreaking anti-war film "Grave of the fireflies" which most critics hail as a masterpiece and his best work yet. I too shared the same opinion till i saw "only yesterday". It is one of the most realistic and deeply moving film i've ever seen.

"Only yesterday" tells the story of a 27 year old girl Taeko, who takes a 10 days vacation to safflower fields in Japan countryside. On her journey, she recalls the memories of her childhood when she lived with her parents and two elder sisters in a city. Film runs back and forth in time showing taeko's rather painful past as a child and the woman she is today. The most heartwarming and winning moment in the film is the end where Taeko rediscovers herself and reaches a stage where she has to make a choice in life. This sequence is seen as the end credits roll past screen and is undoubtedly one of the finest scenes not just in an animated film but in any film, for that matter.

Isao takahata's movies have always portrayed the harsh realities of life, be it "grave of the fireflies", "my neighbors the yamadas", "pom poko" or "only yesterday". With "only yesterday", Takahata succeeds in taking the audience where no other animator has gone before. "Only yesterday" is a slow paced film which runs in real time, doing justice to the plot and storyline. There are long conversations and quite a few slow moments in the film but they add to the beauty and realism of the subject without dragging the movie. There are moments where film talks about menstruation and few other mature themes (let's see how it is handled in english dub!!) from a child's point of view without being crude or vulgar. Anyone who thinks animation was always meant for kids will be blown away by "only yesterday". It is hard to describe in words the richness and emotional depth this movie has.

The animation of the film is detailed and looks absolutely realistic and flawless. It is impossible to erase from mind all those breathtakingly beautiful images of safflower fields wrapped in a blanket of morning mist, shown in the movie. The faded watercolor wash look in all the flashback shots is breathtaking and will haunt you long after the film is over.

The beauty of studio ghibli films lie in their simplicity. They talk about life without being sugary sweet or made up. Ghibli directors, be it the legend, Hayao miyazaki, the genious Isao takahata or anyone else, they've always believed in themselves and their own projects. They have never followed "once upon a time fairy tale" kind of a set pattern or formula for their animated films and that's what make these guys and their movies versatile and worthwhile, not just for kids but for grown ups as well.

Grab "Only yesterday" when its available on dvd, not just to complete your studio ghibli collection but to add a great movie in your collection too.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I love this movie!, June 1, 2006

By 

Ariotstorm (New York,NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Only Yesterday (Omohide poro poro) (DVD)

TCM aired Only Yesterday and I watched reluctantly. I work in the comic book industry and art is my life so I love most things drawn or animated but love stories have never been my thing until seeing this movie. It was older 1994 studio Ghibi, I think, but so beautiful. A slice of life. from the wonderful full backgrounds to the regular ol, un-beautified characters, pure artistry. I hope Disney releases this for us. Just because it isn't magical or action packed it doesn't mean that the American public can't appreciate it.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievable, August 28, 2006

By 

J. Letera - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Only Yesterday (Omohide poro poro) (DVD)

I caught this movie by chance one night while it was being played on, I think, the Turner Movie Network. I don't need to say anything about the plot, as there are many reviews that discuss that. All I have to say is that this movie was so unbelievably real... the animation of their facial expressions and the scenery, the story itself, everything lent itself to an amazing depth without being over the top. I only saw the movie once and I have not been able to forget it. It's a shock to me that this movie is not more readily available - it is incredible.