Released in 1991, Only Yesterday is a Japanese animated drama film written and directed by Isao Takahata and animated by Studio Ghibli. It is based on the Manga series titled under the same name Hotaru Okamoto and Yuko Tone. The film was a surprise success, gaining appreciation from film critics not only from Japan but all over the world.
Plot
Only Yesterday is spanned across two different time spans one based in 1966 and the other one in 1982.
The story revolves around an ordinary 27-year-old Taeko Okajima who has lived her whole life in the city of Tokyo, Japan. The story is based in the year 1982 when Taeko decides to visit the family of her elder sister’s in-laws who live in the rural countryside, Yamagata, located in the northern part of Japan. The purpose of her visit is to engage herself in the harvest of safflower and to take a break from the monotonous city life.
The entire plot line whirls around her 10-day visit to the rural countryside where the memory of herself accompanies her as a 10-year-old school girl and a constant flashback of memories from childhood. It is a lyrical transition between the past and the present, where Taeko is portrayed as attempting to understand her perception of herself and others around her.
Architecture in the City Frames
The film begins with the portrayal of Tokyo based in the year 1982 where Taeko is shown in a typical busy office with desks flooded with files printers and other devices being in action. The city of Tokyo is depicted with its crowded metro train and one can also see the city skyline through the window of Taeko’s bedroom. As she proceeds with her journey to the countryside she is struck by the memories from her childhood. A consistent connection is made between the past and present throughout the plot. For instance, as she moves through the station alleys to board the train, she spots pineapples at one of the shops. This instantly reminds her of summer break as a 10-year-old when she and her family tried pineapple for the first time brought by her father from one of his distant work travel trips and how each one of them was anticipating trying the then very rare fruit. As she embarks on her journey all such memories are flashed in front of her vividly.
Architecture in the Countryside Frames
On arriving at her destination the scenery from the busy crowded and busy city of Tokyo transits to the rural countryside with open green farmlands on either side of the road and clear side. With narrow roads, small bridges and traditional houses, one can sense the authenticity of the countryside. The movie also reflects the traditional house typology of the rural side, suitable for farmers harvesting safflower and providing spaces for allied activities. The house is located near a water body where the characters can be seen rinsing the harvested petals. A warehouse located within the house with equipment to crush the petals and an open space to dry the crushed petals to ferment them further. One can study how the house is adapted by the users for work as well as leisure respectively.
As the days of the visit pass, the movie encompasses various landscapes of the countryside ranging from hilltops to riverside and more. The movie signifies the beauty of the Japanese countryside and emphasises the way of living along with nature.
Animation in the Movie
As the storyline continuously keeps transiting from the past and the present there are 2 very distinct ways in which both the periods are expressed. During the flashbacks, the characters are displayed in a very cartoonish and vague manner, the scenes are painted in faded watercolours and unfinished backgrounds conveying the idea of recalling an old memory. When the screenplay is switched to the present period the scenes look more realistic with accurate details, vibrant colours and characters expressing human-like expressions. The striking styles between the two different periods guide one through the past and present.
Known for its extraordinary attention to detail, the work done by Studio Ghilbi is quite mesmerising. Over 2 years, the team drew 74,000 drawings with few staff members even travelling to the Yamagata prefecture. The staff studied the countryside thoroughly even visiting the safflower field to get inspiration.
The movie scored 100 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes and was the highest-grossing film of 1991. With much more famous films made under the banner of Studio Ghilbi, Spirited Away, My Neighbour Totoro, and Princess Mononoke to name a few, Only Yesterday is quite different and unlikely and thus under-rated. With a very simple and relatable theme of an adult dealing with her inner turmoil, the screenplay and animation of the movie transport the viewer to the countryside breath-taking imagery of Japan.
References:
https://medium.com/@laura.e920/the-hidden-beauty-of-only-yesterday-isao-takahatas-overlooked-ghibli-masterpiece-c846a7b6aad9
https://scenograph.tumblr.com/post/190367719140/layouts-for-only-yesterday-from-studio-ghibli
https://fourstarfilmfan.com/2018/07/28/only-yesterday-1991/
https://www.filmcompanion.in/readers-articles/only-yesterday-netflix-a-tale-about-reminiscing-and-the-rural-urban-divide-hayao-miyazaki
