Although many of Studio Ghibli’s most renown works were directed by Hayao Miyazaki, this is not to say that all their best works were crafted by the long-time animation legend. Whether it is Yoshifumi Kondou who directed the charming Whisper of the Heart or Isao Takahata who created the only film I have never been able to sit through without weeping, the animation studio have managed to deliver many notable titles among its team members. After making his directional debut with Arrietty – a memorable film which I described as “one of the few animated films since Studio Ghibli’s ‘Spirited Away’ to successfully capture that youthful sense of innocence, curiosity and trust between two characters“ – Hiromasa Yonebayashi is back in the director’s chair with a new animated feature titled When Marnie Was There. With Studio Ghibli having reportedly gone on hiatus and no new titles announced as of writing, they have managed to enter this period on a very high note with their latest film.
When Marnie Was There could be considered a title more grounded in reality than Arrietty, although not without its own supernatural charm. The film follows 12 year old Anna Sasaki, a taciturn and serious young girl who has shut herself off from everyone around her and seemingly suffers from stress induced asthma attacks. In response to this, her foster mother sends her to stay in a rural village in Hokkaido with members of her extended foster family. Although sceptical at first about her Summer away, and not making friends with any of the youth her age in the village, her attention is quickly drawn to a mysterious mansion that sits looking out onto the local marshlands. Although looking abandoned at first, the house seems to be the residence of an energetic young girl named Marnie, with the pair quickly becoming friends. But with this friendship presents a mysterious string of events and meetings… which leads Anna to research just who this girl is. Through this, she also manages to resolve her own personal strife and issues.
As with Arrietty, When Marnie Was There is not a completely unique story. Instead, it is based on the 1967 novel of the same name by Joan G. Robinson. Unlike ‘The Borrowers’ or ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’, I have been unable to read the source material, and therefore cannot comment on the similarities between the novel and feature film. But based on the film alone, I was impressed. While there is less of an adventure present compared with other major Ghibli works, and Anna nor Marnie stood out greatly in my memory when compared against other Ghibli heroines such as Chihiro (Spirited Away) or Kiki (Kiki’s Delivery Service), the story presented is nevertheless enchanting and did keep at least myself in a state of wonder about the many mysteries surrounding Marnie. Although I don’t wish to spoil too much of the storyline for you, the story was interestingly both heart-warming and tragic, and overall competently written / presented to the viewer. That being said, there were some aspects of the story that either felt rushed or were left open for interpretation, although I won’t go into too much detail on this due to the risk of spoilers.
Complementing the overarching storyline was strong character development, especially with regard to Anna and Marnie who periodically receive personal development and grow during the story. The secondary cast didn’t receive as much attention, although for the most part have their personalities shine through and contribute in their own ways to Anna’s task – from the cheerful albeit slightly know-it-all Sayaka who assists Anna with her research into Marnie, to the friendly Kiyomasa and Setsu Oiwa who take Anna in for the Summer.
With a range of well-designed characters, picturesque environments and some of the tastiest looking tomatoes and watermelons I have ever seen, When Marnie Was There provides all the Studio Ghibli charm I have come to expect from the studio over the years. Whether it is the character expressions, small bits of attention to detail reflecting the state of a character or general character animation, everything was presented to a high standard and complemented the story well.
Complementing the strong visuals is an equally strong soundtrack, this time featuring the work of Takatsugu Muramatsu. The soundtrack of When Marnie Was There is complimentary and non-intrusive to other elements of the film. In my opinion the score is worth listening to by itself after watching the film (You can purchase the soundtrack via iTunes). A particularly nice choice by the production team was the theme song Fine On The Outside by Priscilla Ahn – which suited the concept and tone of the film really well.
The Australian DVD and Blu-ray release of When Marnie Was There features both the original Japanese dub and a newly commissioned English dub, with subtitles available for both the hearing impaired and those listening to the Japanese dub. Both the Japanese and English dubs are of a high standard, and I recommend going with whichever language option you prefer. That being said, I would say that the English dub was my personal preference.
As one would expect from any international DVD/Blu-ray release based on a Studio Ghibli film, there are quite a few extras for fans to watch after the film. A range of extra content is on offer this time around including: a twelve and a half minute ‘Behind the Scenes’ video with the English voice cast, a 42 and a half minute ‘Making of When Marnie Was There’ feature (Japanese dubbed w/ English subtitles), another interesting 17 minute video titled ‘Yohei Taneda Creates the Art of When Marnie Was There’ and original Japanese trailers / TV Spots.
Also included in the Australian release is an extensive range of trailers for past Studio Ghibli titles including: The Art of Studio Ghibli books, My Neighbor Totoro, Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Ponyo, Howl’s Moving Castle, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Arrietty (UK/Australia version), Porco Rosso, From Up on Poppy Hill, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Whisper of the Heart, The Cat Returns, Pom Poko, My Neighbors the Yamadas, The Wind Rises and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya. There was enough nostalgia in those trailers to make me want to sit infront of the couch all weekend and hold a Studio Ghibli marathon.
I always have a high expectation for any animated feature from Studio Ghibli, and When Marnie Was There did not disappoint in any one aspect. With high production value, a touching if not slightly tragic storyline, and a small albeit well utilised cast of characters; Hiromasa Yonebayashi has managed to provide viewers worldwide an enchanting film which drew me in from start to finish.
Although some have hypothesised this could possibly be the last feature film from Studio Ghibli, and this would be a strong ending to their 30 year history of filmmaking, here’s hoping we see something new from them soon. After all, it would be a shame to never have another opportunity to become immersed in another Studio Ghibli film again.
