Words bubble up like soda pop age8/17/2023 ![]() Instead, the film’s strengths lie in the way that it underplays the usual dramatic tension of the romance plot, and shifts the focus onto the theme of poetic harmony (the core of traditional Japanese storytelling or kishotenketsu), especially between generations and between modern life and tradition. ![]() But this isn’t the only thing, or even the main thing, that makes this film such a rewarding watch. Smile and Cherry, our girl and boy, would fare very well in this kind of reviewers’ test. Usually, the relative strength or weakness of the romance plot hinges on the winsomeness of the MCs: is the girl a unique and refreshing take on the Quirky Girl trope? Is the boy’s particular brand of awkwardness heart-warming? Are their insecurities both relatable and under-represented enough in the genre to warrant watching? The premise of the movie is pretty standard: boy meets girl each has their own insecurities summer months roll by as they draw closer to one another, culminating in a dramatic confession scene. But this actually speaks to the kind of harmony between opposites that lies at the heart of this story… (Incidentally, the masterful composer Kensuke Ushio, of A Silent Voice fame, did the soundtrack for both of these last two projects as well as Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop.)Īt first these two styles may seem at odds. The boldness of the visual palette contrasts with the fineness of the line work and the use of kagenashi-or shadowless, almost flat color design, a style the studio adopts in Mars Redtoo, and which is reminiscent of Liz and the Blue Birdand Japan Sinks 2020. The human eye takes about twenty minutes to adjust to new color palettes, so if at first you find it a bit much, just hang in there because you’re about to be blown away by the movie’s vision of a world so full of color you can taste it. The haiku film takes the popping color scheme of the studio’s earlier works like FLCL Progressiveand The Wonderland, and turns the hue saturation up to 110%, electrifying the visuals like neon lights. Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop comes to us from studio Signal.MD, a relative newcomer (spun off from Production I.G) with a nevertheless diverse portfolio. Haiku explode typical grammar patterns and common clichés in a search for new ways of expressing the beauty of nature, and this is exactly what this movie, from Your Lie in April director Kyohei Ishiguro, does for the romance anime, both in its plot and its art. This use of haiku is not simply a way of flagging up the lyrical idiosyncrasy of one of the main characters though it also foreshadows the very nature of the movie itself as a creative work born of unexpected juxtapositions-a whole that represents more than the sum of its parts. All told quietly through visuals.The title, Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop, is a haiku, the 17 th century poetic form consisting of seventeen syllables written in three lines of five, seven, and five syllables. It serves both a role in framing the character of Cherry and the things he can say if given the strength. And this is even more apparent in the visual language of spray-painted haikus that litter the landscapes and backgrounds of the film. All of this is communicated through action and intention, animated with simplicity but is no less effective. Through her desire to interact with others and reach out, but at the same time undermined by her refusal to reveal her true face. The same goes for Smile, who's story of contrasting lack of self esteem vs her online persona creates an interesting tension and message on the nature of the importance of appearances. And the loneliness and desire for validation he has through the small moments he repeatedly looks at his online profile. The way he absentmindedly trails off when the inspiration of haiku comes. We learn the story of who Cherry is through the quiet reactions he has towards public speaking and interacting with others. And visual storytelling is how the film gets all the small bits of character and story across. But the movie doesn't like telling it's story, it's love to show it.
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