ANI-MOVIES, *The Garden Of Words

This 2013 short film by Your Name director Makoto Shinkai was a sort of template to his time-travel rom/com. Despite not having any otherworldly elements to it, The Garden Of Words is Shinkai's take on a youthful romance.

Takao is a teenager who continuously skips classes during his spring term, and goes to a sheltered park bench in the rain. He keeps meeting a young lady named Yukari that also frequents the same bench when it rains. The two end up sharing each others company during these rainy afternoons, and Takao begins to realize he would like to become a shoemaker after becoming somewhat interested in Yukari's footwear. After taking time away from going to the park to work during his summer break, Takao returns to school to discover that Yukari is really a literature teacher at his school. Yukari was caught up in a scandal started by a female student that started a rumor about her having an affair with a totally different boy. Takao waits for Yukari to show up at the bench again just before it starts pouring down one day, and they end up seeking shelter at Yukari's apartment where Takao confesses his feelings for her. Yukari reluctantly lets him down by informing him that she was leaving the school because of the scandal and avoided teaching because she couldn't deal with the depression the whole affair brought on. Takao leaves honorably, but Yukari chases after him and confesses that her time with him gave her the strength to carry on. Yukari ended up moving away, but left Takao a "thank you" note for helping her when she needed someone to talk to, and he in turn plans to make her a pair of his own handmade shoes to give her at some future date.

The Garden Of Words is largely a visual novel brought to life with amazing shots of the cityscape and the people living in it. There's a great blend of traditional and CGI animation, which really stands out in the overall film. The two main characters have similar but conflicting backgrounds, showing how much they have in common and could be a great couple if it weren't for their slight age difference. The story works more about how a brief relationship can deeply effect someone's life, for better or worse. For those who wish to get a more fully rounded take on the plot might want to check out the manga based on the movie which covers a little more on the main characters' future.