Isao Takahata is one of the greatest directors of all time, either in animation of live action, and here we are shown one of his early pre- Ghibli films. The quality of the artwork and animation is sub-par compared to his later films (such as Grave of the Fireflies, which he made only six years after this film but it feels like it was made with ten times the budget and more advanced technology). The soundtrack is marvelous as it consists of Beethoven's 6th symphony and there is a very interesting cello solo later in the film.
Overall, I found this film better than Pom Poko and Yamadas but not as good as Grave of the Fireflies and Only Yesterday, which I consider his two masterpieces.
Overall, I found this film better than Pom Poko and Yamadas but not as good as Grave of the Fireflies and Only Yesterday, which I consider his two masterpieces.