It’s very rare to see a fantasy movie, animated or otherwise, that is both intimate and epic in scope, concerning itself with both the daily trials and tribulations of its people while simultaneously showing the decline and fall of empires. As Ariel grows up, and Maquia learns what it means to love another, the balance of power shifts in their world and affects the people living in it. Add to that the unique fantasy setting that bears a passing resemblance to Game of Thrones and Maquia presents its story in distinctive way, both visually and thematically.Īs time marches on, the relationship between Maquia and her son change subtly, complemented and contrasted by the larger changes in their world.
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They are familiar themes in Okada works ( Hanasaku Iroha previously featured motherhood, and time is a prominent plot device in Nagi-Asu), but the movie presents a different take on them, focusing instead on the experiences of the mother rather than that of a child growing up. Maquia is ultimately about motherhood, the persistence of time, and the value of family. I knew that one day, Maquia would see Ariel pass on, and she would be destined to go on living, weaving her experience with Ariel into the fabric (or Hibiol) of her life.Įven with that sense of dramatic irony permeating the film, it’s more about the journey rather than the destination. I felt a sense of almost Hitchcockian dread underneath the sweet moments of familial bonding between Maquia and Ariel because I always knew what was coming. From the very outset, the story is a bittersweet one, as the audience fully knows that Maquia will outlive Ariel. The story spans several decades, following Maquia from first adopting the baby, who she names Ariel, through raising him and eventually seeing him grow up into a man while she remains ageless. While fleeing, she runs across an orphaned human baby, and takes on the role of mother. A girl from a clan of immortals escapes capture from a neighboring kingdom hoping to use their immortality for itself. Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms has a very simple, personal premise. Part of me was bracing for some of Okada’s more questionable writing choices (namely the over-reliance on melodrama and love polygons), and while there are some of those things featured here, it was never enough to hold the movie back. So I went into this film without really any expectations at all. PA Works, the studio behind Maquia, and with which Okada has frequently collaborated (specifically on True Tears, Nagi-Asu, and Hanasaku Iroha), has a similar track record with me, although lately they have been making a good showing. She is the creative mind behind some of my all-time favorite anime ( Anohana: The Flower We Saw that Day, Nagi no Asukara or Nagi-Asu, and most recently Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans) but she is also responsible for some of anime’s most infamous trainwrecks ( Fractale and Black Rock Shooter). My experience with her has been rather uneven. Her works are as divisive as she is, and if you are an anime fan, you either love her or hate her.
If you are an anime fan, chances are you’ve run across her work more than once. She’s been in the business for more than 20 years and has amassed quite a long resume of works to which she can claim credit. Mari Okada is a…controversial figure in the anime industry, to say the least. In a time when I’m just about to enter the workplace and our relationship is again undergoing change, Maquia struck a chord with me in the way that few anime films really do. Not only did it make me bawl like a baby, call my mom and tell her how much I loved her, but it also made me appreciate her all over again. It takes a lot for films to elicit an emotional response from me, but this one did it. Plotwise, I did not expect how tightly focused and how surprisingly personal this film was.
From a technical standpoint, it’s a beautifully and professionally conceived film of a kind I would expect from Hollywood. After mulling over what I saw, and continuously telling my mom how much I love her and am grateful for all she has ever done, I am ready to impart my thoughts on this Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms.Īs a directorial debut, Mari Okada hits a home run when her track record has been hits and misses. One of the local theaters in my county showcased this movie today, and I have just come back from seeing it.