On Mari Okada’s magnificent directorial debut and how it deftly weaves narrative, theme, and aesthetic together to create a gorgeous emotional tapestry. Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms is, in many ways, a landmark film. For its director and scriptwriter, Mari Okada (Anohana, Toradora!, Dragon Pilot: Hisone and Masotan), it marks her directorial debut—and the story she has … Continue reading Tragedy and Healing: Why Maquia Makes Us Cry
Nov 13, 2018 • Subscribe
More like this
This Week in Anime - Maquia Will Make You Cry
Prepare your tissues, because Mari Okada's directorial debut film is finally available streaming!
Why Anime? Transforming Passion to Inspire Connection and Healing
The magic of anime extends far beyond entertainment – it's a transformative medium that touches every aspect of our lives, from personal growth to professional inspiration, from mental…
What anime moment makes you cry every time?
Saddest, ugliest cry? Happy cry? Do you often cry at media, or was this a particular example? What does it take to make something hit even if you…
The First Anime That Made Us Cry
Anime News Network's editorial team is digging deep into their repressed anime memories to trudge up the moments that left them in tears. What was the first anime…
Maquia and the Beauty of Parting
Tucked away in a remote village, the Iorph tend to their cloth. Known as the “Clan of Partings,” they are creatures of an older world, and live long,…
Maquia-When the Promised Flower Blooms: Teaching Us the True Meaning of Life and Parenthood
Greetings, fabulous people of the Internet! Hanime on Anime here, and welcome to my last movie review of September! And I can’t think of a better film review…
A Life in Graduation: Why one of the most common plots in anime still makes me cry
This one's about goodbyes.
Why Watching Anime Makes You More Attractive
It’s a well-known fact that watching even a single episode of anime a day makes you at least 18% all around generally more attractive and the long-term benefits…
Trails in the Sky SC: What Makes Us Human
I just finished The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC recently, and it’s honestly one of the best games I’ve ever experienced. I knew while playing…
KyoAni Tragedy
I’m sure a lot of you anime fans out there has heard about the tragic and senseless act of arson on the KyoAni (Kyoto Animation) studio on Thursday,…
Why Mawaru Penguindrum makes sense – when it shouldn’t
In many ways Mawaru Penguindrum defies attempts to make sense of its plot details, but it doesn’t care. It wants you to cry alongside its cast.
JOJO WORLD Makes Its US Debut at Anime NYC 2023
The JOJO WORLD amusement center will debut in the United States for three days this November at Anime NYC 2023.
Character of the Month: Maquia
Greetings, fabulous people of the Internet! Hanime on Anime here, and the time has come once again to announce September’s Character of the Month! And this one was…
Incest as Tragedy
Try not to cringe at the following statement: I love incest in anime/manga. Or more appropriately phrased, I love incest in anime/manga when it’s treated realistically and has…
August 15 in Tokyo and Seoul: Tragedy and Celebration
The post August 15 in Tokyo and Seoul: Tragedy and Celebration appeared first on The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus.
Guest Spot - Subtitled Anime "Rakugo Made Us Cry for a Building"
We were thrilled to get the chance to talk about Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju with Giancarlo on the Subtitled Anime podcast! In this episode we get emotional (and…
Why Americans In Japan Must File US Taxes
Americans in Japan must file US taxes. Learn how to avoid double taxation with exclusions and credits, plus which forms to file abroad.
What Makes The Last of Us Good For Television? #thelastofus #lastofus
I don't think I will ever master making thumbnails, but I do think I am getting closer to making them look nice. In this episode, Moose tries to…
Skeletons, murder and tragedy? More Galaxy Express 999
Sometimes a show hits me with a conundrum that I don’t have an answer to. Typically, this comes when I’m hit with a concept or an execution that…
Why This America Sushi Store Ads Makes Japanese People Scream
A sushi restaurant in the US wanted to promote a "date night" feel for their store - and ended up promoting a Japanese chopsticks faux pas.
Maquia: When The Promised Flower Blooms
Very much so struggling with writer’s block here, simply because of how beautiful this movie was. Okay, maybe less writer’s block, and more so in a state of…
Overlord IV – 07 – Why Didn’t They Show Us First?
When the Frost Dragon learns that someone is coming who may be able to cause some trouble, he first holds council with his three wives, and then decides…
Dance Dance Danseur, Ted Lasso, and Healing Masculinity
There’s a problem when it comes to toxic masculinity, and I don’t just mean that it exists. Rather, the recurring issue is the fact that it gets easily…
A Healing Romance- Sasaki and Miyano (Series Review)
There is a lot of really bad anime out there in the BL/ Shounen Ai genre-- and I mean a lot. However, I'm happy to say that this…
[Review] Slow Loop – Loss, Healing, and Fish Fry
There was a time when I would have likely avoided Slow Loop the second I saw the word “fishing”, but that time is in the past. This anime…
Meet Yourself: A Journey of Healing and Community
Meet Yourself is a soothing Chinese drama about Xu Hongdou finding solace in a quiet village after loss. It beautifully explores themes of healing, intimacy, and appreciating life's…
Why Bulma’s First Outfit Makes No Sense! Dragon Ball Analysis (VIDEO)
Over the course of the Dragon Ball franchise Bulma has had many memorable outfits. However, one of her most iconic looks has got to be what she wore…
JapanKyo – Exploring Japan today via videos, podcasts, and articles
The art of FIGHTING! Why Baki makes sense #baki #anime #bakihanma
In this episode Connor takes a look at Baki and what it means to fight. Thank you to John’s Cottage for the outro music John's Cottage - "Camino" (Official Audio) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2EJ9oT9c18&ab_channel=John%27sCottage And…
Girls Band Cry Made Me CRY
GIRLS BAND CRY. I HAVE FOUND MY NEW FAVOURITE ANIME ALONGSIDE LYCORIS AND BOCCHI. NINA THE GREMLINNNNNN Twitter: https://twitter.com/RedJoker0808?s=09 Stream Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@UC484Bx-gC-kDFOrER6hjlHw #girlsbandcry #anime
Amabie – The Healing Mermaid
Sourced and translated from Kaii Yokai Densho Database, Japanese Wikipedia, Yokai Jiten, Nihon Kokugo Dai-ten, and Other Sources Out on the seas comes upon a strange vision. A three-legged…
Review: Us and Them (2018)
Us and Them 后来的我们 China, 2018, colour/b&w, 2.35:1, 118 mins. Director: Liu Ruoying 刘若英 [René Liu]. Rating: 8/10. Long-limbed story, spread across 11 years, is an engaging reflection…
The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic – 02 – Healing Like Hell
Suzune and Kazuki visit Ken at the Rescue Team HQ, resplendent in their new uniforms. They’re greatly relieved to learn he’s okay. Despite the fact he’s about to…
Overcoming Tragedy with Kaoru Ijuin
Welcome back to Day 8 of 12 Days of Anime! Man, the days are really starting to fly by now. So far I have somehow managed to stay…
Superfluous Tragedy In Fate/Zero
A discussion about Fate/Zero and the overwhelming darkness within.
About the Recent Tragedy #PrayForKyoani
Even though I’m still taking my time away from this blog for the time being, I figured I may as well come by and say something.
The tragedy of Shusei Kagari
Kagari got a real raw deal in Psycho Pass. I think he deserved better.
The Tragedy of Time & Place
You can do everything in your power to work with the time and place you’ve found yourself in, but still fail. How do we cope with this harsh…
The Beautiful Tragedy of AnoHana
For most people, your childhood and adolescent years can be the most important years of your life and the relationships and moments that are made through this time…
The Tragedy of Tokyo Ghoul
Tokyo Ghoul is one of my favorite manga of all time. It’s dark, filled with rich characters, possesses philosophically complex themes, and has some of the best and…
Whimsical, Healing and More – Flying Witch Mid-Series Musing
I am back again with my favorite, actually my only, iyashiki series, Flying Witch. Like I had remarked in my August Acquisitions, I was really looking forward to…
Blue Drop: Tragedy and Love Before an Alien Invasion? Sure
Image from: I couldn’t find a key visual anywhere.
The Best of Us, The Worst of Us, the Lot of Us: Carole and Tuesday
These two soul sisters represent much more than just music.
Bokurano Makes Me Uncomfortable, and That’s Okay
What is the purpose of a story? That’s not a rhetorical question, even if it is a broad one. It doesn’t have a reliable single answer, but if…
Maquia Changed My Life - The Perfect Anime Film
Ranging from personal resonation with motherly love to understanding the cruelty of time, Maquia - When The Promised Flower Blooms is not simply an anime film, but a…
#53 - Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms Review
Add this one to your anime Mother's Day playlist right next to Wolf Children. This week, Tori and Austin review Mari Okada's directorial debut, from studio P.A. Works, Maquia:…
Promise, Wolf Children, Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms
The Tragedy of Katsuhiro Otomo and Steve Oliff’s Full-Color AKIRA
At a time when manga in English was hot and new, Epic Comics’ release of AKIRA pulled out all the stops and added unparalleled color. If you’re looking…
The Poe Clan: A Timeless Tragedy
Much like the titular family of this series, The Poe Clan is a piece of shojo manga’s glory days frozen in time, still dazzling and haunting decades after…
The Poe Clan: A Timeless Tragedy
Much like the titular family of this series, The Poe Clan is a piece of shojo manga’s glory days frozen in time, still dazzling and haunting decades after…
The Womanly Tragedy Of Johnny Sack
CONTENT WARNING: DISCUSSIONS OF MISOGYNY, VIOLENCE, RACISM It’s hard to sum up any character from The Sopranos with a short description. That’s the best thing about the show…
The Poe Clan: A Timeless Tragedy
Much like the titular family of this series, The Poe Clan is a piece of shojo manga’s glory days frozen in time, still dazzling and haunting decades after…