Research - Journey to Agartha

Journey to Agartha is one of my favourite anime films and is a visually stunning piece of animation. Directed by Makoto Shinkai, the film follows the main character, 'Asuna' who has been forced to grow up quickly following the death of her father. The opening scenes depict her coming home from school and doing house work until it's time to eat and she goes to bed. The film really takes a turn when she is attacked by a mysterious monster and saved by a boy called 'Shun'. She treats his wound, and he tells her he is from another place called 'Agartha', and that he came here to find something. From this point on the story unlike much on Shinkai's previous work becomes very fantastical, and considering he hasn't produced much work like, Ariathis before, it is a very enjoyable piece of animation. The ideas and designs for characters and environments alike are very interesting and innovative, and the art style that is very unique to him, helps him to achieve this.

One of the reasons I fell in love with the film so much as with other Shinkai films is the attention to detail in the environments and the backgrounds. Looking at the image below you can see the high level of detail and effort that has gone into producing the backgrounds and setting the scene of the film. The lighting used in the background gives it a very realistic feel. I also think that Shinkai similarly to Miyazaki is influenced heavily by nature as the setting for most of his films take in rural locations away from cities or any other form of landscape. The kind of rural farmland you expect to see in his films is shown here and remains the same throughout the film, sometimes moving onto even more uninhabited locations.



Something I've noticed about all of Makoto Shinkai's work is the use of ambient lighting throughout his films, he is a master of creating atmosphere using lighting. His films are for the most part very dark and he uses light to illuminate certain areas of his settings. Often, he uses almost a glowing effect, to give the illusion of a hazy almost sunset like lighting. Another factor about Shinkai's films that I find quite unique to him is the lack of major characters. Often, the screen time is taken up by one or two main characters and occasionally other minor characters become involves or interact with the main ones. This puts huge emphasis on their story, and is the reason we as the audience become so attached to them as the story progresses. We feel involves and care about what happens to them, and when something extreme happens whether it be a good or a bad thing, we feel that emotion reflected in ourselves because of our involvement. This, and the dramatic lighting effects using consistently throughout the animation gives off a dramatic impression, and conjurers emotion at all stages until the film is over. Personally, I find this with all of Makoto Shinkai's films, and 'Journey to Agartha' is no different, some stages are very emotionally draining. The character designs are very elegant and likable aesthetically, and we feel to them also because of that.

Like many other of his films, this films covers intense subject matters such as losing ones you hold dear and having to deal with the their loss. Makoto Shinkai is a master of inducing an emotional response from the audience. Through the combination of lighting, colour, character and story he creates relatable and moving tales involving the willingness of people to overcome problems they encounter.