A Letter to Momo

A Letter to Momo

Like many Japanese animations, “A Letter to Momo” is a poignant and effective film that deals with supernatural beings. Having its opening in the United States today and expanding across the country over the next month after years of anticipation from audiences (it premiered at TIFF in 2011) as well as its intricate hand-drawn animation production process, this movie follows in the tradition of Japanese anime where displacement or emotional turmoil results in contact between humans and spirits.

Writer-director Hiroyuki Okiura made a splash more than a decade ago with his previous work “Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade”, but he spent seven years creating this complicated yet delicate project that took even longer than expected for it to be distributed internationally before finally reaching American theaters.

In light of Studio Ghibli’s recent announcement about no longer producing new films following Hayao Miyazaki’s retirement and instead focusing on managing their vast library which contains some of the most influential animated features ever made, fans who enjoy these kinds of stories are eagerly awaiting “Momo.” Such hopes are not dashed because grief plays such an important part throughout this film due to Okiura’s profound understanding thereof coupled with some stunning visuals surrounding an adolescent girl who must mature too soon without any help from beyond.

In Wonderland language game terms, Momo Miyaura is Alice an 11 year old relocated by her mother after losing father figure into different world setting; they move back onto mom’s native territory situated at far-off island called Shio which is miles away from busy Tokyo where she grew up. However, life becomes difficult for our little protagonist when we see that waters scare her so much even though other kids can swim fearlessly around there; also, clutching onto letter written by late dad saying only ‘Dear Momo.’ begs question what was going through his mind before dying? Will these thoughts ever get revealed? Or should past shadows be forgotten?

Meanwhile, three imps from the “Above” Kawa, Mame and Iwa arrive during this time of emotional turmoil. Although normal humans should not be able to see them due to their invisibility; but with Momo things are different. For a girl who has just lost one parent, she seems to have another in these creatures that offer support or companionship while dealing with such kind of sadness which no child should face alone. So she ends up trapping them here by holding onto an object known as totem so that they may not go back where they belong forevermore after all passing on the other side leaves behind is hard enough for anyone let alone an 11 year old girl whose father died unexpectedly.

Momo’s world was already falling apart before meeting Kawa, Mame and Iwa from the “Above”. She had always been unable to express her feelings about dad’s death because nobody ever taught her how really except through writing letters which never got delivered anyway.

And now this happens: three cute looking strange little beings appear out of nowhere claiming themselves as messengers sent by deceased father himself only requesting some warmth like hugging while delivering messages too difficult express verbally; indeed everything becomes even more complicated when it turns out each imp knows something that others don’t know yet overall both sides want same thing guidance towards healing process after sudden loss of loved ones. The rest is history.

As a matter of fact, “A Letter to Momo” is not so much magical as it is playful. The design for the three imps who befriend Momo is exaggeratedly different from each other, and their actions are like most magical creatures in Japanese animation downright childish at times. In slow motion, Kawa fends off a wild boar with a magical fart; this kind of moment would probably earn a film like this critical scorn for gross out humor were it in a DreamWorks film but works in the fabric of this piece overall. They dance, lick Momo’s leg for attention, eat like slobs they’re designed to seem more childish than Momo herself does, which is what makes her journey through grief to adulthood possible.

There are moments where you feel the two hour running time of “A Letter to Momo,” none moreso than in an over-long first act—it takes nearly 30 minutes for Momo to meet the imps that become her friends throughout the story. Even scenes that work such as a climax on a rain-soaked bridge feel like they could have been trimmed by a few hand-drawn frames. Maybe then it wouldn’t have taken so long for such a sweet, delicate, fun movie to get here.

Watch A Letter to Momo For Free On Gomovies.