Instead, I feel it takes a few cues from Studio Ghibli‘s The Cat Returns. Strangely though, Gorobeh, her pet cat was not along for the entire ride. I wish he did since this type of comic relief, I can never tire of. Instead, she meets a gentlemanly Hippocrates (Masachika Ichimura) and Pipo (Nao Tôyama), his diminutive elf assistant. They believe Akane can save their world. She’s The Goddess of the Green Wind!
Hara’s adaptation of Sachiko Kashiwaba‘s 1988 children’s book Chikashitru Kara no Fushigi na Tabi (Strange Journey From The Basement) is charming. The world the fantasy characters inhabit is colourful and bright. But as the plot reveals itself, some force is draining this realm of all its vibrancy. Akane has to save the day. Even more importantly, she has to learn how to confront hurdles in her life and cannot simply hide from it, as the film so points out at the start.
The movie is essentially a coming of age and hero’s journey tale all mixed into one. The tale is nothing new and my interest in how what kind of magical wonders can I find here. The denizens range from huge fluffy sheep to talking cats. Not to be confused with Wonder Park, I’d take a visit to this realm one more time just to see what I missed.
3½ Stars out of 5
This film played at Fantasia 2019, July 14th. For a screening near you, please check out your local film festival or art house listings.