Colorful (Movie) Review

Movie: Colorful

Genre: Drama, Slice of Life, Supernatural

Summary: "I" died and was kicked out of the cycle of reincarnation because of the sin "I" committed. An angel told me that "I" won a lottery and he gave me a chance to remember the sin. My spirit possessed the body of the 14-year-old boy Makoto, who committed suicide and "I" tried to recollect my memory. "I" felt distressed by the terrible circumstances of Makoto and the fact that "I" was borrowing his body. "I" have started to realize that people are hurting each other because the world is too colorful to distinguish the true color of themselves from others.

I have a certain fear of what happens to humans after death. Do we go into a vast oblivion of darkness or do we get a second chance at life and become reincarnated? Since I brood over such trivial matters often, the plot for Colorful really caught my eye and I figured watching it would help me reach an answer. Well, not only did the movie get me closer to a sufficient answer, but it changed certain views of life that I had as well.

Story: 9.8/10

The plot for Colorful was a simple yet broad subject. A second chance of life, how many of us would take that? Would it be a good or bad idea? I've seen and read other stories that try to play around this concept, but Colorful's is unique. The journey of a person's discovery of sin in another sinner's body became as interesting as I hoped. While the movie was rather slow and dragged out for the first half of the movie, it created a build up that led to an ending that left a lasting impression. Colorful also explores the lessons of family, priorities, and friendship, all of which tied together well with the main plot. The ending was extremely satisfying and for a while after the movie, it makes you reflect on your own life as well. Philosophical and heart warming, Colorful's plot teaches life lessons that I never thought a movie could.  

Art: 9/10

Colorful had some pretty good quality as an anime movie. The animation for each movement was very fluid and each character was drawn clear, tiny details included. The character design was nothing too special (except PuraPura), but they were still drawn well and realistically enough for my liking. Backdrops ranging from train stations to forests and lakes were all beautifully done and lovely to look at. 

Sound: 8/10 

I gave sound an above average 8 because the soundtrack for Colorful just didn't really stick out to me that much. However, they did fit the story and setting well, so it was still good enough. The voice actor's for each character portrayed their given role and personalities well. No one felt too plain or forced. 

Character: 9.4/10

When it comes to character, the one that I'll be focusing mainly on is Makoto. His personality was very interesting and wasn't that of a basic main character. His development throughout the movie was so endearing and I ended up rooting for him more than I thought. His growth was refreshing, eye opening, yet realistic enough to enjoy. The side characters, though not as important, were just as interesting as you get to know them more and more through the movie. Each person has their own secrets and little quirks and its hard to not to hate someone by the end of Colorful. 

Overall: 9.7/10

Initially reading Colorful's plot, I had high expectations for the movie, and it was definitely filled. The overall impact and morals can be near life changing as it really turns your perspective on how you may live. Along with high quality animation and characters that could be your next door neighbor, Colorful is a fantastic movie and one that I won't forget.