Rating: 3/5
Netflix’s new anime film ‘Child of Kamiari Month’ follows the extraordinary journey a sixth-grader must take after learning of her destiny as a descendant of the Gods.
Story
Kanna Hayama is struggling to get over the demise of her mother. She leaves a race at school midway due to being overcome with grief.
When she wears her mother’s amulet in a nearby shrine, time begins to move slowly, and demons and Gods are able to communicate with her.
She is revealed to be an Idaten, the God of running, and is a descendant of the Gods, just like her mother was. She must now collect chiso (food offerings) from Gods across the country and take it to Izumo, where the Gods will gather.
What follows is a journey of friendship and self-realisation as Kanna learns more about her mother, as well as herself.
Performances
The voice actors all deliver worthwhile performances, although it isn’t a particularly challenging film from that perspective.
Positives
Kanna’s grief at the start of the film hits you hard. This is a child, and it’s terrifying to what extent such tragic incidents can affect children, and how often times they end up blaming themselves.
The film is visually appealing. Beautiful scenes of nature and Gods across Japan really catch your eye. The slowing down of time is especially well-executed.
The narrative of a girl taking on a journey bestowed upon her by the Gods for her own ulterior motive of meeting her mother provides a good conflict throughout.
Some of the moments might bring tears to your eyes, as you learn more about the characters and what drives them.
The soundtrack is beautiful. It powerfully adds emotion to certain scenes, and you won’t be able to prevent yourself from rooting for Kanna.
The ending is believable. The writers do not give in to what would appeal more to the masses, and, instead, allow the characters to grow.
Negatives
The plot is too safe. It’s a very simplistic storyline that doesn’t deviate much from what is promised at the start. The conflict is resolved too easily.
Quite often, the narrative drags as there isn’t much complication in the plot, and you would just want to know how it will end.
The concept of a different world and Gods opened a plethora of different possibilities which could have been explored more extensively.
Verdict
Child of Kamiari Month is a decent watch for anybody who enjoys more emotion-driven anime films.
Also Read: Netflix announces slate of upcoming movies for 2022