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Only Yesterday

Only Yesterday

Animation · Drama · Romance · 1991

In lyrical switches between the present and the past, Taeko contemplates the arc of her life, and wonders if she has been true to the dreams of her childhood self.

Movie details

Only Yesterday

“I'm going on a trip with Me.”

1991 Animation · Drama · Romance 1h 59m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.4 / 10

Community rating

In lyrical switches between the present and the past, Taeko contemplates the arc of her life, and wonders if she has been true to the dreams of her childhood self.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Only Yesterday?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Isao Takahata

Written by

Isao Takahata

Miki Imai

Miki Imai

Taeko Okajima (voice)

Yoko Honna

Yoko Honna

Taeko Okajima as a 5-Year-Old (voice)

Toshiro Yanagiba

Toshiro Yanagiba

Toshio (voice)

Yorie Yamashita

Yorie Yamashita

Nanako Okajima (voice)

Y

Yuki Minowa

Yaeko Okajima (voice)

M

Masahiro Ito

Taeko's Father (voice)

M

Michie Terada

Taeko's Mother (voice)

Court is in session

Put Only Yesterday on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.