Voices of a Distant Star (Hoshi no Koe)

Format: Movie
Type: Fansub
Studio: A.D.V. Films
Length: 24:31
Rating: PG

Plot:	2
Characters:	2
Art:	4
Music:	3
Tilt:	2

Overal: 3

Release Date: April 2002

In short: More noteworthy on its technical merits, this movie is otherwise far, far too short.

Some beautiful scenes.

There are some anime shows and movies out there that are far more interesting due to the circumstances surrounding their creation rather than their individual merits as entertainment. Voices of a Distant Star is a stalward example of such a thing. Created entirely by one man on his Mac computer, Makoto Shinkai labored for seven months writing, directing, and animating Voices. For the most part Makoto's work is praiseworthy, as the scripting and animation itself rivals what most studios shovel out each year. However, the movie strives hard to spin a compelling tale surrounding the ties that bind one person to another, but unfortunately it falls short of the mark due to its incredibly short length.

Mikako Nagamine is a young woman growing up in the world of 2046 - a future of war with a militant alien species which has assaulted Earth itself. Against this threat, the U.N. Space Force has elected to send out a large miltary force of their own to take the fight to the alien homeworld. Mikako has been chosen to pilot one of the Tracer mecha, and the first few minutes of Voices shows her relationship with Noboru, the love she must leave behind. Time is of the essence however, and she quickly departs on her mission to prevent Earth's destruction while promising to keep in contact with Noboru via cellphone text messages.

Clearly they aren't using AT&T long distance.

This communication between Mikako and Noboru really is the focus of the entire movie. Indeed, one begins to become enamored with these two parted children, and just a little bit sad as each text message they send to one another gradually takes longer and longer before reaching the other. Eventually, the distance becomes years long, and Mikako begins to realize that although she is still 15 years old, Noboru will be 24 before he ever gets any more of her messages.

Sadly, this rather brilliant plot angle is left mostly unexplored simply due to its impossibly short duration. It is truely a shame, because not only is the alien angle handled in an unique light, the general angst between the two lovers begins to evoke true emotion just as the credits begins to roll. So although Voices of a Distant Star is a shining example of how one man can make a difference - by creating a decent anime entirely by himself - Voices is also a shining example of how such a brief anime is unable to make much of a lasting impression. Had Voices of a Distant Star been a half hour longer (or more), it is entirely likely it would have been unforgetable. As it stands, unfortunately, it is the opposite.