A Letter to Momo(Japanese:ももへの thủ chỉ,Hepburn:Momo e no Tegami)is a 2011 Japaneseanimedrama film produced byProduction I.Gand distributed byKadokawa Pictures.The film was written and directed byHiroyuki Okiuraand stars anensemble castfeaturingKaren Miyama,Yūka,Toshiyuki Nishida,ChōandKōichi Yamadera.InA Letter to Momo,11-year-old Momo Miyaura moves with her mother to a small island town after her father dies. When she arrives, she encounters three goblins that others cannot see who help her to cope with the loss of her father and the changes in her life.
| A Letter to Momo | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |||||
| Japanese name | |||||
| Kanji | ももへの thủ chỉ | ||||
| |||||
| Directed by | Hiroyuki Okiura | ||||
| Written by | Hiroyuki Okiura | ||||
| Produced by | Arimasa Okada Keiko Matsushita Mariko Noguchi Motoki Mukaichi | ||||
| Starring | Karen Miyama Yūka Toshiyuki Nishida Chō Kōichi Yamadera | ||||
| Cinematography | Koji Tanaka | ||||
| Edited by | Junichi Uematsu | ||||
| Music by | Mina Kubota | ||||
Production company | |||||
| Distributed by | Kadokawa Pictures | ||||
Release dates |
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Running time | 120 minutes | ||||
| Country | Japan | ||||
| Language | Japanese | ||||
| Box office | $6.7 million[1] | ||||
A Letter to Momopremiered at the2011 Toronto International Film Festivalin Toronto, Canada on September 10, 2011 and was released on April 21, 2012 in Japan.
Plot
editFollowing the death of her father Kazuo, Momo Miyaura and her mother Ikuko travel from Tokyo to theSeto Inland Sea.Momo carries Kazuo's unfinished letter, which contains only the words "Dear Momo". At her mother's estate in Shio Island(Tịch đảo,Shiojima),they meet their relatives Sachio and Sae Sadahama, and Koichi, a postman and an old friend of Ikuko, who has always had a crush on her. Momo is devastated and misses Tokyo. In the attic, she opens a present containing a rare picture book about goblins andYōkai,collected by Sachio's father. Three droplets from the sky enter Ikuko's estate and transform into yokai consisting of Kawa, Mame, and Iwa, the group's leader.
When Ikuko begins taking nursing classes, Momo reads the book and begins to hear some strange sounds from the house. She is chased out of the estate by the yokai, only to encounter a young boy named Yota. Oblivious to the house's strange noises, Ikuko and Yota assume that it is safe. The next morning, she meets Yota and his sister Umi. The three meet up with his friends and swim under the bridge, but Momo decides not to and runs to a shelter during a thunderstorm. Iwa, Mame and Kawa reveal themselves, having stolen some fruit from around the island. Frightened, Momo runs back to Ikuko's estate and discovers that Sachio's orchard was ransacked. Sachio then tells Momo that the yokai were originally gods, but they were transformed as a punishment for breaking the divine laws.
Momo attempts to prevent the yokai from stealing the local vegetables, but Kawa inadvertently breaks Ikuko's mirror. After a brief argument with Ikuko, a distraught Momo leaves and talks to the yokai about her relationship with Kazuo as well as the events leading up to his fatal boating accident. Later, Ikuko suffers a near-fatal asthma attack while searching for her. Momo, realizing her mistake, desperately asks the yokai to help look for a doctor on the other side of the island. The yokai, however, decline and Momo personally searches for the doctor. As Koichi and Yota pursue Momo, she reveals her previous argument with Kazuo before his death and asks Koichi to help find the doctor. Meanwhile, the yokai realize they can escape punishment by allowing Momo and Koichi to cross over the newly completed bridge and find the doctor.
The next morning, Momo writes a letter to her father thanking him as Ikuko recovers. Having completed their mission to protect Momo, Iwa, Mame and Kawa transform back into the droplets and return to the sky. That night, Momo and Ikuko reconcile during thetōrō nagashiand the two realize that Kazuo wrote that he was proud of her. She begins her new life with Yota and the other children by swimming under the bridge.
Voice cast
edit| Character name | Japanese voice actor | English voice actor |
|---|---|---|
| Momo Miyaura(Cung phổ もも,Miyaura Momo) | Karen Miyama[2] | Amanda Pace |
| Ikuko Miyaura(Cung phổ いく tử,Miyaura Ikuko) | Yūka[2] | Stephanie Sheh |
| Iwa(イワ) | Toshiyuki Nishida[2] | Fred Tatasciore |
| Kawa(カワ) | Kōichi Yamadera | Dana Snyder |
| Mame(マメ) | Chō | Bob Bergen |
| Kazuo Miyaura(Cung phổ カズオ,Miyaura Kazuo) | Daizaburo Arakawa | Kirk Thornton |
| Sachio Sadahama(Trinh bang サチオ,Sadahama Sachio) | Yoshisada Sakaguchi | Frank Ashmore |
| Sae Sadahama(Trinh bang サエ,Sadahama Sae) | Ikuko Tani | Philece Sampler |
| Kōichi(Hạnh thị) | Takeo Ogawa | Rick Zieff |
| Yōta(Dương thái) | Kota Fuji | Kanoa Goo |
| Umi(Hải mỹ) | Katsuki Hashimoto | Mia Sinclair Jenness |
Production
edit
Development
editDistributorKadokawa Picturesannounced this film in its lineup of 2011 and 2012 films on 15 February 2011.[3]More details of the film were announced on 11 July 2011.[4]It was announced that the directorHiroyuki Okiurawill be in charge of this film. His previous work as a director includes the 2000 filmJin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade.[4]The filmA Letter to Momois Hiroyuki's first film in 11 years afterJin-Roh.He had spent 7 years coming up with the script, directing the film and creating the storyboard for this film.[4]
Casting
editThe main voice cast members ofA Letter to Momowas first announced on 17 November 2011.[2]It was announced that actressKaren Miyamavoiced the 11 year old lead character Momo, while actressYūkais voicing Momo's mother.[2]In addition, actorToshiyuki Nishidavoices Iwa in the film.[2]
Theme song
editIn an announcement made on 11 July 2011, it was revealed that the theme song for the filmA Letter to Momois the songUruwashimahoroba ~ Utsukushiki Basho ~(ウルワシマホロバ～ mỹ しき tràng sở ～)by Japanese singerYuko Hara.[5]This song is an acoustic piece, and it creates an image of the rich natural scenery of theSeto Inland Sea.[6]The "Mỹ しき tràng sở" in the song title is the old way of describing "a beautiful place to live".[6]Hara wrote the song's lyrics and composed the music, with Junichi Soga as the editor of the song.[6]
Yuko Hara, who is the keyboardist for the Japanese bandSouthern All Stars,reportedly spent 5 years working on this piece of music.[4]She said that "I loved animation from a very young age, so being able to contribute the theme song for this film makes me happy and honored.".[6]
Release
editFilm festivals
editA Letter to Momomade its international debut at the2011 Toronto International Film Festivalthat took place from 8 to 18 September 2011.[7][8]It was screened at the festival under its "Kids" programming.[8]Later, it was announced that the film will be shown at the 44thSitges International Fantastic Film Festivalthat ran from 6th to 16 October 2011 and at the 16thBusan International Film Festival,which took place on 6th to 14 October.[7]It will be shown in Busan as part of the festival's "Wide Angle" program.[7]
Additionally,A Letter to Momowas screened at the 27thWarsaw International Film Festival.[9]This is the first Japaneseanimefilm to be showcased at the Warsaw International Film Festival and it competed at the festival under its International Competition section.[9]Also, it was announced that this film will be competing for the Halekulani Golden Orchid Award at the 31stHawaii International Film Festival,which took place from 6 October to 16 October 2011.[9]
A Letter to Momomade its US continental premiere at theNew York International Children's Film Festivalthat took place March 2 to 25, 2012.[10]
It was featured in the Boston International Children's Film Festival, which ran from August 18 to September 1, 2013 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.[11]
GKIDSdistributorNew Video/CinedigmreleasedA Letter to Momoon bilingual DVD and Blu-ray in the U.S. on October 21, 2014.
Theatrical release
editA Letter to Momowas released in Japanese cinemas on April 21, 2012,[1][12]debuting in over 300 theater screens on its opening weekend.[13]
Reception
editBox office
editThe film grossed $4,969,070 in Japan, $1,700,694 in South Korea, $6,409 in Hong Kong, $1,003 in Belgium,[14]and $71,712 in the United States, for a total of $6,748,712 worldwide.[1]
Critical response
editThereview aggregatorwebsiteRotten Tomatoesreported an 81% approval rating with an average rating of 6.7/10, based on 31 reviews. The website's consensus reads, "Sweet, sad, and visually striking,A Letter to Momois a hand-drawn experience for animation fans to savor. "[15]OnMetacritic,the film achieved an average score of 65 out of 100, based on 11 reviews, signifying "generally favorable reviews".[16]
Mark Schilling ofThe Japan Timessaid that Okiura "manages [the film's] transition from light to serious with the craft and assurance of a true storyteller, while firmly grounding his human and nonhuman characters in their Seto Inland Sea setting, from the narrow portside streets to the gloriously expansive view from the island's highest point," and also praised the film's hand-drawn animation.[17]Jeannette Catsoulis ofThe New York Timesalso praised the film's look and said, "As Momo conquers her fears, averts a tragedy and finally sees the beauty of her surroundings, the movie grabs your heart with the softest of hands."[18]
Accolades
edit| Year | Name of Competition | Category | Result | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 27thWarsaw International Film Festival | International Competition | Nominated | A Letter to Momo[9] |
| 31stHawaii International Film Festival | Halekulani Golden Orchid Award | Nominated | A Letter to Momo[9] | |
| 2012 | 14thFuture Film Festival- Italy | Future Film Platinum Grand Prize | Won | A Letter to Momo[19] |
| 2014 | 41st Annie Awards | Best Animated Feature | Nominated | A Letter to Momo[20] |
Merchandise
editManga
editA Letter to Momowas adapted into a filmmangaand was serialized in theMonthly Asukamagazine, published byKadokawa Shoten.[21]This manga is written byAkiko Kitami,and the first chapter of the manga was published in the November 2011 issue of the magazine.[21]Kitami's previous works have also previously been serialized in theMonthly Asuka.[21]
References
edit- ^abc"A Letter to Momo".Box Office Mojo.RetrievedMay 16,2015.
- ^abcdef"Hawaii, Warsaw Int'l Film Fests to Show A Letter to Momo"(in Japanese). eiga.com. November 17, 2011.RetrievedNovember 18,2011.
- ^""Tân sinh" giác xuyên ánh họa ラインナップは15 tác phẩm “Trinh tử 3D” chế tác も phát biểu "(in Japanese). eiga.com. February 15, 2011.RetrievedMay 20,2015.
- ^abcd"2012 niên GW công khai ｢ももへの thủ chỉ ｣ chủ đề ca に nguyên do tử さんが quyết định"(in Japanese). Anime Anime Japan. July 11, 2011.RetrievedSeptember 29,2011.
- ^Nguyên do tử, アニメ “ももへの thủ chỉ” で5 niên ぶり ánh họa chủ đề ca(in Japanese). eiga.com. July 11, 2011.RetrievedSeptember 28,2011.
- ^abcdNguyên do tử, đại tác アニメ ánh họa に mỹ しい chủ đề ca thư き hạ ろし(in Japanese).Music Natalie.July 11, 2011.RetrievedSeptember 28,2011.
- ^abcトロントで hảo bình ｢ももへの thủ chỉ ｣ シッチェス, phủ sơn にも chính thức xuất phẩm(in Japanese). Anime Anime Japan. September 12, 2011.RetrievedSeptember 29,2011.
- ^ab"2011 Toronto International Film Festival Programming".Toronto International Film Festival. Archived fromthe originalon September 24, 2011.RetrievedSeptember 29,2011.
- ^abcde“ももへの thủ chỉ” nhật bổn アニメ sử thượng sơ のワルシャワ quốc tế ánh họa tế tiến xuất(in Japanese). eiga.com. September 28, 2011.RetrievedSeptember 29,2011.
- ^Graeber, Laurel (March 2, 2012)."Kids' Film Festival: Fear, Astonishment and the Beatles. New York International Children's Film Festival 2012".The New York Times.RetrievedApril 3,2012.
- ^"Boston International Children's Film Festival".Boston International Children's Film Festival. 2013.
- ^"ももへの thủ chỉ on eiga.com"(in Japanese). eiga.com.RetrievedNovember 17,2011.
- ^Hải ngoại でも tuyệt tán の『ももへの thủ chỉ 』は toàn quốc 300 quán quy mô の công khai に! Kịch tràng オリジナルアニメーションとしては dị lệ の công khai quán sổ!(in Japanese). Cinema Today. September 14, 2011.RetrievedOctober 1,2011.
- ^"A Letter to Momo - By Country".Box Office Mojo.RetrievedMay 16,2015.
- ^"A Letter to Momo".Rotten Tomatoes.Flixster. Archived fromthe originalon March 11, 2016.RetrievedMarch 16,2016.
- ^"A Letter to Momo".Metacritic.CBS Interactive.RetrievedMay 16,2015.
- ^Schilling, Mark (April 13, 2012)."Momo e no Tegami (A Letter to Momo)".The Japan Times.RetrievedMay 16,2015.
- ^Catsoulis, Jeannette (July 22, 2014)."A World Teaches and Tugs".The New York Times.RetrievedMay 16,2015.
- ^"Future Film Festival 2012: The Winners!".Future Film Festival.April 2, 2012. Archived fromthe originalon August 1, 2012.RetrievedApril 21,2012.
- ^"41ST ANNUAL ANNIE AWARDS WINNERS".Annie Awards.com.RetrievedDecember 14,2015.
- ^abc"アニメ “ももへの thủ chỉ” tiên hành コミカライズがASUKAで khai thủy "(in Japanese). Comic Natalie. September 24, 2011.RetrievedSeptember 28,2011.
External links
edit- Official website(in Japanese)
- A Letter to MomoatIMDb
- A Letter to Momo(film) atAnime News Network's encyclopedia