The first Shinkai's major body of works. Apparently, he pretty much created the whole thing by himself. He is the writer, co-producer, director, and even he draws the serialization afterwards! Oh, have I mentioned that he is also the original voice actor? This is where it all began, the chronicles of Makoto Shinkai, who redefines and breaks down the limit of what animation can achieve.

Details

• Directed by: Makoto Shinkai
• Produced by: Makoto Shinkai, Yoshihiro Hagiwara
• Written by: Makoto Shinkai
• Music by: Tenmon
• Studio: CoMix Wave Inc.
• Licensed by: Madman Entertainment, Anime Limited (current), ADV Films (former)
• Released: February 2002
• Runtime: 25 minutes

Synopsis

From MyAnimeList.net:

Hoshi no Koe, using full 2D and 3D digital animation, is a story of a long distance love and mail messages between a boy and girl. Set in 2046 after the discovery of the ruins of an alien civilization on Mars, man has been able to make leaps in technology and is planning to send an expedition into space in the next year. Nagamine Mikako and Terao Noboru are junior high school students. However, while Noboru will be entering senior high next winter, Mikako is selected to join the space expedition.

Story

Okay, first of all to call this a full-length film is a deception because it's actualy an OVA (Original Video Animation), produced to be released through home video formats rather than in cinemas. A short one, too. So, don't panic to find that it's only 25 minutes long, there are so many things that you can get and grasp in that limited time.

What I can see in this film is that this is the infant stage of Shinkai's directing. Shinkai takes many unusual approach and experiments with many styles. So, this is in its own rights the most important stepping stone in his career and the development his unique signature. Voices of a Distant Star is very peculiar I might say. It is a science fiction, but surprisingly is very humane.

There are many things that in time will develop into Shinkai's recurring themes and motifs such as train, clouds, and lovers apart. To be honest, watching this after watching all of his recent works makes me feel nostalgic. This is the second time that Shinkai uses a self-narration to convey the protagonist's feeling, a feature that will be found in almost all of his works afterwards. I think the one that doesn't have it is only Children Who Chase Lost Voices. In this particular animation, the self-narration is almost as surreal as most of the place where the story takes place. The hazy and dreamy atmosphere, although not quite as thich as the one in 5 cm/s, really blankets all around me.

The pacing is unfortunately jaggy given the limited time, becoming too fast and too slow at some points. This is Shinkai's directorial debut after all. The overall theme is at least has to be commended because it shows the conflict of serving self interest or many people quite clearly. I also love where Shinkai begins to apply his sense of distance using time and space. Mikako at first thought of her situation to be solitude, but over time it develops into loneliness and finally becomes unbearable to the point she begins to have lucid hallucinations, although one might argue it's a mystical encounter. I think this is an accurate portrayal of how the mind fabricates things to accompany it.

Like I said, time and space distance really is the main theme in this animation. This is the progenitor of his works to come. The way that Shinkai shows and portrays the relationship between Mikako and Noboru is pretty much a reflection to his own life because apparently in the original animation, they were voiced by Shinkai and his then girlfriend now wife.

The connection between Mikako and Noboru is the polar opposite of 5 cm/s. True, their relationship was abruptly cut with Mikako's departure to join the U.N Army, and it deteriorates to the point of having only a single thread. But, Shinkai depicts their relationship slowly rebuilt line by line, moment by moment using simple text messages. Noboru who is trying to move on can't help to be constantly reminded of Mikako, who is still longs and yearns for his presence after all these years. What ensues is a very touching story of two lovers who are trying to be reunited together.

There is a slight confusion with the ending though. Let's just say that the manga serialization differs with the animation although it was written by Shinkai himself. I think because it was written by Shinkai, it can be counted as canon. The animation ending is great because it depicts the inner conflict of Mikako's sense of duty and personal interest. And yeah, it's not as open-ended as his other works.

Visual

I have no problems with CG as long as it is used correctly in a 2D animation. However, the fact it is used extensively in this one and doesn't really blend well with the surrounding backdrop makes it look unappealing. The mecha design is clunky and has a plastic-feel. The character design is also not at its full potential, lacking the depth it requires to make it realistic enough. Of course, this is all because of the technical and budget limitations. The background is however starting to look like what will be in Shinkai's works afterwards. Clouds, buildings, and trains are all there, complete with his touch of style.

Audio

Done by Tenmon. Piano accompaniment pieces move throughout the film. While I think it's fairly difficult to judge because of the running time, the soundtrack is acceptable although not overwhelmingly remarkable. What do you expect from a short video?

Characters

There is not much to say about the characters because the only ones that are introduced are the main characters and they are quite standard. We don't really know many things about their traits or background. Of course, being a 25-minute animation, the characterization suffers a lot and we are left with characters that are managed to be relatable, not completely isolated or disconnected. I think by reading the novel or manga serialization you can gain deeper understanding about their way of thinking and their traits.

Conclusion

A monumental work from Shinkai that manifested his signature style and paved the road to his ascension, becoming one of Japan most influential animation director. It's unfair to say that it's a simple story because Voices of a Distant Star is more than meets eye. It is filled with many deep meanings and thoughts that will provoke your mind, scenes that are surreal yet vivid at the same time.