Featured Audience Ratings

• JY S

  
  Makoto Shinkai takes the romance and layers it with science fiction to create a short animation with a suitable title, <i>Voices of a Distant Star</i>.</p><p>At a brief 25 minutes, this animation packs a punch when it comes to story concept and character. The… More
  Makoto Shinkai takes the romance and layers it with science fiction to create a short animation with a suitable title, <i>Voices of a Distant Star</i>.</p><p>At a brief 25 minutes, this animation packs a punch when it comes to story concept and character. The idea of text messaging with cell phones through space is highly amusing. As the characters grow, their text messages travel years through space to reach their destinations, which creates some emotional interactions between the two leads.</p><p>The science fiction space battles, while not the highlight of the film, are fun and backed with some excellent sound effects. If there is one thing lacking here, it is the build up of the Tarsian aliens, although they are background when it comes to the relationship between Mikako and Noburo.</p><p>There isn't much to the voice work, since there are only 2 characters and one "operator" that need voices. All that needs to be said is Mika Shinohara, Makoto Shinkai, and Donna Burke get the jobs done.</p><p><i>Voices of a Distant Star</i> is easily a film to make time for. Give it a try. It's only 25 minutes.</p>

• Anthony L

  
  I have to admit that after the brilliant She and her Cat, my heart sunk somewhat when at the beginning of Voices of a Distant Star it became apparent that it was going to be about a couple of school kids in love. Manga/Anime's obsession with school kids really doesn't… More
  I have to admit that after the brilliant She and her Cat, my heart sunk somewhat when at the beginning of Voices of a Distant Star it became apparent that it was going to be about a couple of school kids in love. Manga/Anime's obsession with school kids really doesn't interest me at all, I find it very odd. That said, after a couple of minutes it becomes clear that this is very much an original piece that really stands out. Again, Makoto Shinkai's animation style is gob-smackingly good and the story has a real wholesomeness about it. It also comes apparent that there is a good reason as to why the two characters are so young at the beginning, so the whole school kids thing is completely forgivable. Another triumph for Makoto Shinkai, more please!

• Keiko A

  
  Directed by Makoto Shinkai and voices by Mika Shinohara, Makoto Shinkai, Sumi Mutoh and Chihiro Suzuki. I would like to say and add that Makoto Shinkai is my favourite animated director, and I would be lying if I say I didn't cry when I first saw this and that was a little… More
  Directed by Makoto Shinkai and voices by Mika Shinohara, Makoto Shinkai, Sumi Mutoh and Chihiro Suzuki. I would like to say and add that Makoto Shinkai is my favourite animated director, and I would be lying if I say I didn't cry when I first saw this and that was a little over 4 years ago. This very Low budget film that Makoto Shinkai made entirely on his own! Shocked even professional animators that he did the entire movie on his home computer. When I first saw this I wasn't expecting much but after viewing this 30 minute film and seeing so much could happen to ones love life and the years that are ahead without seeing the one you love just really sticks into the back of your mind, This movie I will never ever forget and that's a fact that will stay. [IMG]http://i53.tinypic.com/r8h1cp.jpg[/IMG] The story of the high school students Mikako Nagamine and Noboru Terao. When the alien Tarsians attack, Mikako volunteers to be a pilot in the space force that will protect mankind. The lovers try to remain in contact using cellular telephone text messages, but as each battle takes Mikako further from the Earth, each message takes longer to arrive. At one stage it takes up to 8 years, but can love really stand the test of time? [IMG]http://i54.tinypic.com/34smt7n.jpg[/IMG] Not sure what I loved the most in this, And this is one I will never forget and that's a fact. 100% for story: I just can't believe that this movie is so captivating in its emotions, Trust me one doesn't feel sad when they watch this. Every time I do view this, I feel something so different to most stories like these. 90% for voice acting: It's really touching as well as their amazing dialog, and some sentences you be happy for, but at the back of your head you feel like something else. So overall really good. 90% for Animation: It is AMAZING one created this on their computer, The scenery is stunning of the different planets and amazing worlds she sees. I can't praise it enough but it do have some lacks. 60% for characters: Well there crudely done I will say and they could have looked better, But there emotions really show. 90% for everything else: I really loved the music but really is there anything else? What can I say? See it on youtube if you can't find a DVD, trust me you won't forget it and his films. Keiko's score 94-100

• _kelly .

  
  Most prior reviews have said what needs to be said: this is a brilliant short animated film, with a plot and theme that are at once sincere and beautiful simple human emotion yet also high concept and metaphysically reflective. The most striking thing about this project's… More
  Most prior reviews have said what needs to be said: this is a brilliant short animated film, with a plot and theme that are at once sincere and beautiful simple human emotion yet also high concept and metaphysically reflective. The most striking thing about this project's creation is that is entirely auteured. It begs the question that if one man with a bit of his wife's help can achieve this splendor, then why do teams of fifty plus struggle to crank out the slightly better than mediocre?

• Drew S

  
  Shinkai Makoto really knows his stuff.This anime manages to effectively combine high-flying mecha space battles with a sweet, sentimental romance that spans the galaxy itself, and all in the span of 20 minutes. Though this may not sound like a formula for success, it works a hell of a… More
  Shinkai Makoto really knows his stuff.This anime manages to effectively combine high-flying mecha space battles with a sweet, sentimental romance that spans the galaxy itself, and all in the span of 20 minutes. Though this may not sound like a formula for success, it works a hell of a lot better than it sounds, and the end result of Hoshi no Koe is something so poetic and heartwarming that it gave me shivers. In short, Hoshi no Koe is not really trying to tell a long, drawn out epic of a story. It only wants to demonstrate the love between two young students and how it transcends any sort of physical or temporal boundary. The backstory or plot progression may not be incredibly powerful, but it is a fairly unique premise and certainly one that succeeds at what it's trying to get at. The characters and story make the perfect vehicle for reaching an emotionally charged climax and conclusion; they are simple and elegantly portrayed, used as tools for producing emotion in the viewer. Though forcibly attempting to invoke sadness in an audience very often ends in failure and melodrama, Hoshi No Koe goes about its duty in a very classy and understated way. On that note, there is not a lot to say about the characters in this anime, since they receive very little development in the short time span. Like the plot, they are merely used for the emotional message that this story propagates. My one nitpick is a very irrelevant one, and that runs on the principle of Murphy's Law. Why is the male lead still using the same cell phone that he owned nine years ago? Certainly he would have purchased some other portable device that had been invented, or at least an improvement on the one that he already owned. Perhaps, even though he claimed he no longer awaited Makoto's mail, there was still a little bit of hope locked away in the back of his mind... Hoshi no Koe is so romantic in the simplest and purest of ways. It has that infallible spark of hope to it, with so much heart that I couldn't help but appreciate it. Though I am not a mecha fan, the robot fighting was used in a very interesting moderation, and the relationship took the forefront. This anime is a wonderful effort by a single man, and worth anyone's 24 minutes.

• Steven V

  
  <b>Voices of a Distant Star</b>, short but sweet. As a one off OVA by acclaimed director <i>Shinkai Makoto</i> it comes with a rather impressive pedigree. The story tells of a young boy and girl who are separated by an intergalactic war. Sounds excellent, but… More
  <b>Voices of a Distant Star</b>, short but sweet. As a one off OVA by acclaimed director <i>Shinkai Makoto</i> it comes with a rather impressive pedigree. The story tells of a young boy and girl who are separated by an intergalactic war. Sounds excellent, but it never really gives you a sense of why they are fighting or even who they are fighting. The animation and art direction are where <b>Voices of a Distant Star</b> really stand apart. In every scene the smallest details are animated perfectly and realistically. The CG mechs are very well done, especially considering this was produced six years ago. The backdrops and the sky in particular are always top notch and very well drawn. Top marks all round. The character models were a little goofy looking, but it wasn't enough to bother me to any extent. The music and sounds really give a sense of distance. It's an odd way of describing it, but the music really gives scale to the battles and makes you feel like something epic is taking place. If I had a complaint about the sounds it would be the voice acting. It wasn't poorly done, but it could have been better. The characters, <i>Mikako Nagamine</i> and <i>Noboru Terao</i>, are the only characters in the story. As it is only a one episode OVA there isn't a chance to see any back story or flesh out the story any way. In the time provided it was mostly focused on their desire to be together and how much they loved each other. They have no personality at all and are very one dimensional. I was expecting a lot better out of this OVA, but it is a nice quick watch none the less. As a movie I think this would have been much better and would be placed up with other top notch movies.

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