Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms & What It Means to Be a Mother

Mari Okada is one of my favourite people in the anime business. This week I break down her directorial debut from P.A.Works about a very unique mother and the love she has for her son.
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This video falls under the Copyright Act of Canada to create the fair dealing exception to copyright. All media used in this video is used for the purpose of review, education, and commentary under the terms of fair use. All footage, music, and images used belong to their respective copyright holders.
#MaquiaWhenthePromisedFlowerBlooms #SayonaranoAsaniYakusokunoHanawoKazarou #LetsDecoratethePromisedFlowersintheMorningofFarewells

[@harrodymak1119]

You know it's a great film when you have a feeling of emptiness you get right after finishing a great Anime/Manga. 10/10

[@xuefanli4469]

yes sirrr ;-;

[@LotteReid]

I caught this on a flight to a business trip less than a year after my first daughter was born, the first time I had ever been away from her. I had no idea what it was about, I'd never heard of it, but it looked interesting and the art was beautiful, so without reading much into it, I started watching it.... and proceeded to bawl my fucking face off for the next 2 hours LMAO!! I tried SO hard to keep it together, but this suckerpunched me right in the feels.

[@markcasadevall9509]

anime films on a plane flight, what airline were you on

[@Blyatuber]

This movie will always have a special place entirely dedicated to it in my heart.

[@SourRobo8364]

I took my mother to see this, she absolutely loved it, and totally blew her expectations on what anime could be.

[@SoulDustSword]

wow was it sub or dub

[@KillerTacos54]

I Slay Goblins that is such a great idea

[@lachiebosman8511]

That’s a good idea actually

[@hp8087]

Just watched this last night. I cried so much. I miss my mom, as she's no longer here. However, the things that I really appreciate is that, even though Maquia doesn't age, she feels like she has grown older with Ariel. It seems to me that she has grown some motherly wisdom that she didn't have in the start of the film, and that change was evident when she helped Dita give birth and then met her grand child for the first time. Also that scene wherein she nurses adult Ariel in the battlefield, that comforting presence of a mother is enough to make the viewers feel, ahhh this is a mother and her child and in whatever point of their lives, it wouldn't hurt if you miss and need mom.

[@nfspbarrister5681]

Have witness first hand when a people breathed their last breath in violent ways...they always called for their mother.

[@matchala4685]

There’s such an intriguing world in Maquia, I’d really like to see more about Leillia as she is trapped in the castle and her loneliness. I cried so much towards the end. Absolutely agree that raw emotions like this are hard to come by, but definitely could’ve used and extra hour to flesh things out more. Keep up the great work!

[@cheungjackjackt02006]

Watched this on the plane, and man what a journey! Didn't cry (but considering of the 400 series I have watched, only 3 made me cry, that's expected), but one of my favourite anime moves of all time, and I do enjoy this more than Liz and the Blue Bird. It's a crime it is not nominated for best film in the Anime Awards

[@AHBrandonReviews]

Award shows are honestly meaningless each year in my honest opinion. While some might love the recognition you're seeing more and more bigger names boycott them as they have become a joke so I just choose to ignore them from all the mediums these days.

[@cheungjackjackt02006]

Which movie did you enjoy more? Maquia or Liz and the Blue Bird?

[@AHBrandonReviews]

Haven't seen Liz yet

[@sanp2032]

@@cheungjackjackt02006 which were the three that made you cry

[@cheungjackjackt02006]

@@sanp2032 Made in Abyss, Violet Evergarden (episode 10) and A Silent Voice

[@DoraKage]

"Mom!! DONT GO!!!!" He yelled as he crawled over water...

[@FurEngel]

This was the best anime of 2018. I am very proud to have watched this in theaters (Elevent Arts limited release).

[@KhoaTV]

Maquia is the best mother to have ever. As to quote Maury Povich: when it comes to 7/15/60 year old Ariel, Maquia… YOU ARE THE MOTHER!

[@nurlindafsihotang49]

He is her hibiol afterall.

[@riakun]

It's probably one of my most favorite movies. It was a complete hit for me. It's even on par or even better than some Mayazaki movies (yeah, I said it. Blasphemous, I know). Honestly, I feel like each of these characters would make for great character-analysis videos, especially Maqia, Ariel, and Layla. This film greatly touched me. I don't cry often, but it still managed to make me weep despite knowing how it would turn out in the end (the only logical way), and that's super impressive. I plan on showing this to my Nana (since she raised me) this mother's day, especially since she'll occasionally watch some anime stuff with me.

[@jabiral1155]

just waiting for a second Maquia movie

[@Seiza25]

People are finally covering this amazing movie

[@AHBrandonReviews]

Plenty of people made videos on Maquia before this year actually.

[@mitrazaker7483]

Shed a tear or two😂cried so much I felt like I’d throw up

[@JD-es3pe]

I do throw up watching...

[@antontchuck]

This movie will always be a part of me, any movie that touches emotions & draws you into it is a classic in my eyes. Such a beautiful movie both visually & musically.

[@sawbladebreaker7358]

I stumbled across it in the library doing a Ghibli binng and almost didn't take it. I placed it into the DVD player not even reading the name on the disk. As soon as it was over I went straight to my mom to give her hug

[@MrJMB122]

They did such good slow burn from his childhood to teenage years it jarring to his adulthood one great irony he become a soldier fighting and kill defending the same nation that broken his mother homeland. I wish we had some kind of Montage between his teenage year and him meeting up with childhood friend and finding wife. Same goes for goes from his adulthood to his elder years. We miss how settle down into the new world how he raise his family what he did for work etc. Honest appear he was great grand father. That his little daughter was grandmother now. They skipped what looks like a massive portion of his life.

[@JD-es3pe]

If this movie Is an anime series instead many would be depressed by the story, considering much of the story is focused on leilia and maquia's journey in the entire film(Would you watch an anime that show you 1 whole episode of Maquia crying?) This movie really hits me in the feels that it made me Throw up...

[@diegoleonardia5358]

I think it was time restrictions, and the fact that we follow *Maquia's* story. Because by the end of the movie, us like Maquia, accept the death of Ariel, and break our promise. We see the story mainly through Maquia's eyes. I think it could look kinda plot holey, and rushed, but I think it was intentional

[@faizaiman4292]

Such truly underappreciated gem glad i found it

[@AuthorLeepoy]

So glad you watched it.

[@amarasolenn1172]

Just finished watching it for the first time and I can say that this is one of the best movie I watched. It really touched my soul. This is a gem indeed.

[@professionaljolynesimp1517]

The way this movie made me _bawl_ at several different points proves how if Mari Okada wants you to get emotionally destroyed, she will break you in the most beautiful way possible

[@nurlindafsihotang49]

Mari : "let's cry" All the audience : sprawled in pool of tears

[@fattimmy2829]

This movie hits harder than a bag of rocks and will forever impact my life.

[@ceetiguilamoreno2550]

I’m buying this

[@SuperAnimecity]

Finally more reviews on my new favourite movie

[@yuhanliu6338]

Best analysis on yt. Great vid and everything you said spoke to me.

[@NeonAtary777]

The first time i watched this film i only heard it was good and saw the poster, i thought it was a fantasy romance and wasn't sure i will like it cuz it is not my cup of tea. I had had a baby recently at the time and oh boy 😭 I cried THE WHOLE TIME. The scene when she finds Ariel made me SOBB it was so heartbreaking and emotional i couldn't imagine my baby losing me this way. But it was still hopeful and beautiful. And absolutely heartbreaking yet beautiful film about motherhood and loss and acceptance. ❤

[@dolphinkz85]

I really loved this movie but I felt very disappointed that Maquia and Lang didn't end up together I feel like it would made it better because then she could have had more of a happy ending if she married him and had children with him.

[@pattonramming1988]

That sounds good until you realize that if Maquia married Lang and started a family the risk of her true identity being revealed increase ms exponentially

[@dolphinkz85]

@@pattonramming1988 I get what your saying but with how smart both of them are they could have figured out something. Plus that one guy that saved Marquia when she was being chased by shoulders is half what she is and hides his age so they could have made it work.

[@nurlindafsihotang49]

And it would not fair to the children between her and Lang. Dont forget Iorph are hunted race.

[@dolphinkz85]

@@nurlindafsihotang49 they where only hunted by that one royal family. Life in general isn’t fair. Maquia is a perfect example to that she lost both parents, heck even Lang and his brother lost their father when there young. It doesn’t matter if your mortal or immortal life with always be unfair in some way and will always give us challenges.

[@nurlindafsihotang49]

@@dolphinkz85 and where did you think Lang live? The exact country that the royal kidnapped Leilia. Hello?

[@sankfa6773]

the first movie that reallly made me cry

[@nfspbarrister5681]

Mari Okada : (cocking sniper rifle with feels' bullet) let's cry 😢 Me : wailing puddle of tears

[@lovelifehoney2624]

I love the movie did not know it was movie about motherhood fun enough today is mother's day the movie was awesome and made my day ☺❤

[@gc-226hugo4]

I cried

[@lillygames6117]

I watched this no sub and was confused af thanks for clearing things up and making me apricate this more. :D

[@bebekgeprek8376]

Where is her child? I really need to know

[@MrJMB122]

What mean are you talking about the princess?

[@JD-es3pe]

Do Maquia have another child?Krimm said she was pregnant right?

[@bebekgeprek8376]

@@MrJMB122 no maquia's child, she's pregnant but that guy cuts her hair, so what happend to the baby?

[@bebekgeprek8376]

@@JD-es3pe ikr, what happened to that baby

[@MrJMB122]

@@JD-es3pe No she wasn't pregnant there was a reference to her hair being long which was only allowed to mothers.

[@frankbryant-qz2sz]

Josee the tiger and the fish 15:51

[@Dysuma]

Any anime similar to this

[@lukebatchelor717]

Wolf Children

[@glendaliddel3142]

Maquia had to grow from her limbts to be a more well person