'The Colors Within' is incredible - Movie Review

Here are my thoughts on The Colors Within (きみの色), a 2024 animated film directed by Naoko Yamada.
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[@ragelmatt]

There's also a post-credit scene!

[@ergohash2517]

"I am looking to assemble a band" - Kumiko from Sound Euphonium slowly walks into the frame

[@zodayn]

It was disapointing the movie was being so obtuse but the post credit scene at least gave the viewers the acknowledgement they'd want.

[@AniTunesXYZ]

Yes! I went in blind and was just sitting there waiting to see if there was one, just scrolling my phone. It was a nice surprise for an anime film for sure

[@hitachicordoba]

Oh no! Just left the theater mid credits, shoganai

[@OhHiMovies]

Oh wow. I was wondering if there would be one, but it was so satisfying that I didn't think there would have been one. Ah well, an excuse to check out again sometime. I also felt it as a bit of a companion piece to LOOK BACK, especially given how close they were released to each other in my area and how they both felt so "painfully real" as you describe. Great work on this review. Well written and edited.

[@AniTunesXYZ]

@5:45 Yes. The lack of BGM/subtle use makes the ending performances REALLY stand out. A well thought out film. And I agree the film didn't try to make you cry, but that performance at the end was so beautiful and just thinking of what went into the decision to handle music and sound that way got a few tears out of me. A film definitely not for the battle shonen crowd, but a beautiful film nonetheless. One of my favorite of the year. Awesome review! And I bet everyone and their mom will be googling "theremin" by the end of the weekend.

[@TheWickedWizardOfOz1]

I pretty much agree with all of your points. This movie is very, very subtle, relying on the audience to catch onto things without them being spelled out. I was too caught up in the story to notice Yamada's signature framing, but that means she did her job, drawing me in without seeming to do so (just as she drew me into Liz and the Blue Bird). I really adore the way this film handles small "worldbuilding" elements that would be explicit in other movies. Kimi's brother is a ghost on the edge of the movie, rarely even being mentioned, but having a huge effect on her. Sister Hiyoko's few lines about her childhood at the end seem like your typical "I was in a band once too, so I totally understand you guys!" exposition to make it clear why she's the "cool" adult... but that one little line "I wish I could erase that time" throws a wrench into that simplistic interpretation and makes you *think* about everything she has said and done, and how her religious beliefs influence how she sees these kids. Rui may not have much screentime, but that moment when he sees Kimi and Tatsuko after months apart and runs over to hug them, literally jumping for joy that his friends are back, says so much with so little. In all honesty, I can see this breaking into my top 50 favorite movies ever. And I have seen A LOT of movies - thousands. It isn't quite Liz and the Blue Bird (a contender for my favorite movie ever), but Yamada has now proven herself as one of the masters in the cinematic space. By the way, that Christmas night scene was also my favorite part. I loved how personal it all felt. No big dramatics, just people opening up about small things that have accumulated gigantic weights on their shoulders. The silence of it all is so powerful. Yamada and Yoshida just letting things breathe.

[@jules3770]

I also found myself tearing up throughout the movie. This film made me want to make music and write songs again, something I haven't done since I was a teenager. I left the theater feeling hopeful and ruminating on the simple beauty of life and connection. Watching The Colors Within felt like reconnecting with my teenage self in the best possible way.

[@ReavoEnd]

I felt the same. I was thinking how creating music can be so special when it helps define life events. But if there aren't any events, then music is sometimes just kind of "nice." It's so powerful when memories are attached. So hey, want to make a band together?

[@higuys5446]

I actually watched this film 7 times in theatres because I loved it so much lmao. I do think that Rui represents the good, Kimi is the true, and Totsuko is the beautiful

[@Cyzure]

I'm going to watch it a 2nd time next week, can't wait! Might even watch it a few more times after that. Gotta see the dub and sub

[@ReavoEnd]

I managed to see it tonight, but sadly I think showings are over across the USA now... Hope it streams soon.

[@TheNorthie]

Naoko Yamada has this style that I can’t get enough of. The body language, the colors, the characters and little nuances each one has. It’s something she has carried since her early days in Kyoani. She hit it out of the park with this

[@LastMinuteGuess]

This film is stuck in my mind because it wasn't a movie that tried to make me cry, but during the final performance, I was holding back tears and crying the whole time. There is something about this movie that just made me understand when a story "moves you to tears" simply because of how beautiful it is.

[@Die-Coughman]

The film felt real as a hobbyist musician. The scenes that show them making and sharing music with each other felt incredibly real. They even got the file extension right for the Google Pixel Recorder app. The music they create doesn't feel out of their skill levels either.

[@amaice]

seeing the .m4a was so real, and the guy having to upload the song to his laptop so he could listen to it

[@Eternith]

Just saw the movie tonight. Your review really helped me organize my thoughts on why I enjoyed the movie so much but couldn't put into words. Like you said, this movie was nice. Good vibes in all the right ways, and I loved how the subtlety was expressed through the details and not told directly to us. Also not everything has to be a dramafest and that normalness made this unique in a genre full of drama that wants to take you on a rollercoaster. I loved that comparison you made to enjoying a sunrise because that's one of my favourite things to enjoy. There is nothing extra special to it, but that doesn't make it any less beautiful and a representation of how colorful life is (literally).

[@flataffect]

Saw it in theatres and the band performance was one of the most special experiences I’ve had in a theatre, beautiful!

[@AllBreaksLoose]

I just saw this today and I knew it was gonna be good because this is a director that knows how to tell a story. It's not just how it looks or sounds, it's how it feels. The different yet similar dynamics between the 3 leads is so much fun to watch grow as the movie progresses. Even the side characters have a sort of progression as well. Kylie's singing is again spot on during their band's performance too as well as finding the heart and soul of her character. Your review is spot on too.

[@ergohash2517]

Never heard of it, but this vid makes me hyped for it. The colors are so pastel and soft and i am really excited for more grounded stories.

[@sle6423]

Brillant analysis! Just watched it and you put to words so much i just couldnt. Gonna need to rewatch with more of this in mind because i kept expecting it to take a turn or twist until i realized at the end that wasnt going to happen at all

[@siddharthgaur2205]

I really like the movie. It was a good experience. The story was at a consistent pace. Although there was no over dramatic twist in the story, it was still so good and calming.

[@Northtarctica]

I am looking forward to this even more than I already was, nice video :)

[@hitachicordoba]

The Kids on the Slope: Catholic schoolgirl version lol

[@amaice]

kids on the slope except they're happy

[@jordanderberry3489]

I was released in the west and it was an incredible movie. Love the review. ❤

[@sonicsnake44]

Just saw this and I really enjoyed it.

[@solidkingcobra]

K-on is one of my favorite TV Series of all time. Naoka Yamada is at her element. It was such a lovely Iyashikei film.

[@kleec6bb404]

Amazing review I watched this movie twice in jp and I just watched the eng ver just now. I did not once get bored of watching it even when its my second time watching. The movie was soo beauriful that it made my day feel so happy and relaxing😊

[@confus.d]

Mythical KZbin video pull

[@lightsubterfuge]

Loved this movie.

[@PhilipAJones]

Just came back from the theater watching this film with three friends. We were the only ones in the audience. We are a very lucky few.

[@countrymusic30]

I just saw it today and loved it. I would put it right up there with "Grave Of The Fireflies".

[@daj1000]

I want to let people know: the 3 songs at the end were localized and DIFFERENT for each language. I watched in Dub/English and couldn't find the songs online beyond the original Japanese. Worth hearing each version since they are all fantastic. Songs are: * Amen, I'm Going Somewhere * Apology Letter - The Good, the True, the Beautiful *Walk (don't know artist)

[@Cyzure]

It's an absolute masterpiece. Can't wait to see it in theatres again and pick it up once it is released. Top 5 anime movie I ever seen.

[@shiina4861]

as a die hard Naoko Yamada fan, particularly of Liz and the Blue Bird, i was a bit let down by this film. However i do believe the onus of this is more on my own expectations of a emotionally potent drama, and not of a warm slice of life film. it was still beautiful, and i teared up at the final scene, but as a lover of intense drama, it just wasnt for me as much.

[@dr.smolpp.6917]

A bit choppy, the animation.

[@TheWickedWizardOfOz1]

Do you have any examples? I remember the film being very smooth. It's the opposite of choppy.

[@leeeteeeheee]

honestly my biggest critique I have about this film is that we didnt see enough of the world through totsukos eyes. Its a beautiful movie with lots of colors and yet i found that i still wanted more. and i also get that the lack of background music was intentional, but by the time we got to the end it made the big performance seem kind of stiff, as for the majority of it theyre just kind of standing there playing. I would have loved to see an extremely colorful sequence at the end there, maybe giving us some memories these friends had made along the way. the songs were absolutely banger though and overall it was magically animated with very well thought out characters