I never thought of watching this until one day I stumbled across its ending song in Youtube. Usually suggestions put me off but there was something about the movie poster that clicks. So I listened. And I got addicted. The song was beautiful. Then I remembered that I have seen the movie poster back when I was still a kid (about the same time I started using the PC, so maybe 7~9 I guess?), and IDK I felt nostalgic maybe? One of the reasons I could still recognize the poster was because of its selection of colors: blue with brief colors of the sunset. And the characters playing the violin with contrasting atmospheres.
The story takes place in an AU where Hokkaido is not a part of Japan (referred to as Ezo in the movie). Two boys, Hiroki and Takuya dreams of building a plane to fly to the mysterious tower built in Hokkaido. They were joined by Sayuri, a violinist, who takes interest on their project. With the help of their part-time boss, Mr. Okabe, the boys find mechanical parts to build the plane, and hopes to fly it in three years' time (or so? idr).
SourceHowever their dreams are short-lived: Sayuri disappeared one summer. Devastated, the boys break away from their childhood dream. Three years later Hiroki is attending a high school in Tokyo, wishing to never see the tower again. However sometimes when the sky is clear he would catch a glimpse of the tower, reminding him of his failure to fulfill his dream. Takuya, on the other hand, has never left and is working as a physicist for the authorities, researching parallel universes and the Hokkaido tower. It is then revealed that Sayuri, who disappeared years ago, is in a coma. She wanders aimlessly in her dreams, looking for an end, looking for her friends, but is always let down when she is reminded again and again that she is alone.
While researching quantum physics (yeah its parallel universes in a nutshell!), authorities realize the key to preventing the tower from destroying the land with AUs is none other than Sayuri, the granddaughter of the scientist who built the tower. Her slumber keeps the tower in check, and so they decided to let her sleep forever... that is until Takuya hears of this, and a letter addressed to Hiroki by Sayuri is read by its recipient.
A war is about to break out between Hokkaido and Japan. Mr. Okabe, teamed up with local authorities, decides to bomb the tower, which is seen as a weapon of mass-destruction. Hiroki returns to his hometown to fulfill his promise and childhood dream, and is greeted with Takuya. After a heated argument, Takuya leaves, indicating that he doesn't want to help. Hiroki is left to built the plane alone. It would seem so, but Takuya returns to his office, snatches an ID from a subordinate and kidnaps Sayuri. He brings her to Hiroki, and instructs him to bomb the tower after Sayuri has woken up.
Hiroki flies the plane, circles the tower and Sayuri wakes up... and lost the memories of her love for Hiroki. Hiroki assures her that they can start anew, and the tower is destroyed... the end!
My thoughts: Interesting plot I must say. I give the story 9/10 for its quantum physics plot. Darn I must've watch too much Game Theory to be this excited about quantum physics... They should elaborate more on the AU concept though. I love these things! Personally I don't think much about Sayuri's character, since she's a sleeping figure 60% of the time, but her ability to see the multiple AUs in her dreams creep me out. Like, what if we could do that too? What if we are already doing that? I remember watching or reading something similar: our dreams are actually AUs of reality, or maybe reality is actually an AU. Or maybe there is no AU at all, we're just jumping from one reality to another in our dreams. It's like asking which comes first, the chicken or the egg. It's an eerie concept, but very interesting and mind-blowing. It'll keep you thinking and thinking and thinking!
The characters have the same template as Harry Potter: two boys and one girl. I like the HP trio because their platonic relationship is so strong it beats romance, but it cannot be applied in this case. "Oh, a romance must ensue, make both the male protags subtly smitten with her" or something. Well, it can be like this in HP too, but all I see is a friendship so strong to the point that hugging and holding hands meant everything but romance. That's why I like it best when three of them are still friends. Because I feel that one can give up love for friendship.
The ending theme? UGH SO GOOD. I remember watching ole 20th century sci-fi animes where the vocal themes were so great I can feel the epicness within. It starts off slow and feely, then escalates to pure epicness! You don't see it? Nvm then, listen it for yourself.
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