☰
Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows RT App News Showtimes

The Place Promised in Our Early Days

Play trailer Poster for The Place Promised in Our Early Days 2004 1h 31m Drama Anime Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
71% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 79% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
The feature film debut from Makoto Shinkai, the acclaimed director of Weathering With You and Your Name., is a haunting and beautiful story of friendship and loss, with stunning visuals and the emotional approach to science-fiction that would become the director's trademark. In an alternate post-war Japan, three teenagers become obsessed with a mysterious tower across the Union border, which reaches far into the sky. Hiroki and Takuya work on a makeshift airplane, which they promise their friend Sayuri they will use to visit the tower together someday, but she disappears before it is completed. Several years later, the tower suddenly activates, starting a phenomenon that threatens the world. And the young men now discover their long-lost friend Sayuri may hold the key to it all...
Watch on Fandango at Home Stream Now

Where to Watch

The Place Promised in Our Early Days

Critics Reviews

View More (7)
Jeff Shannon Seattle Times By any standard it's impressive anime; as a feature debut it's a remarkable achievement. Rated: 3/4 Jun 17, 2005 Full Review Brian Costello Common Sense Media This was the debut film of director Makoto Shinkai, and the high quality of the animation and his strength in using vibrant imagery to convey story comes alive in nearly every scene. Rated: 3/5 Jul 12, 2022 Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Takes an intriguing idea and puts it through middling paces. Rated: 2.5/4 Jun 12, 2022 Full Review Gabe Leibowitz Film and Felt I suspect that in 20 years, film buffs worldwide will be pointing to The Place Promised in Our Early Days as the introductory work from one of cinema's first-rate directors. Rated: 62/100 Jun 28, 2009 Full Review Phil Hall Film Threat Superior anime offering. Rated: 4/5 Jul 20, 2005 Full Review Bill White Seattle Post-Intelligencer Shinkai Makoto, who made the 30-minute 'Voices of a Distant Star' by himself on a laptop computer, has written and directed an anime that favors human emotions over robot battles. Rated: B+ Jun 17, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View More (338)
Zip D This was sloooooow moving film. While pretty, it lacks a moving plot or even characters to care about. I couldn't even finish it after 4 tries. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 09/12/25 Full Review Holly S eu tbm não lembro desse, mas na época ainda não tinha visto muito animes então não goste muito, hoje aprecio mais os filmes japoneses Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/05/24 Full Review Lex C This movie is quite the work of art! Makoto Shinkai's first feature-length film is so creative and unique, and the animation makes it impossible to look away! The story is so exotic and interesting, and the music was also a wonderful addition. This film is one you'll want to watch over and over again to pick up things you missed the previous viewing. It gives an excellent sense of nostalgia which made the viewing even more fun! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, 11/10 STARS!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/21/23 Full Review Audience Member a good movie with excellent animation for the year of production with an engaging story that makes you create a certain affinity with the characters and the situations they face Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Audience Member This is such a bad, boring, messy and pointless movie. And the characters aren't memorable at all. Easily the worst Shinkai movie. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member La componente visiva dei paesaggi è meravigliosa se si considera che il film è del 2004. L'idea della torre irraggiungibile che svetta fin sopra al cielo e tiene incollati gli occhi di chi la guarda da lontano la trovo molto romantica. Il fascino che suscita questa costruzione dettato dallo sfondo della guerra e dal mistero legato ad essa impreziosisce la promessa che si fanno i protagonisti. Ci sono dei momenti molto alti all'interno del film come la descrizione della "depressione" di uno dei protagonisti. 4 stelle perché ci sono parti ancora un po' anonime e Shinkai farà di meglio nel suo futuro. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Place Promised in Our Early Days

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

View All

Makoto Shinkai

Director

Chris Patton

Hiroki Fujisawa

Jessica Boone

Sayuri Sawatari

Kalob Martinez

Takuya Sawatari

Illich Guardiola

Ariska

John Swasey

Okabe
View All

The Place Promised in Our Early Days

View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis The feature film debut from Makoto Shinkai, the acclaimed director of Weathering With You and Your Name., is a haunting and beautiful story of friendship and loss, with stunning visuals and the emotional approach to science-fiction that would become the director's trademark. In an alternate post-war Japan, three teenagers become obsessed with a mysterious tower across the Union border, which reaches far into the sky. Hiroki and Takuya work on a makeshift airplane, which they promise their friend Sayuri they will use to visit the tower together someday, but she disappears before it is completed. Several years later, the tower suddenly activates, starting a phenomenon that threatens the world. And the young men now discover their long-lost friend Sayuri may hold the key to it all...
Director
Makoto Shinkai
Producer
Makoto Shinkai
Screenwriter
Makoto Shinkai, Steven Foster
Production Co
CoMix Wave
Genre
Drama, Anime
Original Language
Japanese
Runtime
1h 31m
Most Popular at Home Now