The Place Promised in Our Early Days

2004

1h 31m

Drama

Anime

List

71%

Tomatometer

7 Reviews

79%

Audience Score

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...

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Premiered Jun 08

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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

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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

Audience Member

Makoto Shinkai's feature-length directorial debut solidly showcases his trademarked starts from visionary direction, soulful music, emotionally engaged characters and complex writing without a sensible base. In other words, it's what you would expect from an average debut of a storyteller who would hone enough skills to reach the most recent masterpiece. (B+)

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

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Makoto Shinkai

Director

Chris Patton

Hiroki Fujisawa

Jessica Boone

Sayuri Sawatari

Kalob Martinez

Takuya Sawatari

Illich Guardiola

Ariska

John Swasey

Okabe

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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: John Ledford, Mark Williams
Screenwriter: Makoto Shinkai, Steven Foster
Production Co: CoMix Wave
Genre: Drama, Anime
Original Language: Japanese
Runtime: 1h 31m

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