franecki.loyce - 2015-08-09 18:48:59

Yoru no Hi is a short, obscure Japanese film by Saori Shiroki. It is very minimalistic; it's monochromatic, there are no voice lines or music, and there are only three non-background characters, yet it conveys a deep profoundness and meaning, despite its bare-bones animation and story.

The only place I can find it at all is at this YouTube link. I can't even find it for sale anywhere, leading me to believe it's part of a Japanese short film festival. It's in abysmal 240p quality, but the visuals still come across decently; just don't try and fullscreen it.

Story - 7.5/10. The story is intentionally left thin to leave an open interpretation to it. While the minimalism added to the impact of the film, I couldn't help but want more expansion to the story. There were small symbols (e.g. the fireworks) that kind of flew over my head. Is it New Years' Day? Are the fireworks even important? I had a couple of questions that were left a little unanswered, but the story as a whole came across well.

Animation - 6/10. The visuals are certainly unique. The colour palette is three colours only; black, white, and a muddy brown colour. Everything is in a very sketchy, impressionist painter style, where only the details that are absolutely necessary are painted. At first, I thought I was watching a horror film, with the old man's sunken eyes and the large amounts of dark shading and background. I personally liked the style itself, but the animation was rather choppy. It was definitely not smooth, and there were quite a few still-frames, which I think detracted from the overall film. It looked like it was one man's work over a short period of time. I think if it was a little smoother, with a little more life in the characters, especially the baby, the film would have had more impact.

Sound - 6.5/10. Once again, the artist chooses absolute minimalism and doesn't add any voice lines, not even breathing, sighs, or otherwise. The only sounds I think I heard in the film are the flapping of the moth, the click of the light, and shuffling of fabric. The lack of music adds an eerie vibe, but maybe a little bit of tasteful ambiance would have brought the film to life a little more.

Character - While I understand this is a very short film, and there is not much time for character development, I felt like the lady (mother?) seemed kind of random and abrupt. I wanted to know who she was, why she was there. If she was indeed a symbol for something, it went right over my head. However, the old man, especially at the end, was actually kind of heartwarming, even though he was (visually) the creepiest character, at the start.

Enjoyment/Overall - The eerie visuals, absolute basic sound design, and a unique style all add up to create a different experience that made an impact. [Spoiler alert] Personally, I think the meaning was about aging and the passage of time. The fireworks lead me to believe it's New Year's Day, a symbol of newness and rebirth. The comparison between the soft, full face of the baby and the wrinkled, hollowed-out face of the old man were important, as it emphasized the theme. When the old man puts the moth over his eyes, just as the baby had, it shows that he wants to return to his time of youth; then he lets the moth go. I think letting the moth go symbolizes his acceptance of his age, and the lamppost flickering out is likely his death. [End "spoilers"] The film certainly isn't for everyone, as it's very artistic, and the minimalism might turn some people off, as it did kind of detract from it a little. But all-in-all, it's a unique film, and at a runtime of 3-and-a-half minutes, there's not much loss.