Voices of a Distant Star (Hoshi no koe)

[Cap'n Nick]

I think the cell phones were used because they are familiar technology, not because the author wanted to cash in on an obsession. The world of Voices doesn't appear that different from the twentieth century. Sure there are spaceships streaking across the sky, but the clothes and buildings look like ones you could find here on Earth today. There are also bus stops and bicycle racks, suggesting that ground transportation in this world isn't that different from ours. A modern cellular phone hardly looks out of place in this environment.

Also, waiting for a phone message is something anybody can identify with. A cellular phone is a powerful icon of communication and adds something familiar to help viewers connect with the story.

I hear what you're saying about the story, though. Like many people, I am impressed by the circumstances surrounding the creation of this title, but apart from that it loses a lot of its luster. If something like this were to come from Studio Ghibli it would be considered a disaster.

[Hitokiri]

Mean?...hardly. I don't care if he made it look that good on a Commodore 64 I still thought the premise, the characters, and the story was bad. I was only saying that the Japanese have an obsession with their cell phones. Most new phones over there cost about $300 U.S. while phones a couple months out of date run about $7! And the thing is they still replace their phones 5 or 6 times regularly every year, and nearly every single person in that country owns one. Not saying they're any more materialistic than Westerners, but in the cell phone area...they're a little more obsessed than the rest of the world.

which reminds me...i spent $160 on anime and manga today fu fu fu ::huge sweat drop::

I think of it actually has a futuristic version of Romeo and Juliet.

[Scribs]

As to them getting together at the end, this would be impossible. The Girl would not have aged becasue of the travel, but the guy would be very much older than her when she got back. he might even be dead If she goes far enough at high peeds like that. No happy ending for these poor fools.

[Shao Feng-Li]

Heh, not a good word about anyone.

[Hitokiri]

I remember watching (or reading) a interview about what happens to the two main characters. From what they said, they think Mikako would proably return frm the army and age very little however...the world has changed since she has left and she finds no traces of Noboro.

And that Noboro decided to move on however the weight of that relationship hung from his shoulders and even though he was "happy" he lived a lonely life and ultimately, died a lonely death.

Personally, I would to have seen a better ending when they fast foward say 50 years later or whatnot and she's bout 19 or 20 and she returns home and attempts to find Noboro but all she finds is his grave.

[Cracknut]

Mean?...hardly. I don't care if he made it look that good on a Commodore 64 I still thought the premise, the characters, and the story was bad. I was only saying that the Japanese have an obsession with their cell phones. Most new phones over there cost about $300 U.S. while phones a couple months out of date run about $7! And the thing is they still replace their phones 5 or 6 times regularly every year, and nearly every single person in that country owns one. Not saying they're any more materialistic than Westerners, but in the cell phone area...they're a little more obsessed than the rest of the world.

Common Yojumbo, don't tell me you're jealous just because you can't talk to your girlfriend on a $300 cellphone while piloting a giant three story robot while zooming accross the galaxy fighting off wierd shapeless globs of 3D bits and bytes.

[Shao Feng-Li]

Hitokiri, the thought of that brings a tear to my eye... that would of been a really good ending.

[CDLviking]

As to them getting together at the end, this would be impossible. The Girl would not have aged becasue of the travel, but the guy would be very much older than her when she got back. he might even be dead If she goes far enough at high peeds like that. No happy ending for these poor fools.

Not if he traveled to where she is a light speed. That would make up the age difference. I noticed something in the paper about them developing faster than light communications, so it could be possible to send a message to the fleet and then arrive and join up with them.

[Arnobius]

Not if he traveled to where she is a light speed. That would make up the age difference. I noticed something in the paper about them developing faster than light communications, so it could be possible to send a message to the fleet and then arrive and join up with them.

Nah. He'd age more slowly once he got to light speed, but unless she stayed put for as many years as he did, there'd still be a difference of age.

Seem to recall this being done in a subplot for an ancient Gainax anime called Gunbuster where these high school girls went off into space to fight aliens and when they came back found out that everyone they knew from Earth were older. In one scene, Noriko (?) is suprised that they're being allowed to graduate from high school when they're still so young-- and then finds out that on Earth they're not 18 but 26.

Sigh... I wish that one would come out on DVD...

[CDLviking]

Well yes, that does only work if she makes up the same amount of time outside of lightspeed, but the theory still works.

[Arnobius]

Well yes, that does only work if she makes up the same amount of time outside of lightspeed, but the theory still works.

It would have been good if they had put in something about their age differences too if they met each other again.

[Cracknut]

But the girl died didn't she?

[termyt]

Wow, now we are in a discussion about the effects of greater than light travel on the passage of time. Didn't expect to go there. The main focus of the aging is in the time it takes for the text message transmission to reach Earth. By the time her first message reaches Earth she has probably already sent her last message. This isn't a question of quantum physics so much as it is a fact of radio transmission.

But the girl died didn't she?

That, in my opinion, is strongly implied.


On another note, I loved the story. I can understand why many people wouldn't - it's not an action title and the story is not for every one, but hopefully you can understand why some of us really do like it.

[Mangafanatic]

I guess one of the things that tilted you towards liking it or not liking it was what you expected it to be.

I bought it expecting it to be one incredible Indy film. To me, it was everything I expected and more.

If you bought it expecting it to be an earth-shattering classic of tommorrow, I can imagine why you would be disappointed.


What makes you think she died in the end, Termyt? I didn't notice any implications to that effect, but, I do admit, I can be slow on the draw.

[shooraijin]

I don't think she died, personally. In fact, it's my personal opinion that not only does she live, but is reunited with him. Anyone notice the ring on the hand of her future self? That's in the animatic, too, so I think it has significance.

[Joshua Christopher]

I just purchased it today. I loved it very much.

On my top 10, heck, probably top 5.

I have to give credit to Makoto Shinkai, for creating almost the entire thing by himself.


...Now, if I only new some good animation programs. I'll have to stick with Flash MX for now. ::laughs::

[Cracknut]

...Now, if I only new some good animation programs. I'll have to stick with Flash MX for now. ::laughs::

Try After Effects if you are doing 2D Classical and then TrueSpace for 3D, thats what I use for my work.

[Cracknut]

I don't think she died, personally. In fact, it's my personal opinion that not only does she live, but is reunited with him. Anyone notice the ring on the hand of her future self? That's in the animatic, too, so I think it has significance.

Hmm...maybe we should ask Makoto himself. I don't know, maybe we're reading into it too much.

[Hitokiri]

Well, on what Shooraijin, her future self does say she will se him again.

Maybe that "prophecy" kept her alive till she came back.

[CDLviking]

But the girl died didn't she?

That is one possible interpretation of the ending.

I don't think she died, personally. In fact, it's my personal opinion that not only does she live, but is reunited with him. Anyone notice the ring on the hand of her future self? That's in the animatic, too, so I think it has significance.

They even do a close up on the ring. It must have some significance. This is the interpretation of the ending that I came to after noticing the ring as well.

[Spazztik]

I hope she didn't die. . . I just finished watching this and I liked it. But it was so sad. And way, way, way too short.