Naoko Yamada has established herself as one of the most significant voices of the Japanese movie industry, with films “K-On!” and “A Silent Voice” being indicative of her prowess. For her latest work, she cooperates once more with Science Saru, with “The Colors Within” having won the Golden Goblet Award for Best Animation Film at the 2024 Shanghai International Film Festival.
The Colors Within is screening at Tokyo International Film Festival

High school student Totsuko possesses a unique gift: she can see the ‘colors’ of those around her, with her classmate Kimi radiating the most beautiful hues. Intrigued, Totsuko follows Kimi to a used bookstore, where a misunderstanding leads her to claim she can play the piano, ultimately forming a band with her object of fashination, who can play the guitar, and Rui, a quiet music enthusiast who plays the theremin. As they practice in an old church on a remote island, their shared passion for music not only deepens their bonds but also helps them navigate the complexities of their home lives, as all three of them face issues.
Kimi has to live with her grandmother, since her mother is nowhere to be found, with the former, who also attended the same all-girls catholic school, having expectations that burden her granddaughter significantly, even more so when she finds herself expelled. Totsuko is coming to terms with her quirkiness, and the fact that she is starting to realize that some of the things she likes are considered sins in her environment. Lastly, Rui faces the burden of his mother’s expectations, who wants him to become a doctor and take over the clinic she runs, despite the fact that his dreams are rather different. Music, however, seems to provide a way out on a number of levels.
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Naoko Yamada directs a film that is quite different from the usual coming-of-age ones. There is not much drama (much less melodrama) despite the situations the kids face, and there is no romantic inclination (much less a love triangle), despite the fact that something subtly sapphic seems to exist in Totsuki’s fascination with Kimi. Instead, the context is filled with a number of other concepts. To begin with, life in the all-girls boarding school is presented in all its glory, from the rather strict rules and frequent punishments, to the mischievous efforts of the girls to break them, with hidden sleep overs being an evident sample here.
The concept of seeing colors is also intriguing, particularly since it allows a very entertaining approach to both visuals and character analysis, with the narration of Totsuko’s thoughts at the same time being quite appealing. The coloring and the animation by Science Saru actually find their apogee in those scenes, which are definitely the most memorable, in visual terms, in the movie.
The way music can change the lives of people is definitely a main concept, with the way the three ‘mature’ and manage to move beyond their problems through their dealings with it and their interactions emerging as one of the most entertaining aspects of the film. On the other hand, that the performance lasts for something like 20 minutes in a 101-film is excessive, with the promotional aspect being rather too obvious in that regard.
At the same time, and although the lack of the contextual elements that were mentioned before is invigorating, it also strips the movie from any significant focal points, in an approach that can be described as ‘too light’.
Takashi Kojima‘s character design follows realistic paths without any particular exaltations, although the ‘costumes’ have a specific flair, which becomes particularly apparent during the performance. The singing and dancing in the same sequence is another of the animation’s zeniths, in a work that is competent, but not to the level of other, bigger budgeted anime movies we have seen lately.
“The Colors Within” is a pleasant film, quite easy to watch, without any significant issues on any level. At the same time though, the lack of any truly impactful aspects deems it one of those movies that is quite easy to forget after the ending titles roll.