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All three of his films that said, the other two being Summer Wars and Wolf Children, while neither without flaws(Summer Wars did have too many characters with some better-developed than others and Wolf Children had an at times rushed beginning and ended inconclusively) are great films and near-masterpieces almost as good as the best of Studio Ghibli.
The Girl Who Leapt Through Time did get a little too complicated at the end and the character designs lacked the sophistication and detail of the rest of the animation. Speaking of the rest of the animation on the other hand, it's fantastic(something that all three of Hosoda's films have in common) with its luscious watercolour-like backgrounds and beautiful colours. The animation in the time-leaping is so inventive and effortlessly drawn it leaves one breathless. The film also has a great music score(another thing that all three Hosoda films had), it's positively hypnotic and sometimes rousing and sometimes melancholic, I also much appreciated the use of unobtrusive piano scoring.
There is a thoughtful script that sounds remarkably natural(Japanese and American, dubs don't always translate well but it does fine here), complete with a deft balance of comedy and drama. The story is always engaging and not boring at all, it's funny, it's poignant, it's imaginative and it's thought-provoking, also using the time travel idea very effectively(one of the better films to do so). The messaging is well-handled and not laid on too thick. The characters are likable and interesting rather than being swamped by the time travel and the voice acting is good in the American dub(even if the title character's voice acting may be shrill for some, personally it wasn't a problem) and very good indeed in the Japanese version.
Overall, a great film, near-masterpiece status in fact. If you loved The Girl Who Leapt Time and haven't seen Summer Wars or Wolf Children yet, do so. 9/10 Bethany Cox
9/10
