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Hello and welcome to another on of the Ani-Romancer Great Dragon Ragnarok's anime reviews. Today we take a look at a short film known as "Voices of a Distant Star".

"The farther I get, the longer it will take for my messages to reach you..."

"Voices of a Distant Star" revolves around the story of best friends and middle school graduates Mikako Nagamine and Noboru Terao and the trials they face as Mikako ventures into space as a pilot for the U.N. Army to battle the mysterious aliens called Tarsians to the end of the universe. Since the beginning of the film, you can tell that Mikako and Noboru are a bit more than friend and this becomes apparent as time goes on for both of them. The only means of keeping in touch that they have are text messages on their cell phone. At first the messages take only a few days, but as Mikako drifts further and further away from Earth with the military, that time increases to about six monthes and eventually when they reach beyond the Milky Way, eight years and three monthes. Meanwhile as Noboru waits on Earth for Mikako's return, time goes on and days, months, years pass by. During this time, he receives messages sent by Mikako, the first arriving when he is only a freshmen in High School, then a college student, and finally, the last message reads "Happy 24th Birthday from your 15 year old girlfriend". As time goes on, a question is raised to a question which is spread through out this wonderful film. Can love withstand the test of time?

Wow. That is one lucky cat.

Along with "Voices of a Distant Star", is Makoto Shinkai, creator of "Voices", first animated short "She and Her Cat". Other than being one of the strangest shorts I have ever seen, it is awkwardly heart-warming and sweet. As the story says, the story revolves around a woman and her cat. But the twist is, the story is told from the cat's point of view. As the film starts, we hear a voice talking romantically about how he was found on the streets and a kind woman took him in. The entire time you are thinking that it has to be the woman's future boyfriend or husband but then you find out it is actually a cat she found in a box on the side of the street. The entire film plays out as an entire year in 5 minutes (the uncut version is 5 minutes while the digest is 1 or 2 and the regular one is about 3 and a half). We see the cat's affection for the woman as he watches her live her daily life, commenting on the sweet smell of her skin in the morning and the way he loves how her hair looks in the morning. We see how he gets a grilfriend named Mimi (which is a cat of course) and when she asks him to marry her, he replies simply that he cannot due to him having a lover (refering to the woman even though they aren't "lovers" in a sense). Pretty much, the entire film is about the cat and the woman. Very sweet and touching as I said before and a very good addition to a DVD already full of romance.

Soft voices and Gundam clashes

The sound quality of both films overall, were great but could have used a few minor improvements. For example, throughout "Voices", when Noboru talks, his voice is extremely soft that some may have to turn up the volume to max then quickly turn it down when the loud action scenes break in. But when the action scenes break in, some may find themselves covering their ears from the old fashioned Mobile Suit Gundam or even Star Wars sound effects used in battle. Of course both may not apply to you but if it does, I hope your stereo has a remote so you won't have to get up and manually turn up and down the volume of the speakers (I know I did and it got irritating after a while).

Behold the power of the Mac G4/400! Take that Bill Gates!

The art of the films aren't anything that will make someone proclaim it the new Mona Lisa, but the process for which the art was produced is what made it great and innovative. Throughout the entire film, Makoto Shinkai used his own little Mac G4 computer to illustrate and annimate the entire film using only the standard programs. For those who can't really grasp this, think of making the entire Full Metal Alchemist or Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex series on paint and annimating with flash (though he used better programs than these to make the films). Truly, it is amazing he could create somethign so beautiful by himself and a Mac.

Well that ends the Ani-Romancer Great Dragon Ragnarok's review of the "Voices of a Distant Star" DVD from ADV Films. Though the film is short, it is deffinately worth the buy. It is a great romance film that no anime fan should go without.

-Ani-Romancer GDR, Founder of the Ani-Romancers and leader of the Ani-Romancers West Branch

Don't worry. I'm used to it from being in theis guild so long. For some reason, all the serie I see, nobody else has seen or nobody really cares for. crying I mean Blade of the Immortal is a good manga. crying Or even Mezzo. crying Sometimes I think I watch too much anime.

Its very good but like I said in the review, it leaves you wanting more. I know I did. Yet if there was more, I'd break into tears.

Well I consider you guys good friends even if it is over the internet. Hence I can tell you guys stuff like that. Plus people know that I'm a softie. Yet they also know that if you push me too far, I will bust a macabre on somebody.

And are you trying to imply something Mago? stare

That made no sense! stressed

And Saikano is good. I'm surprised you didn't post on that one yet.

Tu est tres dingue Mago......

I wonder if anybody has seen this one yet?

Damn. I guess my interests are too different from other people.