Taeko questions how much of the child version remains in her and if she’s fulfilled or betrayed that kid’s dreams.
Made in 1991 but not released Stateside until 2016, Only Yesterday is a delicate gem, a moving piece of dramatic work by Takahata that lacks some of the fantasy elements that often define Ghibli for casual viewers but is one of the best examples in the catalogue of the studio’s deep, unfailing humanism. Takahata’s films convey moving human emotion in quietly devastating ways, and it’s his compassion for his characters that allow the emotion of this story to sneak up on you. At its core, it’s a simple tale: A woman living in Tokyo goes to visit the countryside and remembers her childhood on the train journey. Takahata’s gift with character allows the memories of his protagonist to break through stereotype and feel organic and true. Taeko questions how much of the child version remains in her and if she’s fulfilled or betrayed that kid’s dreams. In the end, his film serves as a reminder of how we are formed by the events of our life and how our past can sometimes feel like it wasn’t that long ago. Maybe it was only yesterday.