A Wholesome Piece: "Mai Mai Shinko to Sennen no Mahou"

Synopsis

Set in Kokuga, Hofu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture during the year 1995, this is a tale that looks on both past and present. Starring in this tale is third-grade elementary school student Shinko. Born and raised in one of the town’s venerable families, she’s a little girl that has strange curl on her forehead which she calls her “Mai Mai” and a love for plating in the field.

There are days, however, when she does her secret joy of imagining about the world a thousand years ago. Sometimes, she would go as far back as to the time her hometown was once the ancient capital, Suo no Kuni, during the Heian Period (year 794-1185).

One day, Shinko’s class receives a transfer student from Tokyo. Her name is Kiiko and it seems that she is experiencing difficulty with the move. However, upon befriending Shinko, the two end up forming a bond.

The Good

It’s a tale that takes on the concept of youth and reality and it does well in portraying this with its characters. For sure, the strongest element of the film is the characters and how they are developed. From the friendship developed between Shinko and Kiiko to the development of their classmates, there’s a lot to enjoy with the kids of the film given how they leave a nostalgic feel for childhood.

More than the characters and their portrayal, the way the film presented more than one story added another interesting element to the film. With the way the premise of the film is set up, it was expected that the film would be a more light-hearted work. Personally, it was a surprise that it placed the touch of drama with the whole red light district involvement that it did. Still, the way that it presented and connected different stories

The Bad

For all its interesting stories and characters, it feels like the film packed a little too much into itself. In this writer’s opinion, the film could have focused more on the kids’ stories and the whole story with the princess could have been made into short skits with Shinko’s narrative and a different art style to meld as a sort of backdrop to the main story. Sure it technically did that in the film but the shift between stories could have been smoother.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a film that focuses on character development, friendship with just a pinch of drama, this is it. It gives a good dash of nostalgia and presents its countryside setting well but it feels like it could have drawn back a bit with all the stories. There were some slight expectations with the film but it’s not too bad. Basically, it’s a good kid film, so don’t expect a lot other than a good story that is nice to watch but doesn’t leave the biggest impact.

Rating: 7/10