Our take
Studio Ghibli is best known for their fantastical worldbuilding, but on occasion, they veer into the mundane domestic day-to-day life that might not be as extravagant, but is no less emotionally resonant. At first glance, it seemed like When Marnie Was There would be that kind of small town drama. A young kid moves to the countryside, exploring the new place, seemed to be just another familiar Ghibli protagonist, albeit this time in the wetlands of Hokkaido. But, as Anna befriends another in an abandoned mansion, and keeps being found unconscious by the grass, writer-director Hiromasa Yonebayashi crafts a sense of mystery around her friend that eventually resolves Anna’s loneliness in an unexpected fantastical way. When Marnie Was There might not be one of Ghibli’s most known films, but it nonetheless holds its signature magic of cathartic cartoon animation.
What it won
Oscars
1 nom
The story
Upon being sent to live with relatives in the countryside due to an illness, an emotionally distant adolescent girl becomes obsessed with an abandoned mansion and infatuated with a girl who lives there - a girl who may or may not be real.
Elsewhere
"At times as awkward as its young protagonist, yet brimming with the familiar Ghibli magic."
— Michael Leader
"When Marnie Was There may start off a bit awkwardly, but it'll have you bathing in your own tears by the time it's over."
— Bilge Ebiri
Due to her illness, 12-year-old foster child Anna Sasaki is sent to her relatives in Hokkaido to recuperate. When she comes across a nearby abandoned mansion, she meets Marnie, a mysterious blonde girl who only she seems to see.
The reveal. It really made me cry.
Mild spoilers: It's like Il Mare, but not with romance or magic.
The details
Streaming arrival
Who picked it
Isabella Endrinal is a curator at A Good Movie to Watch. She's now free from the corporate night shift. Previous articles have been published in outlets such as NANG Magazine. She's currently catching up on some classic films… if she isn't coping with the fact that the Haikyu anime will end soon.
