Reviews for The Colors Within

The Colours Within is in many ways an unconventional approach to a standard and understood subject matter. Director Naoko Yamada’s best known works (A Silent Voice, Liz and the Blue Bird) operate under the Aristotelian currency of pain and catharsis, which marks a clear separation to her work within TV anime, which closer resemble similar moves towards the means of catharsis, but without the pain or dramatic grandeur that other narratives choose to incorporate. In consideration of these two categories, The Colours Within fails to fit into either, it includes base-level resemblances to iyashikei works like K-On, but it is wholly disinterested in providing thesame sort of narrative structure as any such example within that genre. It is a remarkable instance of a work that values and emphasises a heightened sense of interiority, without moving towards overt expressionism or metaphor.

One significant point that can facilitate interpreting The Colours Within comes from the philosopher Taki Koji, who stated that the act of photography is “an attempt at overcoming vision itself.” Rather than taking the approach of a more standard form of continuity editing, the film is immediately recognisable for its embedding of its cinematography via its first-person narrator of Totsuko, whose specifically idiosyncratic interpretation of the world around her is reflected by the fact that she is able to see a select few people as embodied by certain, specific colours, unique to each individual. It is an ability that is only ever dealt with in relatively abstract terms (and does not lead to a trite apocalypse plot where she has to use her special powers, as with the later works of Makoto Shinkai), but it is only one of several ways in which the film’s visual language and tone articulates itself. On a structural level, compositing (and by extension, proxemics and use of colour tones) is the material essence that defines animation, and it is in this area that The Colours Within is most effective in its direction; for a film that deals with relatively few locations, it is nonetheless able to create an expansive sense of scale within its cinematography, and to make each individual shot evocative and interesting to look at. The colour palette within the film’s backgrounds and locales makes an extensive use of lighter pastel tones, representing a form of lighting that is stylised but naturalistic in its form, a point that specifically contrasts the natural lighting within most scenes to the colours produced from Totsuko’s own perspective. Though long-time Yamada fans will be delighted to find that the film does include leg shots, added to the standard directorial mode is an uncharacteristically large number of establishing shots of still life or empty buildings that do not contain any characters within the frame. Although this may seem to be a form of homage or reference to Yasujiro Ozu, it remains distinct in its own right due to the differentiating context between the two. Ozu’s work is more presently occupied with the mechanisms of domestic drama, and he specifically makes use of quieter moments to serve as a form of contrast, deliberately drawing attention to the fact that the camera chooses to focus on a specific area that seems unrelated to the given scene.

More critically, to interpret this specific technique as either a direct reference, or a means of moving the same method into a new context to try and achieve the same effect, would be a reductionist approach. The specific intentions of The Colours Within, and the manner in which it conveys and executes those ideas, is something that does not permit a simple comparison, especially when Koji and Ozu’s works both came from the Shōwa era, with its completely separate understanding of shared values and the master narrative compared to the 21st century. But the element of greater importance as concerns The Colours Within’s hyperspecifity is that it operates on a subterranean level. Unlike most works that try and incorporate more unconventional narrative forms, it is not an exercise in postmodernity or Brechtian thought, but rather, a means of using the sublime and all that it encompasses to create a contained iconography that is able to operate without the constraints that typically accompany a more standard form of narrative structure. Further, instead of taking a somewhat standard approach of utilising the environment (particularly as concerns the establishing shots) to be viewed purely as an extension of the main character and their current emotions, the film manages to produce a world that is clearly being interpreted and seen through Totsuko, but with a more multi-layered approach to introspection that extends beyond their own singular perspective, and the convergence of both the inner self and the outside world, each with distinct visual language, manages to enhance the feeling and cinematic strength of both items. While there are some films in which the city it takes place in can be seen as a character in its own right, The Colours Within takes this premise and moves it in a different direction, as the mere presence of colour itself is akin to a character, one with its own mood and feeling that changes in response to the other characters. With all this in mind, although there is plenty that can be said about the use of colour and cinematography, and it is inarguably the film’s most striking and evidently focused element, the film’s general characterisation is one point that should not be overlooked. Naturalistic is the descriptor that is most appropriate for the characters in the film, but within this general framework, it is significant that it manages to be a film about character that contains values, rather than the other way around – it is too often the case that even dramatists working under this deliberate framework think about values, and how characters are meant to fit into and represent those values, before thinking about how they are supposed to exist as properly realised individuals. The Colours Within manages to avoid this issue by virtue of the aforementioned colour scheme and cinematography, forming a representation of the disorder that comes from adolescence, and trying to adhere to the value systems of all sorts of different people, whilst still trying to figure yourself out in the process. It has elements of humour, thoughtful intensity, and all the points in-between that characterise the moments of any portrait of domestic life, and is able to navigate through these points with remarkable finesse, maintaining this tonal consistency by never growing overbearing with its moves towards character development, it is a film that clearly demonstrates a recognition of the fact that what isn’t said is just as important as what is. The focus on body language and proxemics across the film allows these disparate elements to coalesce with and complement the emotional impact of each other, rather than acting as points of tonal contrast or difference.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle said that “To the man who loves art for its own sake, it is frequently in its least important and lowliest manifestations that the keenest pleasure is to be derived”, which is a point that seems to perfectly encapsulate The Colours Within and its overarching philosophy, a film in which there is as much to be gathered from any number of establishing shots as there is in any moment of poignant character development. It is a work largely unconcerned with most the points of character and narrative convention, and correspondingly most pre-existing theories of narratology and film studies are of limited applicability, it is plainly a work that does not operate under the same framework that most films use. But, for those that can look past the basic expectations of genre convention, they will find a greatly rewarding and engaging work that manages to integrate narrative, cinematographic presentation and character writing in such a manner that each specific aspect of form, performance and perspective manages to inform and enhance the overarching whole, in a manner that allow it to occupy its own specific position. Unlike the aforementioned genre films, it is a work that cannot be copied or replicated, nor easily categorised into a Hiroki Azuma-esque database of elements that explain what makes it effective, and this is the precise reason that The Colours Within is effective, and worth seeing – it is a film that acts on its own terms, and manages to operate on a visual language that allows it to be incomparable to any other.

The Colors Within (Kimi no Iro) is cozy, warm, beautiful, and just nice vibes. The animation feels so delicate and leaves a lingering impression on you, all while showcasing this water'color' aesthetic that beautifully complements the film's themes of self-discovery and emotional expression. Director Naoko Yamada creates a space where the visual and audio direction come together to make a truly emotionally resonant film, where glimpses of her previous works like "A Silent Voice" and "Liz and the Blue Bird" are evident. The tiny nuances of the characters' movements and gestures during interactions, paired with subtle shifts in both non-diegetic and diegetic environmental sounds, along withthe incredible atmospheric soundtrack, all build to showcase the masterful direction that makes this film such a rich experience.

While the movie explores meaningful themes and heavier topics that many viewers will resonate with, it isn't trying to be a devastatingly sad film. Instead, it tells a grounded, heartwarming story filled with tender love and care. Early in the movie, I found myself waiting and trying to guess on where the "dramatic plot twist" is gonna come from, only to realize that there wasn’t one. BUT, you know what, that’s perfectly okay. This is a story about 3 kids becoming friends through a shared passion, learning to grow, and coming to understand themselves by having each other in their lives. The character development feels nuanced, with each protagonist grappling with their own personal challenges and societal expectations. The conflicts feel real and grounded, creating a genuine yet wholesome portrayal of teenage life and friendship that avoids unnecessary over-the-top drama.

These emotions that have been building up throughout the movie merge together in the film's climax: a concert performance featuring songs that were subtly teased throughout the characters' practice sessions. The performance feels like a cathartic release of all their built-up emotions, conveying the unspoken feelings of the three main characters just through music and visuals alone. Props to Kensuke Ushio for composing the songs, as well as the amazingly ambient score and background soundtrack that has been enhancing the film’s emotional depth throughout the movie's runtime. Please go listen to the OST if you have time!

The Colors Within is a gentle, warm movie. There aren’t any high-stakes conflicts or dramatic twists, but it isn’t trying to be that kind of film. On the surface, it might seem like a simple and straightforward movie, but if you pay attention to the subtleties like the character interactions, the settings (a small island and a Catholic boarding school) and how they shape the characters' thoughts and choices, the direction through audio, shot angles, framing, color choices, the recurring audio-visual motifs, all these add up to show a film that delivers an experience that reminds us just how colorful life can be.

The Colors Within is a joy to watch and is perfect for those seeking a beautifully animated exploration of adolescence, friendship, and the power of music.

I feel like many people who look at the trailer (just like me) just saw the pretty colors and thought "hey I'm gonna check this out, if it has such a nice budget, then it must be worth the while". I went in with no knowledge or expectations, and I feel like maybe that's the best way to jump into this. The movie starts out with plopping you into the setting and slowly you get to know the environment and the characters. I think thanks to this type of pacing it really helps you get closer to the characters in a natural, slow way. In thesecond half of the movie I was really starting to wonder, where are we going with this? What is the goal of the characters? What does this movie want to tell, or show us? I kept trying to find meaning in everything, I kept trying to predict where this is going.

In the end, I couldn't find that specific thing, and I think that's the beauty of this movie. A youtube comment put it into words the best: Japan is really great at making movies that even if they don't necessarily make you feel anything during the movie, a couple days after watching the movie and thinking back on it, you can't help but get a warm and gentle feeling in your heart as you reminisce.

I personally didn't think I'd ever be into this type of movie, but I ended up really liking it in retrospect. What I mean to say by this all, is that as long as you don't mind artsy, chill movies, then I think you're gonna have a good time because the _vibe_ and the overall quality of the movie is really nice.

That being said, I do want to say not to expect much of the voice acting, though that's easy to tell from the PV and the cast. The songs, on the other hand, are absolute typical bangers and I recommend listening to them even if you don't watch the movie.

probably surpasses "look back" as anime film of the year. yamada continues to prove that she is the best working anime director. i don't even think it's close. the colors here are gorgeous and so full of life. but it's not just that. the way yamada captures each moment between her characters is unparalleled. there's no artificial drama; it's simply characters enjoying being in one another's orbit. maybe one could argue it's all a bit slow, but i loved the pace. everything feels genuine and develops naturally. i'm also always a sucker for films that deal with finding one's place, and the way each charactergoes about this and gradually accepts themselves is so genuine. the music also slaps.

Naoko Yamada has already established her strong presence in the anime industry thanks to her works such as K-On!, The Heike Story and A Silent Voice, a film of which that has become one of my most favorite films of all time. Thus, it was normal for me to look forward as to what she is making next - and that is The Colors Within. It follows a young trio (Totsuko, Rui, and Kimi, who all have their own problems, coming together for their love of music in expressing their feelings. This film was such a delight to watch. Science SARU, who currently has Dandadan airingthis fall, was able to deliver a wonderful-looking animated feature. You can see how the colors are being shown to depict the personalities of the three main characters and the combination. Whenever it features the different settings such as a library, island or a Catholic school, you can definitely get the vibe of where they belong respectively.

In terms of the characters, anyone can relate to any of the three characters. Totsuko, being the center of the story, sees the beauty in Rui and Kimi. Hence, it was able to encourage the other two main characters to also let their emotions flow through their love of music. Meanwhile, I can see most people relating to Rui and Kimi the most because of how hard it is to face their parents and tell the truth of what they are really going through.

As for the narrative, I was able to enjoy it despite having some bumps along the way. After watching it, I thought there was something missing like buildups towards important moments in the story. However, as I let it sit with me, I understood the approach of what Yamada was going for, thus, I was just simply watching the story of how Totsuko was able to bring two unlikely friends together. It was really just how they met and suddenly decided to form a band that made me say "oh wow, that quickly?". Still, I laughed a lot while watching the film too.

When it comes to the music, although I am not that much of an expert in saying what is good music, I will say that the three songs that they were making along the way and delivered in the final act are already in my playlist. Those are "Apology Letter: The True, The Good, The Beautiful", "Walk", "Amen, I'm Going Somewhere". That's all I'll say.

So The Colors Within is a solid work by Naoko Yamada. Aside from Look Back, it's always going to be nice to watch an anime film in theaters and I will look forward to what next project the director of A Silent Voice is doing next. Not as amazing as her previous work but it was still an enjoyable and relatable film nonetheless.

PREMISE Yet another band anime this time in the form of an original movie directed by Yamada Naoko. The twist is that the MC has synesthesia and goes to a Catholic school neither of which are portrayed which much weight. VISUAL This part is at least okay. The synthesia bits have some nice abstracted water color animation and the production quality of the realist scenes is high – they even manage to have fairly long and detailed dancing and a band performances with no CG but you can’t help but think you are looking at the least imaginative way to portray something so fundamentally based inimagination. Character figures can be expressive but rarely have anything interesting going on so it doesn’t matter. They don’t stand out or look attractive and you have the common Yamada problem of all the characters looking the same age. The portrayal of the background environments is technically fine but higly forgettable.

STORY

This part on the other hand is just bad. The synthesia premise is basically forgotten after it gives the MC an excuse to care about someone she doesn’t know and has no real reason to be interested in (apart from a potential, and if present completely gutless yuri interpretation) and then gets replaced by a series of school life scenes that gesture towards the idea of a coming of age story about the MC negotiating between her own desires and the school rules and how much she really believes in them and/or Catholicism. We are led to believe this is a lot more than typical for a Japanese girl but then get shown that she (or less forgivably, the movie’s staff) doesn’t know much about Catholicism with the inclusion of distinctly Protestant prayers, a totally cynical interpretation of confession, NICE nuns (suspension of disbelief can’t excuse something that unrealistic!) and then this all also gets dropped in favor of a profoundly boring band narrative. Like much of the animation, everything about the story ends up feeling like mere decoration on top of something that just isn’t worth caring about.

There’s a handful of directors whose names alone are enough to get me in a seat. Christopher Nolan, Martin Scorsese, Robert Eggers and Yamada Naoko are among those names. Yamada’s Koe no Katachi genuinely saved my life and opened me up to a new way of perceiving the world. It’s had such a lasting impact on me and influenced how I look at film and media to this day. It’s a no brainer then when I heard Yamada-sensei was releasing a new film I jumped all over this. I can gladly say this lived up to the hype for me. While it doesn’t have asstrong a story as Koe no Katachi, as an anime original coming of age story it works very well.

Tatsuko, Rui and Kimi’s band forming over the course of the film while they open up to one another was such a wholesome and intimate experience. We only had about an hour with them together as a full group, but it felt like a 12 episode anime. I really fell in love with this trio and all their quirks. The way music is used as a way for them to express their true feelings as they struggle with family issues isn’t something we’ve not seen before. Girls Band Cry, Yorukura and other music anime deal with that. But it was just something about the simplicity of this story that struck a chord with me. There’s no complex deep and sad backstories, it’s just 3 kids who want to tell their parents/guardians something and can’t seem to find a way to do it. It’s something that a lot of young people will be able to relate to. Often times they feel they can’t connect with their parents or that if they’re honest, their parents will shun them for saying what they really want to do in life. At the end of the day, you have to be true to yourself or you’ll never be happy and I like how this film portrays that.

As a Catholic, I also really appreciated how for the first time ever, at least since I’ve been watching anime, the Church and faith being portrayed accurately. Having the serenity prayer, something I used to pray every day at my Jesuit high school, in this film felt surreal. Faith also plays a big role in helping the protagonist find her voice and forming the band. It’s a really cool way to bring everything and everyone together. The Sister character being such a positive influence was welcome too. Often times the church is portrayed as evil in anime, so this was just a really cool departure to me.

Where this shines tremendously though is in the production values. While not done by Kyoani, it has the same level of quality Koe no Katachi and Liz to Aoi tori did. The character designs are great, the use of color to illustrate mood changes and tonal shifts in the film was brilliant. Color is the main storytelling method in the film. It’s truly an artistic triumph and a beautiful experience. Ushio Kensuke as usual elevated the story to new heights with his understated piano numbers that seem to transport you to another world. After watching it, you just can’t help but feel artistically motivated and want to get out and create. It’s such a positive and uplifting story and that’s thanks in large part to the bright colour palette and art direction.

I really pray for a day where Japanese films are released simultaneously in Japan and the states because the fact we had to wait so long for this one is crazy. It deserved to have a lot of hype around. Incredible film that has once again made me fall in love with the sense of wonder and magic this medium can bring. Thank you as usual Yamada-sensei.

Kimi no Iro gets 10 out of 10.

Minor spoilers First things first. Just getting to hear Kylie McNeil in another anime film was well worth the price of admission. It still blows me away that Belle was her first voiceover role. And her work as Kimi in this film was also phenomenal and completely distinct from her performance as Suzu. And the rest of the cast was just as fantastic! Really happy for her and hoping I'll continue to hear from her in the future! But ya, other than that... this film was just fine. I guess I went into it with a bit too high of expectations. Not just with having Kylie involved,but also having this come from the creator of A Silent Voice. I was expecting a really emotional experience, but instead I was left with some absolutely stunning animation and not much else. It kept feeling like they were setting up each character's backstories to be heavily involved in the plot, and also planning to have their relationships go somewhere as the film progressed. But it all just sorta stayed stagnant from beginning to end. The whole gimmick of the movie, Totsuko seeing the colors of the people around her, also doesn't really amount to anything. I feel like it was just an excuse for the animators to play around with some of the visuals. But even without it, the animation looked phenomenal. So you really didn't need those extra segments or incorporate it into the story, in my opinion. You also don't really get to hear any singing until the end, which was a bummer. And once you finally do, the film just... ends. Like, there REALLY wasn't any sort of resolution to anyone's stories, nor did they even end up having relevance to the overall narrative. And some people may be totally fine with that; just a chill slice of life experience. But with the people who were involved and their portfolios of immensely emotional pieces that they've made in the past, I was just left feeling kinda disappointed. It was just... ok.

6/10

After the 2019 KyoAni arson, director Naoko Yamada left her home studio in search of another place to work. Best known for 'K-On!' and 'A Silent Voice', she was one of the forefront directors there. For her to leave must have been a hard choice, but continuing to work in a place where many of her colleagues died must have been hard. After leaving Kyoto Animations, Yamada hops around for a bit, but it didn't take long for her to find herself at Science Saru, a more avant garde studio in anime that sounds like a fitting place for her, but it wasn't instant magic. Her firstwork there, 'Heiki Monotagri', an 11-episode historical anime, while not terrible, lacks a lot of Yamada's identity. It's an interesting watch, but overall feels more as though she is adapting to a new work environment.

Her second work, "The Garden of Remembrance", released a few months before this film, is a bit of a flip of the previous work. While the first one brought Yamada into Science Saru, this 18-minute short film had Yamada bring her style into Science Saru. It's very experimental, no dialogue, a unique plot structure, but it has all of Yamada's visual trademarks. This one probably went into production after 'Kimi no Iro", but as far as releasing goes, this one works better first.

'Kimi no Iro' is basically Yamada's announcement to the film world: "I am back." It has all the makings of her previous works from KyoAni in its own unique package. A coming-of-age plot blending quite a few of her previous work's together in its own, if you are a fan of her work, this is a must-watch. Is it her best work? It's hard to top "A Silent Voice", but it a Yamada film.

As much as this work might be her announcement of being back, I am sure many fans would say this after seeing her latest work. "Welcome Back, Naoko Yamada."

Serenity, Serendipity, Warm—these are the feelings that linger with me after watching Naoko Yamada's latest film, 'The Colors Within.' Her films have always been a source of comfort, and this one was no exception. Having been a long-time fan of Naoko Yamada's films—each one leaving me with a sense of warmth—I was curious to see if 'The Colors Within' would continue that tradition. However, as the film began, I found myself concerned that my non-anime-watching friend might not share the same experience. In the opening scenes, the pacing felt slower than what I was used to, and there was no immediatehook to pull me in. Unlike the flashy or dramatic openings of many films, this one didn’t start with a bang, which initially left me wondering how it would unfold. To illustrate, in modern superhero movies, there will probably be "the discovery of the protagonist's untapped power" or "a big problem occurs that needs great power to overcome" to hook the audiences to the story. This movie, however, does not have such hooks at all.

However, as I kept watching, I started to finally understand the storytelling of this movie.

I discovered that I don't have to wrack my brain or strain myself so that I do not miss anything. It's very... comfortable, or, should I say, really gentle.

When you watch other movies, the movie will attempt to guide you to feel a certain way.

However, this movie lets the story flows at their pace, while always gently welcome you when you would like to join in.

In other words, the storytelling is gentle in that it doesn't demand your attention but invites you to engage when you're ready. It's not about making you feel a certain emotion but allowing you to experience the film at your own pace. The lack of urgency is refreshing, almost like being in a warm, quiet space where you can simply breathe.

In the end, what I appreciate most about 'The Colors Within' is that it doesn’t try to force a profound message. It simply exists, quietly inviting you to find meaning at your own pace. For me, that’s the hallmark of Yamada’s artistry: creating films that feel like an intimate conversation, where you’re not rushed to understand everything all at once.

The Colors within ("Kimi no Iro"), a splendid tale of understanding ourselves. Kimi no Iro is, without a doubt, THE BEST ANIMATED FILM I’VE EVER SEEN. The review could end here, but if you want to know more, keep reading. There are slight spoilers of what happens, but I’ll tell you there’s no plot to spoil, it's simply the story of the everyday life of a girl named Totsuko (the blonde one on the poster). Totsuko suffers from color blindness. But Naoko Yamada’s genius is in not making her disability a limitation or something to pity. Totsuko’s color blindness is used by the director to create a characterwho "sees the color of people." Because of her condition, the girl associates a color with each person she cares about. Totsuko attends an all-girls Catholic high school, complete with a dormitory. Almost by chance, she meets Kimi, a girl with black hair. Kimi is a stunning, seemingly perfect girl. However, the day after Totsuko meets her, Kimi suddenly disappears from school. Totsuko can’t accept this and sets out to find her. Without revealing too much, she eventually tracks her down almost by accident: Kimi, once the most popular girl in school with perfect grades, has left. She now works in a second-hand bookstore and spends her days playing the electric guitar her older brother left her before leaving home. Kimi hasn’t been able to tell her grandmother, the only person she lives with, the truth. Every night when she returns home, she lies, telling her grandmother she’s been at school. Kimi’s grandmother also attended the same school, and Kimi doesn’t want to hurt her by revealing the truth. Totsuko finds Kimi almost by chance at the bookstore, but she doesn’t know what excuse to make, so she picks up the first book she sees and takes it to the cashier, pretending she was looking for it: it’s a basic piano exercise book. Kimi is surprised and asks if she’s learning to play. As they talk, a boy who’s a regular customer at the store joins in, saying he’s always admired Kimi for how she plays. His name is Rui, and he plays a very unusual stringed instrument. Without thinking, Totsuko blurts out that "the two of them are forming a band and were recruiting members."

And so begins the story of the trio.

Rui doesn’t live in the city; his family runs a clinic on an island nearby. He is the heir to the family business, living under the pressure of needing to become a doctor and not make mistakes in order to enter one of the country’s most prestigious universities. Rui has a secret passion for music and a hidden place to practice: an abandoned Catholic church, which he is allowed to use in exchange for cleaning it. Here, he plays his instrument away from the ears of his mother, the island’s doctor. The trio meets at the church every Sunday to practice together.

I don’t think I need to say more; the rest I’d prefer you discover on your own.

Now, let’s talk about the themes:

- The first theme is Catholicism. Surprisingly, given that it’s a Japanese film, it has a deeply Catholic foundation: Totsuko (and Kimi, at first) attends a Catholic school run by nuns. Specifically, Totsuko confides in a teacher/nun named Hiyoko, a young and beautiful woman with unwavering faith. In my favorite scene of the film, Hiyoko, talking to Kimi, reminds her of one of the most beautiful passages from the Bible, Isaiah 43:4: "Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you," reminding the girl that it’s always possible to start over. I won’t lie, when I heard these words I was seriously crying uncontrollably, trying to hold it in.

- The second theme is that lies, even when told with good intentions, always have consequences: Kimi, the beautiful girl with black hair and blue eyes, has lied her whole life. She ran away from home and went to live with her grandmother and older brother. But when her brother leaves for a job, she’s left alone and has to wear the mask of the perfect girl, all while being consumed by depression. When she can no longer maintain her facade, she drops out of school but can’t bring herself to tell her grandmother the truth. She continues to lie to protect her from suffering. Without going into too much detail, lies always catch up with you, even the ones told with good intentions.

- The third and most important point: It’s never too late to start over: no matter the pain you feel or the stage of life you’re in, with the help of others (and God), you can always begin anew (remember Isaiah 43:4).

There’s so much more I could say, but I think this covers the main themes.

Now, I want to wrap up the review by talking about my feelings regarding the film.

I started silently crying from the very beginning: Totsuko’s color blindness isn’t presented as a disability or a condition that hinders her, but as a gift from God that the sweet girl embraces. She’s able to see the color of the souls of the people she loves.

I empathized with all the characters. There are no plot twists, miracles, or anything like that, but at the end of the film, we learn who was the author of a graffiti on Totsuko’s bed. When this small detail is revealed, I lost it and cried like a fountain.

At the start of the film, Totsuko is seen by the nun Hiyoko dancing with her head in the clouds, thrilled to have found friends. By the end of the film, Hiyoko, who reprimanded her at the start, reveals her true feelings and nature. That’s when I broke down.

My final rating for The Colors within is 100/100.

Honestly, I couldn’t find any flaws. I cried from start to finish, rejoiced, and hummed along in silence.

If you have the chance, go see it.

(Note: I just finished watching the movie in theatres, but if anything changes I'll make an edit at the end). This movie is really well executed and the VAs did a great job considering (based on MAL) they don't have any other roles as of yet. The story is pretty heartwarming and I found just enough charm in each character to the extent where they were charming but not annoying. I think how it tackles each individual's situation is pretty realistic for anime standards, and really shows how teens struggle caring about family versus themselves. There isn't any big antagonist; the characters instead are battling againsttheir own feelings.

The music is not my cup of tea and it really captures the "we formed a band as high school students and let's see where this goes" (what I mean by this is that I could realistically imagine a group of 16 year olds making these songs), but at the same time it's really not bad. This really isn't a music anime though, it is a coming of age somewhat heartwarming drama.

The visuals are also very pretty, and maybe it's a biased perspective since I myself am Christian, but I didn't find the Catholicism too intrusive on the other parts of the story. If you can stand a girl lying and immediately feeling guilty and wanting to confess, or if you don't mind a bible verse being said out loud, I think you can bear the religious parts of the film. Overall, this movie was pretty cute and I really enjoyed every second of it. It is a more chill vibes movie and nothing overdramatic to drive a strong narrative, but I can appreciate movies like this one where you just sit back and maybe reflect a bit on life while watching it (the score accompanies the chill vibes pretty well too).

Kimi no Iro, a tale of lies, faith, and being able to start again. A tale of normal people that are facing normal problems with all of them pushing each other to face their problems from their collective struggles and personal drives to be better people, brought to you by the mastermind behind Liz and the Blue Bird, aswell as Koe no Katachi; Naoko Yamada, who once again showcases her ability to create character-driven narratives with the use of an animation style resembling watercolor and pencil styles, representing the unique perspectives of the characters in her works, creating a visual experience that mirrors the characters' internalmindscapes.

Totsuko is able to see everyone's color, everyone's true emotions, and adapt herself to them, unable to see the most important part, her own color, learning throughout the film how to acknowledge and express her own color, a color that continues to shift as she grows as a person.

Everyone in this movie is a liar, in the sense of the small, quiet ways in which people hide their true selves and supress their feelings, be it out of kindness, fear, or the belief that their emotions might be a burden to others.

The emotional core of this movie lies in the moment in which each character stops hiding and lets their true colors show, when they're honest with those they've been lying to, and most importantly, themselves.

The theme of lying correlates directly with the theme of faith, no matter what decisions you've taken, with the help of others and God you can always begin anew, it's never too late to start again.

Isaiah 43:4: "Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you".

Each character faces their own struggles in their own way, without overly indulging in others' problems, making their growth feel personal and self-driven, from their own desire to better themselves.

I could ramble about how good the film is visually and how great it's OST is, but if you're familiar with Naoko Yamada you should already know it's the best of the best, specially reminiscing of Liz to Aoi Tori, using similar techniques to represent Totsuko's way of seeing things. Shironeko-do does a great job at the music department, with catchy and just overall good songs.

In conclusion I absolutely love everything about this movie and I think it's a great heartwarming journey about accepting and being honest with ourselves and with those around us. A journey about friendships and how we're able to use them to better ourselves pushing eachother to greater highs. Definitely one of my favorite works by Naoko Yamada, and a must-see for anyone interested in the themes I've talked about in the review.

Personal Opinion "You see colors in other ... but do you ever see the color in yourself?" So, I’ve been going through Naoko Yamada’s older works recently, really wanting to study her style—and I was super happy this film came to theaters in Thailand (2024). And honestly? Yamada-sensei hasn’t lost her touch at all. The title is The Colors Within, so of course color is a major element. The film mostly uses pastel tones, though it mixes in some brighter, more saturated colors here and there. But even the vivid scenes feel toned down or blended in a way that keeps the pastel vibe consistent. It’s super softon the eyes and honestly beautiful to look at.

When it comes to visual storytelling, this is classic Yamada. For example, her signature use of low-angle shots focusing on feet or shoes. Yamada once said she uses feet to express nervousness—how people shift or fidget when they’re anxious—and it really shows here. You can also spot her usual attention to composition, balancing symmetry and asymmetry to create interesting visual contrast between characters, colors, or actions. For me, the visuals are easily the best part of this film.

And from visuals, we go to sound. I really liked the score it mainly uses electronic instruments with a bit of acoustic here and there, which fits the whole "starting a hybrid music band" theme really well. There’s also this neat connection between sound and color: since color is basically how we perceive different light frequencies, the film ties that into the main character Totsuko, who can see people’s emotions as colors. Almost every time she sees an emotion-color, you hear a kind of frequency tone. That sound design idea? Super cool. The only downside is... they kinda overused it to the point it got a bit annoying. (Or maybe the sound mix in my theater was off? Who knows 🤔)

Story-wise, I’m not against a Traditional Linear structured narrative. Plenty of great fIlms follow familiar formats. I actually loved the first act it grabs you right away by explaining Totsuko’s powers and makes you curious about how she’ll use them. It felt very character-driven. But in Act 2, that balance started to shift. The conflict introduced was weak, and it belonged more to the supporting characters than Totsuko herself. So instead of being the lead, she kind of turned into a lens to view others’ emotions which was interesting but made her feel a bit sidelined. Act 3 brought it back a bit, shifting focus to Totsuko again and wrapping things up nicely. It’s like she started as a guide, became an observer, and then reclaimed her voice by the end.

One thing I loved about the writing though: the way it took a concept from a Christian chant and used it as a central conflict resolution way. That was clever. Even when the plot felt weak, the visuals kept everything engaging. Oh! And I’m pretty sure there was a little Easter egg for K-ON! in the final act a nod to Yamada’s roots, since K-ON! was her first time directing.

Also, the Christian school setting and the use of an instrument like the Theremin really gave the film a unique vibe that stood out to me.

So yeah—this film isn’t a masterpiece, but it’s warm, sweet, and full of charm. The music’s great, and the visuals. A lot of Youthful feeling. ❤️🌸

P.S. Totsuko is seriously adorable.

I was enamoured by the trailer for this film and waited for it to be screened internationally for many months and I really did enjoy watching it but it left much to be desired. I didn't realize the film would focus so much on Christianity. Although I'm not a Christian (I practice a Dharmic faith), this wouldn't bother me as long as the story is good and the characters are well developed but there was a lot set up in the first half of the film that was never fully resolved in my opinion. [Spoilers] Each of the main three have something that they hide fromthe world and end up lying.

For Totsuko, it's her synesthesia-like ability and also being in a band with Kimi and Rui- her desire to be in a band with them causes her to lie several times throughout the film for which she seems to be constantly repenting.

For Kimi, she dropped out of school- the actual reason for which is never mentioned- and she's unable to tell her grandmother (who previously attended that very school herself) and ends up lying about it. She also feels guilt because she believes she's making Totsuko lie as well.

Rui hides from his mother that he's passionate about music and that the responsibility of continuing the legacy of the clinic is burdensome to him.

I really enjoyed watching the three of them grow closer and especially liked seeing Totsuko and Kimi's relationship but the way the film attempted to resolve each of their problems left me pretty unsatisfied.

Kimi and Rui coming clean about their lies was very anticlimactic- almost as if their worries did not actually hold any significance. Especially with Rui since he ends up agreeing to continue the clinic and going off to college despite the reluctance he shows towards this at the beginning of the film.

Kimi was also apprehensive about showing herself to her ex-classmates and for a good reason because they do spread rumors about her in the beginning but when she later performs at the school festival, it's like none of that ever happened. It's the same with Totsuko- she's apprehensive about being friends with a boy in the begging because of the strict nature of her school but by the end of the movie, nobody in the school cares that she's performing with a male bandmate and a drop out.

Overall, it feels like the movie was set up to want to say something about the environment that each of them exist in but ignored that entirely by the end to just have them perform wholesome songs on stage.

Either way, I still did really enjoy the film for the beautiful animation, colors, character design, and catchy songs. I absolutely loved seeing Totsuko and Kimi's relationship unfold and especially loved watching Totsuko sneak Kimi into the dorms.

I don't know if I would wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone but I enjoyed watching it nonetheless.

Oh, it's an anime about Christian rock. Kimi no Iro is an amazing entry by Naoko Yamada. It's simply beautiful, ranging from gorgeous use of color (to be expected from the title) to superb character animation we rarely see in movies today. It tells a heartwarming, wholesome story of friendship and coming to terms with escapism. That said, the story itself is sparse and lacks significant conflict - it's more for its main characters to grapple with their teenage problems and growth than anything truly gripping. Thus, most of this video is a visual spectacle carrying you through their lives through vibesalone.

The music is great, both the soundtrack by Ushio and the songs by the characters' band. Catholicism is unsurprisingly not a common presence in anime, and while I was not expecting Angel's Egg, the weaving of positive influences of Catholicism and piousness of the main character are refreshing (coming from a very nonreligous person). Ultimately, however, it was hard to tell whether Totsuko's conclusion on interpretation of bible quotes was worth the heavy inclusion of religion throughout the movie. Enough amens thrown out in this movie to populate a Sunday service.

Great showing by Yamada, unfortunately glossed over in favor of Look Back this year.

Looks absolutely gorgeous with vibrant visuals and catchy music, and while the plot is very low-stakes and somewhat meandering the characters are all very endearing. The movie has a strangely aimless vibe, although this seems to at least be partially the intention, with the style of introducing and side-lining plot-points that would otherwise be interesting to follow almost being in the 'feature-not-a-bug' category for a Yamada work now...life can be messy, and that's OK! In summary: A very pleasant movie to watch, and could easily watch it again, although does not scale the heights of Yamada's previous couple of movies. The 'Planets' song is a banger.

I really don't know why this isn't higher rated... Yes, there is no real plot. It's just the characters and their relationships, and the time they spent together for a part oft their lives. And yeah, much ist left unresolved, but... that's the essence of slice of life, isn't it? And SoL is certainly not the most unpopular anime genre. but somehow this got overlooked. I really can't recommend it enough: Great and fitting Animation, colors, heartfelt characters, that feel realistic, dialogue that doesn't insult your intelligence, no unnecessary drama. And at the same time, it feels unique. Naoko Yamadas previous Movie (Liz and theBlue Bird) is the only thing that comes to mind when thinking about the "vibe" the movie has.

SoL at its finest.

Agh... Quite sad to tell this, considering how much I've enjoyed Naoko Yamada's other stuff, but this one is by far the most simple story of hers, that isn't really a bad thing itself, but having such a weak hook to the story makes it so much uninvested as it goes on, animation is fine, cutesy, but also recently I've watched films like "Little Amelie or the character of rain" that actually evolves and embodies more the realm of 2D animation, and also this story feels like too scared of doing something more interesting, in this film we get to see Totsuko a girl whocan see "auras" or "colors" in other people, these colors are what may attract her to some people, and she also studies in a catholic school something actually quite interesting considering how little catholicism is practiced in Japan, and how she wants to have companionship with a friend of her that just retired from the school, Kimi, and how when they become friends once again they want to create a band with a boy, Rui.

Totsuko, is more like the typical "airhead" protagonist, a character that is just supposed to be "funny" or "silly", but that doesn't really have any depth along the film, which could be fine in the context of just a purely slice-of-life series, but considering the fact that the film relies way more in the dramatic aspect as it goes on, it also needs that her character must help the other 2 characters to overcome their struggles, and considering that she wasn't much other than a fully silly character all the way around I don't really get how she could help them that much, also the other 2 characters Kimi and Rui suffer from some quite similar problems, that particularly downgrades the character of Rui which actually for most of the film feels quite unimportant and his only dramatic stake is just very similar to the character of Kimi, Kimi is the character that actually gets more development, as she tells how she has some rough relation with her grandma and some rough friendships she left when the changed school, some aspects that torment her everyday, this issues make her character constantly sad and unassuming, which actually doesn't really land in comparison to the most quirky aspects of the film, but she does work more in a more dramatic aspect.

The story is focused in how they want to get their band done and to play up in front of the rest of the people in the church which actually does feel like an struggle to Kimi's character and therefore Totsuko is the only conection she has to actually overcome this problem, but that means Rui actually doesn't really do anything to really help Kimi's issue, it could have been easily a film just about the 2 girls and it would be perfectly fine, and also this 2 girls may have a lot of chemistry, it actually should have been about this girls falling in love and how religion and their personal issues may not really be favourable to accomplish that, but the film is way too afraid of doing a plot such as this, and therefore you are just left with a simple drama that isn't really all that dramatic, with some silly aspects that aren't all that funny.

Overall it is kind of cute, I also didn't said it before, but also quite like the "techno" score it has, but it is such a simple story, that says almost nothing all that interesting in comparison to the director's more gut-wrenching or heart-warming stuff.

Beautiful-looking and a real 'vibe' movie, and although it's plot is a bit indistinct and meanders around quite a bit (maybe a little bit too much), this really helps to get into the characters headspace. Characters are all very likeable, art style is very appealing and the animation is stellar, although the writing is a little weaker as some of their motivations are somewhat unclear and some of the voice acting can be a little over the top at times. There is nothing really ground-breaking about this movie, although it's very well made but probably not quite at the level of Yamada's earlier movies, but agreat watch and very easily recommended!