History Film / ChildrenWhoChaseLostVoicesFromDeepBelow

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/children_who_chase_lost_voices_from_deep_below_1425.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:''It was a journey to say goodbye.'']]

Released in May 2011, [[MakotoShinkai Makoto Shinkai's]] ''Children Who Chase Lost Voices From Deep Below'' focuses on Asuna Watase, a cheerful girl who embarks on a journey to say farewell. Contrasting his previous films, it is far more spirited and lively, telling of the implications behind life and death, as well as happiness and despair, and the folly of blind determination. With a running time of nearly two hours, it is the longest of all of his works.

Asuna is a middle school student. Her father passed away while she was still young, and her mother works long shifts as a nurse. Despite being an excellent student and proficient at household tasks, she is able to find time to visit her secret hiding spot at the top of a hill, and uses a unique crystal her father left behind to listen to radio stations. She encounters a strange melody which remains with her, close to her heart.

Her life changes when she encounters a "[[EverythingsWorseWithBears bear]]" and promptly saved by a {{bishounen}} named Shun, who wields the same kind of crystal Asuna uses. Shun reveals that neither he, nor the "bear", were from Earth; instead, they are residents of Agartha, the underworld where lush fields bloom and where majestic monsters roam. They spend a short period together before Shun passes on, leading Asuna to feelings of longing. It isn't long before Ryuuji Morisaki, a substitute teacher, discusses [[JapaneseMythology the legend of Izanagi and Izanami]] in class, piquing Asuna's interest. She visits him later that day and comes to learn of his intentions, eventually agreeing to accompany him on his journey to Agartha.

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!!The movie contains examples of:

* AKindOfOne: [[AztecMythology Quetzal Coatl]] is a collective term referring to the guardians of Agartha.
* AllMythsAreTrue: In general, elements in existing myths (such as [[EldritchAbomination mythical beasts]]) can be found in Agartha.
* AltumVidetur: Latin names are fairly common, whether it be locations like ''Finis Terra'' [[note]]"Edge of the world"[[/note]] or items like the ''clavis'' [[note]]"Key"[[/note]].
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Morisaki is warned numerous times about the hazards in bringing his wife back from the dead, but pays the price for seeing it through, when he [[spoiler: loses an eye]] in the process.
* BigDamnHeroes: Shin saves Asuna and Manna after the latter two are captured in the dead of night by Izuko.
* TheButterflyOfLifeAndDeath: A blue butterfly flutters around following [[spoiler:Shun's death]].
* ChekhovsGun
** The mysterious crystals Asuna and Shun possess are referred to as a ''clavis'', which were created as keys to Agartha. In addition to granting the users immense powers, they power the ability to grant wishes, [[spoiler: including the power to bring the dead back into the world of the living]].
** The melody Asuna hears at the beginning is revealed to be [[spoiler:Shun's final song]]. It touches her heart and is explained to be a vessel of a being's memories.
* CuteMute: Mana, the little girl who Shin and Asuna rescue.
* DisappearedDad: Asuna's father died when she was little[[spoiler: and is implied to have been Agarthan, because he left behind a Clavis for his daughter and the Izoku consider Asuna to be "defiled."]]
* FalseCameraEffects: There is a JitterCam effect during certain action sequences, as well as a ridiculous amount of attention paid to shifts in lighting within scenes.
* HaveYouSeenMyGod: Shakuna Vimana is a massive ark that God himself wields to oversee Agartha.
* HereditaryCurse: The Izoku are a cursed tribe, doomed to wander Agartha aimlessly.
** The "Defiled," children of [[spoiler: mixed topsider and Agarthan heritage]], have a related curse - the Izoku hunt them in order to maintain balance.
* HumansAreFlawed: Driven by a lust for power, historical figures delved into Agartha and confiscated much of its treasures. Having been troubled by centuries of warfare with the surface world, Agartha sealed itself off to prevent any futher contact.
* IllGirl: Morisaki's wife was suffering from an unspecified illness and succumbs to it.
* MundaneUtility: Aside from its powers, the clavis is used as a semi-conductor in Asuna's radio.
* NeverGotToSayGoodbye: This is shared by Asuna and Morisaki; in both cases, they were unable to properly say farewell before someone close to them died.
* NonHumanSidekick: Mimi, Asuna's "cat."
* PartingWordsRegret: Morisaki regrets being unable to take care of his wife in light of the war he was fighting.
* ThePowerOfLove: Love for a lost one drives the actions of the characters, but this is {{deconstructed}} when [[spoiler:Morisaki uses Asuna as a sacrifice for reviving his wife, Lisa]].
* SceneryPorn: Whether it be Agartha or Earth, the scenery is spectacular and gives some of the [[RealLife best sights in the world]] a [[UpToEleven run for its money]]. Of note is [[http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_QeHABiGnC8/TvzKF6BuewI/AAAAAAAAJns/5pANnsbeCVA/s912/L%252520Pictures%252520Infinite%252520Zenith%252520Backup%252520Folder%252520Anime%252520Screenshots%252520Children%252520who%252520chase%252520lost%252520voices%252520from%252520deep%252520below%252520-%252520CWCVFDB-00174.jpg Finis Terra]], the location of the Portal of Life and Death.
* TheSixties: The helicopter used by Arch Angel is an AH-1 Cobra with a modified gun; the Cobra was deployed in the 1960s, and it is revealed that Morisaki fought on the European theatres in WorldWarII. The presence of typewriters and the design of vehicles reinforce this setting.
* ShoutOut: As a MakotoShinkai work, several elements from his previous films make an appearance:
** Asuna's cat is named Mimi, in keeping with the name of the cats in Makoto Shinkai's earlier works.
** Agartha was the name of a planet in VoicesOfADistantStar.
* SnowMeansDeath: Asuna's father died during the winter.
* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Shin, Shun's twin brother, arrives after [[spoiler:Shun's death]]. Their similarities are such that Asuna initially mistakes him for Shun.
* TimeSkip: The epilogue seen during the credits is set several years after Asuna leaves Agartha.
* WrongGenreSavvy: Asuna remains optimistic and hopeful even during the darkest points in the film; this element prevents the film from being an outright Tearjerker.
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* AltumVidetur: Latin names are fairly common, whether it be locations like ''Finis Terra'' [[hottip:*: "Edge of the world"]] or items like the ''clavis'' [[hottip:*: "Key"]].

* WrongGenreSavvy: Asuna remains optimistic and hopeful even during the darkest points in the film; this element prevents the film from being an outright Tearjerker.

* ShoutOut: Asuna's cat is named Mimi, in keeping with the name of the cats in Makoto Shinkai's earlier works.
** Shinkai previously used Agartha as the name of a planet in VoicesOfADistantStar.
** In general, this film calls to mind the visual style of early Ghibli works, particularly NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind. Some of the Quetzal Coatls resemble the God Warrior, and Mimi might have been inspired by Teto.

Asuna is a student in middle school. Her father passed away while she was still young, and her mother works long shifts as a nurse. Despite being an excellent student and proficient at household tasks, she is able to find time to visit her secret hiding spot at the top of a hill, and uses a unique crystal her father left behind to listen to radio stations. She encounters a strange melody which remains with her, close to her heart.

* PartingWordsRegret: Morisaki regrets being unable to take care of his wife in light of the war he was fighting.

Her life changes when she encounters a "[[EverythingsWorseWithBears bear]]" and promptly saved by a {{Bishounen}} named Shun, who wields the same kind of crystal Asuna uses. Shun reveals that neither he, nor the "bear", were from Earth; instead, they are residents of Agartha, the underworld where lush fields bloom and where majestic monsters roam. They spend a short period together before Shun passes on, leading Asuna to feelings of longing. It isn't long before Ryuuji Morisaki, a substitute teacher, discusses [[JapaneseMythology the legend of Izanagi and Izanami]] in class, piquing Asuna's interest. She visits him later that day and comes to learn of his intentions, eventually agreeing to accompany him on his journey to Agartha.

Released in May 2011, [[MakotoShinkai Makoto Shinkai's]] ''Children Who Chase Lost Voices From Deep Below'' focusses on Asuna Watase, a cheerful girl who embarks on a journey to say farewell. Contrasting his previous films, it is far more spirited and lively, telling of the implications behind life and death, as well as happiness and despair, and the folly of blind determination. With a running time of nearly two hours, it is the longest of all of his works.

* GreyAndGrayMorality

* SceneryPorn: Whether it be Agartha or Earth, the scenery is spectacular and gives some of the [[RealLife best sights in the world]] a [[BeyondTheImpossible run for its money]]. Of note is [[http://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_QeHABiGnC8/TvzKF6BuewI/AAAAAAAAJns/5pANnsbeCVA/s912/L%252520Pictures%252520Infinite%252520Zenith%252520Backup%252520Folder%252520Anime%252520Screenshots%252520Children%252520who%252520chase%252520lost%252520voices%252520from%252520deep%252520below%252520-%252520CWCVFDB-00174.jpg Finis Terra]], the location of the Portal of Life and Death.

* TheButterflyOfLifeAndDeath: The blueish butterfly that flies around near the beginning happens after [[spoiler:Shun dies]].

* SceneryPorn: Whether it be Agartha or Earth, the scenery is spectacular and gives some of the [[RealLife best sights in the world]] a [[BeyondTheImpossible run for its money]].

Released in May 2011, [[MakotoShinkai Makoto Shinkai's]] ''Children Who Chase Lost Voices From Deep Below'' focusses on the journey of Asuna Watase, a cheerful girl who embarks on a journey to say farewell. Contrasting his previous films, it is far more spirited and lively, telling of the implications behind life and death, as well as happiness and despair, and the folly of blind determination. With a running time of nearly two hours, it is the longest of all of his works.

Released in May 2011, [[MakotoShinkai Makoto Shinkai's]] ''Children Who Chase Lost Voices From Deep Below'' focusses on the journey of Asuna Watase, a cheerful girl who embarks on a journey to say farewell. Contrasting his previous films, it is far more spirited and lively, telling of the implications behind life and death, as well as happiness and despair, and the folly of blind determination. With a run-time of nearly two hours, it is the longest of all of his works.

* AltumVidetur: Latin names are fairly common, whether it be locations like ''Finis Terra'' [[tooltip:*: "Edge of the world"]] or items like the ''clavis'' [[tooltip:*: "Key"]].

!!This film provides examples of:
* AKindOfOne: [[AztecMythology Quetzal Coatl]] is a collective term for the guardians of Agartha.
* AllMythsAreTrue: General theme: if it's mythical, then it's alive in Agartha. Even {{Eldritch Abomination}}s within Agartha are composed of myths.
* AltumVidetur: Throws Latin in many different areas.
* BrickJoke: The melody at the beginning is revealed to be [[spoiler:the death song of Shun]], which is all the way near the end of the film.

* ChekhovsGun: The crystal, as you thought it would.
* DistaffCounterpart: ''FinalFantasyVII''. [[WholePlotReference No, really]].
* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt: Taken literally. Above picture is ''Finis Terra'', a chasm that, at the bottom, holds the Boundary of Life and Death.
* HaveYouSeenMyGod: God takes the form of a throne when he's patrolling the world [[VisualPun from above]].
* [[SciFiWritersHaveNoSenseOfScale Makoto Has No Sense of Scale]]: Agartha is the center of the earth, and it has a ''sky''.
* JapaneseMythology: A {{Foil}} to the subplot about Morisaki and his wife, Lisa.
* MundaneUtility: Using a stone from Agartha to listen in to radio stations.
* ThePowerOfFriendship
* ThePowerOfLove: In a much better direction than ''FiveCentimetersPerSecond'' for the majority of the film, but then {{Deconstructed}} when [[spoiler:Morisaki uses Asuna as a sacrifice for reviving his wife, Lisa]].

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: InUniverse example: Shin, Shun's twin brother, arrives after [[spoiler:Shun's death]].
* TimeSkip: The epilogue that plays during the credits takes place some ten years after the ending of the movie.
* WarIsHell: Morisaki participated in what looks like WorldWarTwo. He regrets this every day, since he was unable to take care of his wife.
* WrongGenreSavvy: Asuna. The movie runs on this trope, and she stays extremely happy and determined even during the lowest points. It also is what keeps the movie from being a TearJerker film.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Finis_Terra_4377.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[GeniusBonus Finis]] [[AltumVidetur Terra]][[hottip:*:Unfortunately, this is as large as SceneryPorn can get, due to Image Uploading standards.]]]]

-->''[[BrickJoke What a mysterious melody]]...''
-->'''Asuna Watase'''

There exists a place where lush fields bloom, where people live in harmony, and where majestic monsters roam. Underneath the surface of our world exists a place such as this, and it was sealed away from the above world for all eternity.

Asuna Watase, a middle-schooler whose father has died when she was extremely young and mother who works long shifts as a nurse, [[ImprobableAge takes care of the whole house and excels in school]], reaching top of her class ''many times''. During the afternoon, she normally goes up to her secret hiding spot at the top of a hill, and uses a unique crystal her father left behind to listen to [[MundaneUtility radio stations, various noises, and]] a rather strange sound that she only heard once. She has never forgotten it, and has always kept that one sound close to heart.

On another day, she crosses paths with a "[[EverythingsWorseWithBears bear]]" that has been terrorizing the bridge she takes to go to her special spot. She's scared stiff at the sight of the monster, but then is promptly saved by a {{Bishounen}} named Shun wielding the same kind of crystal Asuna uses. Shun tells her that that "bear" is [[CaptainObvious not a part of the natural wildlife]], and that he's from a place called "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agartha Agartha]]." [[BlatantLies It's not a place really special]], [[WrongGenreSavvy just a far-off country]]. Despite being such a CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming, [[TearJerker that meeting would be their last together]].

A few days later, a substitute teacher name Ryuuji Morisaki reviews over [[JapaneseMythology the legend of Izanagi and Izanami]], and piques the interest of Asuna. When he mentions Agartha in class, she visits him later that day, where he talks about how AllMythsAreTrue, and how it is possible to revive a loved one within the seemingly-mythical place "Agartha."

[[LongestPrologueEver And that sums up the first thirty or so minutes of the movie]].

Running in at almost two hours, it is the fourth and longest film by MakotoShinkai. The above description sounds like a TearJerker ''[[BeyondTheImpossible worse than]]'' [[FiveCentimetersPerSecond his last great film]], but the premise is run by the happiness of Asuna. It runs more on NarmCharm than...well, TearJerker. Released May 2011, it tells the story of life and death, happiness and sadness, and how determination should be used wisely. And it also runs on ThePowerOfFriendship, also [[FiveCentimetersPerSecond unlike the previous film]].

Compare and contrast ''NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind''.

* AllMythsAreTrue: General theme: if it's OlderThanDirt, then it's alive in Agartha. Even {{Eldritch Abomination}}s within Agartha are composed of myths.

* SceneryPorn: TVTropesDrinkingGame: Drink a sip every time you see this happen.[[hottip:'''WARNING''':You may be drunk [[BeyondTheImpossible thirty minutes before the end]].]]