YMMV / Children Who Chase Lost Voices

aka: Children Who Chase Lost Voices From Deep Below

• Alternative Character Interpretation: Morisaki's actions at the films climax. He obviously didn't know how returning his wife to life would work and didn't anticipate God using Asuna's body to house his wife's soul. He seems regretful that it happened but also tries to stop Shin from reversing it.
• Awesome Art: It's easily comparable to Miyazaki's best in terms of art, character design, and animation. Best seen in the trailer for the official US release.
• They Copied It, So It Sucks!: Although the movie got bright reviews thanks to its story and animation, a regularly pointed shortcoming was that it adheres so much to the classic Ghibli tropes that it feels like a deliberate mishmash of some of its best known works, namely Castle in the Sky, Spirited Away and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Shinkai himself acknowledged this cultural heritage, naming Castle in the Sky, the film which Children was noted to resemble the most, as his favourite anime film.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Character: The Arch Angels would have made interesting villains in the movie, but they completely disappear from the plot when the heroes enter Agartha.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot: Judging by their interactions, character designs and plot points, many savvy viewers were tempted to believe Morisaki would be revealed as Asuna's father at the end of the film. He wasn't. However, a popular impression is that it would have been a chance to create a stronger and more dramatic plot. Or alternatively that he would get together with Asuna's mother, since they're both mourning for a lost love, but they never interact in the story.

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