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Makoto Shinkai's Entire 'Dareka no Manazashi' Short Streamed
posted on by Egan Loo
Nomura Real Estate's ProudChannel YouTube channel began streaming the entire length of "Dareka no Manazashi" (Someone's Gaze), the 2013 short anime film from auteur writer/director Makoto Shinkai (Voices of a Distant Star, 5 Centimeters Per Second, Children Who Chase Lost Voices).
The story is set "slightly in the future" and revolves around Aya "Aachan" Okamura, a woman who has been working for two years and has begun living on her own for a job opportunity. With Aachan's mother working overseas as a doctor, Aachan's father is now living alone with the family's longtime pet cat Mii-san.
One night, Aachan returns from a long day at work, and as she rests on her bed, she reminiscences about the times the family had together. She remembers the sadness she felt when her mom went overseas, and the solace she felt when her father brought home Mii-san to give her comfort. Then, she receives a phone call…
CoMix Wave Films, NEST, and TYO M1 Production produced this short in collaboration with The Answer Studio Co., Ltd., and singer-songwriter Kazusa performed the theme song "Sore de Ii yo." Narrator Fumi Hirano (Urusei Yatsura's Lum) leads the cast with Satomi Hanamura as Aachan and Shinji Ogawa as the father.
Nomura Real Estate screened the short during "Proud Box Kanshasai," a home living exposition which ran from February 10 to 11 at the Tokyo International Forum. The short also ran with the Japanese theatrical run of Shinkai's latest feature film, The Garden of Words.
Shinkai began his career by creating his own anime titles almost singlehandedly — being responsible for the writing, directing, and even voice-acting. He now works with CoMix Wave Films and other staff members on anime projects. His titles include She and Her Cat, Voices of a Distant Star, The Place Promised in Our Early Days, 5 Centimeters Per Second, and 2011's Children Who Chase Lost Voices.
