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If you’re familiar with Mari Okada’s previous works, such as Anohana, Kokoro ga Sakebitagatterunda. However, what really sets Maquia apart in the genre is its storytelling with motherhood at its center and how it uses fantastic elements to explore new facets of that relationship. While Maquia’s setting isn’t totally original, with its beautiful, ageless totally-not-elves, dragons and such, it’s all done with a quality that makes it more than forgivable.
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Probably the most interesting thing about Maquia is what it does within fantasy, a genre rife with Tolkien wannabee tales of giant battles against ultimate evils and generic JRPG derivative drivel. With work from famous Final Fantasy and Nier: Automata character designer Akihiko Yoshida, animation director Tadashi Hiramatsu (FLCL, Yuri!!! On Ice, Gurren Lagann), main animator Toshiyuki Inoue (Ghost in the Shell, Akira, Paprika), composer Kenji Kawai (Ghost in the Shell, Patlabor, Barakamon), and more, Maquia has a lot of star power bringing the story to life. The art, music, and animation are beautiful, and Okada’s trademark emotional storytelling is as strong as ever. As P.A.Works’ first feature-length, theatrical release and Mari Okada’s directorial debut, the team clearly wanted to showcase their best work.
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What We Liked About Maquiaįirst and foremost, Maquia has great production value.
#Maquia when the promised flower blooms love full#
Thus begins a challenging life as a single mother separated from her people and destined to outlive her adopted son in a world full of persecution and war. Rescuing the baby, who she names Ariel, Maquia flees to the village of Helm where the two are taken in by farmer Mido. Following the sound, she discovers a baby in the arms of his dead mother in a traveler’s camp ransacked by bandits. Preparing to take her own life, she edges towards the edge of a cliff, only stopping when she hears crying. Maquia herself only narrowly escapes when one of the dragons goes berserk, carrying her off tangled in the Hibiol.įalling into the forest, Maquia is at her wit’s end. Many are killed, and Maquia’s friend Leilia is kidnapped and forced into marriage with the Mezarte prince. Unable to fight back, the village is left in ruin. Called “The Clan of the Separated” by outsiders, the isolated tribe lives away from others in an idyllic oasis, their culture centered around weaving their memories into special fabric called Hibiol on gigantic looms.Įverything changes when Iorph is attacked by the dragon-riding knights of neighboring kingdom Mezarte who, out of desperation to boost their fading power, seek to steal the Iorph’s secret of longevity. Young orphaned girl Maquia is a member of the Iorph, a hidden race of people who live for centuries without aging beyond their teenage years. Contains Spoilers Sayonara no Asa ni Yakusoku no Hana wo Kazarou Introduction