Toki wa Meguru: Tokyo Station

I'm going to preface this review by saying "It's 5 minutes, give it a shot." This will contain as minimal of spoilers as possible - it IS only 5 minutes. Story: 7 There really isn't much to say about the story, as it is 5 minutes. HOWEVER, given that, the short works with this time constraint very well through its introduction of back-story through both dialogue and flashback snapshots. Despite the cliche story and associated elements - in this case, the fate of our protagonist's father, the journey by train, the emotional catharsis through meeting the watchmaker - the emotions built up cannot be disregarded. The short exceedsits original purpose of commemorating Tokyo Station's 100th anniversary, providing a short and sweet story of a daughter discovering her father. Oh, and keep in touch with your parents. Ow, my feels. TL;DR - Cliche story&elements presented well Art: 9 A-1 Pictures does a GREAT job, as usual of their works. I may be at fault for overrating their work, but the short was visually captivating. TL;DR - A-1 Pictures Sound: 9 Despite the entire short consisting of what is essentially a pop song sandwiched by a short string/piano instrumentals at the beginning and end, it works well. What really caught me was when the strings came back in right following the pause in the song, when the daughter reveals that she's getting married. The piano dying out right when our MC begins crying was timed perfectly. (Side note: The harmonica that comes in roughly 2 minutes into the song to mark a change in tracking from strings/piano to just piano and voice was really well placed, though this is more of a commentary on the song itself than the short.) TL;DR - Timing of animation to song is great Enjoyment: 10 I watched this without the voice acting as well and had just as good of a time as I did with the original. (Here's a link to the voice-less version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKdaY0slYyQ) I really enjoyed this, and I think the fact that it can be appreciated even without the voice acting/narration shows how well done this short is. Its short length did not hinder it at all - the brief snapshots of the past really accentuated the seemingly cliche story. I love how the short can make the viewer ask themselves questions - for me, it was whether or not the timekeeper she chases in the station was her imagination or just a stranger. What's supposedly a kind of ad became a short that tugged on the heartstrings. Overall: 9 It ain't a masterpiece, but it's really good.