The Japanese Animated Film "I Want to Eat Your Pancreas" based on Yoru Sumina's Y/A Novel

"I Want to Eat Your Pancreas" is based on the young adult Japanese novel with the same name bizarre name by Yoru Sumina.  I had read the novel about 2 17 yr. old high school classmates:  a vivacious female, Sakura and her male classmate, Haruki who keeps his head down & mouth closed.  The animated film begins just as it does in the novel, with the funeral of Sakura and the story taking place just months prior.  While I found the story enchanting and profound (see below link).  The film was sweet but lacking in sophistication.  Despite using much of the same dialogue from the book which resonated with universal themes of life's meanings, the film felt strictly aimed at a young audience who'd view this as a budding romance tragically cut short by Sakura's untimely death.  The animation was simple using still backgrounds and few characters.  The facial features shared large, triangle shaped noses in profile with minimal gapes from a frontal vantage.  The ages of Sakura & Haruki seemed pre-adolescent rather than high school seniors.  I think this charming adaptation will appeal to the tween set and be set aside by adults.  The waterworks of tears at the end will not stir a sniffle for those over 14. The warmth of the growing connection between 2 polar opposites and their symbiotic relationship was colored over by a flirtatious Sakura and a stoic Haruki whose heart is melted too late.  The flashback highlights on their time together was too precious.  Sakura tells Haruki "It's easier to take risks when you know you're going to die."  Director Ushijima didn't risk relying on the strength of the novel's prose.  The focus was a doomed love story with niche appeal for a tween audience.  At the beginning Sakura tells Haruki "You may think this is just another day in your life?  It's not.  It's the day given you.  It's a precious gift to not be taken for granted."  The ending with Sakura speaking from beyond the grave was overkill.  Read the novel.  Skip the flick.


https://theroguereaderoffthehiddenpage.blogspot.com/2019/01/ya-novel-by-japanese-author-yoru-sumina.html