Even when we try to resist it, change always comes. Erial’s childhood passes with an almost dreamlike happiness to it, while also being weighed down by the knowledge that it can’t last forever. If Maquia has one thesis statement, it’s that time always moves forward and things always change. Maquia approaches life completely aware of this, but chooses to seize the happiness in front of her rather than run from the pain she knows she’ll face in the future. The film is endlessly sympathetic towards Maquia’s plight, which ties into its larger themes of change. Beyond the strain her appearance puts on their relationship, the fact that Maquia will eventually lose Erial to time puts a weight on every scene. Maquia’s longevity means she’ll outlive Erial by hundreds of years while always remaining childlike in appearance. Maquia and Erial feel less like traditional fantasy archetypes and more like a real single mother and child doing their best for each other, which adds a lot of weight to every scene when you combine it with the film’s premise.Įven in the lighter scenes, there’s a faint sense of dread, a kind of inevitability that pervades the entire film. As we see him grow from cute baby, to affectionate child, to distant adolescent, to irritable teenager, every detail feels real. Erial’s portrayal and growth is similarly realistic. At the same time, it’s obvious that she’s always working to improve for Erial’s sake, and she gradually learns what it means to be a mother.
Maquia isn’t some kind of perfect mother she struggles to understand what being a mother means, she doesn’t always make the right decision, and she even occasionally loses her temper. What makes their bond so compelling is how realistically it’s portrayed, which contrasts starkly with the fantasy setting. Erial is driven by the same emotions, although he sometimes struggles to express them the way Maquia does. Maquia’s every action is defined by her love and commitment towards Erial, even when it means prioritizing him over the remnants of her people. What starts out as Maquia simply clinging to some purpose after her world was shattered grows into a genuinely powerful bond. As the first project she’s directed in addition to having written, Maquia is an excellent way to debut.Īs the title suggests, the film is primarily defined by the relationship between Maquia and Erial. She’s created or been involved with numerous hit anime like Toradora, Anohana, and Anthem of the Heart. Okada is one of the few anime writers whose name is widely known among the western fanbase, and for good reason. This is a story of irreplaceable time, woven by two lonely people who can only find solace in each other.Īs the directorial debut of long-time anime writer, Mari Okada, Maquia has a lot of expectations surrounding it. But as the era changes, the bond between Maquia and Eriel changes too, amidst a backdrop of racial tensions between the Iolph and the Mezarte. Maquia raises this boy “Eriel”, with the help of some new friends. She then encounters an orphaned baby who is “alone”. Maquia manages to escape, but loses her friends and her home in the chaos. But the tranquil lives of the Iolph are shattered in an instant when the Mezarte army invades their territory on a dragon fleet, seeking the blood that grants the Iorph long life. Maquia, an orphaned Iorph girl, lives her life in an oasis surrounded by friends, yet somehow feels “alone”. They live for centuries while maintaining their youthful appearance. The people of Iolph live far away from the lands of men, weaving the happenings of each day into a fabric called Hibiol. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in Northern America on February 5, 2019.Updated with a section on the dub: 9-6-18. The film's English dub premiered on September 21, 2018, in the United States. It was released by Eleven Arts on July 20, 2018. It was released by Anime Limited on June 27, 2018. It was released by Madman Entertainment on June 7, 2018. It premiered in Japan by Showgate on February 24, 2018, and at the Glasgow Film Festival on March 4, 2018. The film is Okada's directorial debut and the first standalone feature-length, theatrically-released production of P.A.Works. While escaping war, she finds a lone surviving infant and decides to raise him as her own son. Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms tells the story of the titular Maquia, a young girl who is a member of a special race called the Iorph, mystical beings who can live for hundreds of years. It features animation direction and character designs by Yuriko Ishii adapted from Akihiko Yoshida's original designs, and music composed by Kenji Kawai. Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms, officially abbreviated as Sayoasa, is a 2018 Japanese animated high fantasy drama film written and directed by Mari Okada and produced by P.A.Works.