I might be a bit biased because the movie depicts Tokyo, a city that has captured my soul and now possesses a piece of it (which I intentionally left there). I felt the jolt of nostalgia as I saw familiar landmarks that I've personally visited during my trip. And especially now that I've been stuck for a while at home, the ache for outdoor adventure is more intense than ever. The way this anime depicted the busy streets of Tokyo is so detailed. It's no surprise that almost all places showed in the film are real-life locations. 

The movie portrays the harsh realities some Japanese youths experience, showing what runaways or orphans have to endure while staying in Tokyo. I have actually seen those girls dressed in anime costumes in Akihabara, giving out flyers amongst the bustling crowd. Coming to think of it, those girls are young, they might be just in their early teens and who knows what reasons they have for doing this. In the middle of the vibrant and colorful prefecture of Shinjuku, there would be sketchy areas wherein innocent girls are lured in to do odd jobs. On the other hand, the film is interlaced with fantasy at the same time, which actually is related to the Shinto beliefs of the Japanese community. Since my visit in Tokyo, I have looked at Torii gates as a symbol of sacredness and treated it with utmost respect. Every shrine has its own origin, and I just could imagine the rich history all Japanese shrines hold.

I'm a sucker for piano and ambient music, and I have to say- the soundtrack is as good as the film itself. I really enjoy these types of music and I'm more inclined to create music that are similar to these ones (another clue: I love Studio Ghibli OSTs too!)