"Much of his work is obsessed with youth, with the ethereal yet profound nature of that fleeting chapter in our lives." 10/10

Thanks for giving me more to watch Joe, because my watch list wasn't long enough already! Great video as always dude!

Using animation to compensate for characters aging in a prequel then evolving it from that idea is quite a unique and charming idea.

You are indeed, one of my favorite essayist on YT. You have recommended things I may never have looked into if it wasn't for your glowing words of approval! So thank you kindly for all your hard work

I honestly watch these videos as much for the recommendations, as i watch them for the voice of Joe O'Connell. Such a soothing and mellow voice.

I'm quite amazed Iwai hasn't been talked about more in KZfaq. Thanks again for making another love letter to another beloved film director. No pun intended.

Had a good laugh at the ending as the handbag hit his face and the screen went black 😂 Awesome video Joe.

I can't imagine a life without Joe O'Connell and Beyond Ghibli. Your dives into art and condition through the medium are profound and moving. Today is going to be a good day and I have you to thank for that.

I love how these videos always feel like a documentary it’s always so cool😍

The rotoscope style was weird I wasn't expecting to like it but after finishing the movie I could say I love this movie

his moviese changed my life when i was a teenager. highly recommend to anyone going through hard times in life

I just found this channel from the Mushi-shi video. Can't believe how great quality videos you make. I specially love the calmness in each video. Keep up the good quality content!!

You've introduced me to a lot of anime or shows I haven't heard of before, I guess it's time to find where I can watch this now...

love letter is honestly one of the most special romance films to me .... that final scene is just so iconic and heart wrenching. aoi yu is one of my favourite actresses ever and i discovered her through hana and alice so it has a special place in my heart. another wonderful video as always!

I never watched these, but somehow your description and the pictures alone amde me cry. Am I weird? Maybe, but I am not ashamed of it.

I don't understand how this channel isn't more popular you literally give the best reviews ever, whenever you recommend something it's just the top of my list, one of my favorite channels

Indeed, it's peculiar how Hana & Alice aren't tagged anywhere as comedy -- it's so on the nose! I was convinced already by the direction of the rotoscoped movie, but you really kicked any doubts left out of me. I'll be checking out Shunji Iwai's filmography. Amazing essay as always, thank you!

You are to Anime and its peripheries for the west (and probably many others in the rest of the world ) what Tom O'Bedlam was to Bukowski. A much needed voice to bring into light, that which deserves it . While I might not always agree with your opinion( Yonensei and Gonensei aren't warranted the pedestal you put them on , fight me!) you have helped me view things in perspectives i didn't think i could ,along with works that have scurried to deep recesses of both my mind and heart and it'd take a hell of an effort from someone for me to reveal them . Forever in love with the quality of your content , your enchanting voice, the well measured editing , and probably everything in between . (P.S you could look into pink (1989 manga) or Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei for some ideas for your next feature as genre subverting works , if you haven't already read them)

my youth was saved after watching Hana & Alice. I like their friendship.

Iwai’s films have touched me more than anyone else’s. His films truly changed my life and my view of art when I first saw Lily Chou Chou 8 years ago.

I adore All About Lily Chou Chou and any of Shunji Iwai's films. I was lucky enough to catch AALCC at the ICA in London in the early 2000s and it blew me away. I came out of the showing and immediately bought a ticket for the next showing. I've somehow managed to never see any Hana and Alice, so thanks for pushing me to check out some of his works I have missed.

sideways thumbnail is very nice

Gr8 vid Mr. O’Connell! The Case of Hana and Alice has always been one of my favorites. It’s so refreshing how present Hana and Alice are in each scene. They’re never really looking ahead, only at what is immediately in front of them. A more precautious person would never wind up in the unlikely scenarios these girls stumble through the entire movie. For me this movie is such a brilliant reminder of how important it is to just go with the flow and see how life unfolds. Hope more of you get to watch it!

There's only one channel who's videos I save for when I have time to watch them all the way through, without distraction. I get almost as much enjoyment out of watching your videos as I do from chasing up the excellent recommendations you make Joe.

AAAAAAHHH AN ANIME KZfaq CHANNEL WITH A SIZEABLE FOLLOWING COVERING "THE CURIOUS CASE OF HANA AND ALICE"??? YES!YES!YES! That film deserves so much more love and I'm super thrilled to see you covering it. It was such a pleasant surprise that I came across a while back one summer ago. I just watched a trailer for it after going through pages and pages of potential anime I was gonna watch and was instantly sold on how it was a rotoscoped movie(a style I feel that gets so much unwarranted harsh criticism in the anime community imo). That Hekuto Pascal "Fish In the Pool" track played at the end credits will forever fill my heart with a feeling of warmness and joy.

I just got down to watching "The Case of Hana and Alice". Both films are so lovely and it was an utter fluke I even found them to begin with. Your video was beautiful. Thank you for your wonderful work.

I was finally able to find the live action film. Five months after watching your video. All I can say is thank you! It was amazing, a true masterpiece. Now if someone could tell me where to find the prequel in Mexico I would totally be in your eternal debt.

watched this a few years ago on a whim and was really pleasantly surprised by how good it was. glad its getting the attention it deserves!

I remember watching Hana and Alice on Kanopy... it’s such a weird and comforting movie

I watched this movie late 2018, but i've totally forgotten about It. Guess i gotta give this a rewatch.

Your perspectives are eloquently priceless.

The animation is by far the most human I ever since. The movement & body language nail it.

hell yes, i was waiting for this!!!!

Thank you for this video ❤️

i was waiting for someone to make a video on this! i adore hana and alice and it deserves so much love

I remember getting sucked into the world of Shunji Iwai's movies 2yrs ago after randomly finding a video on KZfaq and finding out it was from lily chou chou .. since I've grown up watching animes all my life and then later turning to live actions and Japanese cinema as a whole , i was nore than happy to discover another movie from Japan ! as dark and uncomfortable as that movie was , it made me very curious about the director's other works and so, over time i watched pretty much all of his movies and he has become my favourite director ..never have i loved one person's entire filmography this much! Hana and Alice 2004 movie is actually my favourite amongst them ... there's smthg very innocent and charming about how he portrayed the teenage girls there ..contrary to lily chou chou of course .. As much as i love the aesthetics, the acting, the beautiful cinematography of his movies, I especially love how there's always a piano running in the background and those scenes just make us feel one with the characters in the movie (like the ballet scene here or the ending scene in the sunset from Picnic ) ..i always forget I'm watching a movie when that happens .. and that i feel is the best part about Iwai movies :) This was very post but i just wanted to thank you for bringing more attention to Iwai's movies and sharing your thoughts , some of which i was surprised with coz you just voiced my thoughts.. in a much , much better way .. i remember looking up Hana and Alice on KZfaq back when i watched it and i couldn't find much reviews or analysis videos ...which made me sad coz i realized his works are really beautiful and more ppl need to admire this side of Japanese or even Asian movies.. So thanks :) loved ur ocean waves video and the one Asian cinema too where you picked two of my favourite movies again ! !

Beautiful. Thank you.

These videos always feel like they're on a different level. a keen to almost scroller articles on anime and Japanese film. allowing us to better explain this to the ones closest to us that just think they're weird.

Wonderful Joe. Thank you.

Excellent content as usual. Always a pleasure to see you drop a new video.

Beyond Ghibli and Shunji iwai? I seriously couldn't be happier Shunji Iwai's directing is like none other, and I'm really excited that he's taken his talents towards animation. The Case of Hana & Alice imbues a different sort of liveliness with it's unique animation style, and I would love to see him tackle the medium again in the future. for anyone else interested in Shunji Iwai's works, I heavily recommend All About Lily Chou-Chou. An absolute masterclass in unorthodox storytelling, with an intensely nostalgic, dreamlike vibe.

Another great video. Thank you very much

Loving the content! Keep up the great work king👌

As always, thanks for creating, sharing and editing and recording and .. this whole amazing work you made ^^

Thank You for this, the anime really needed it. Stay Blessed.

I enjoy your essays immensely

I was really looking forward to your new video! It's always so good to watch them!

It's always a pleasure to watch your videos.

Great video as always! Love how you include the sources of the media you're showing in bottom left corner. Wish more creators did this.

such an interesting work! I'l def look into it, ans as always thank you for the essay and your cool reading!

Adore this director, his films are some of my very favourites. Cant even recount the amount of times i've watched hana and alice and all about lily chou-chou .

thank you for this. your videos are on loop to help me sleep. youre inspiring! keep it up

Lovely video! The Case of Hana and Alice is definitely my favourite Iwai film.

It's always a fresh breath of air every video you create, inspiring and calming ☺

Another great essay Joe!! I really enjoyed this film some months back, so I immediately clicked when I saw the title. Thank you for the additional information on the work of mr. Iwai. Always looking forward to your videos!

the thumbnail looks so cool *jawdrop*

So glad you made this video. As an Iwai fan, it is very much appreciated. I don't think his work gets the level of exposure that it should. He's definitely had some misses - Vampire, while I do appreciate some facets of it, was pretty underwhelming - but I find a lot of his films to be quite moving and atmospheric. They all feel like something only he could make. All About Lily Chou-Chou left me emotionally devastated upon my first viewing, and it remains one of my favorite films to this day. The Case of Hana & Alice is indeed an underrated gem, and a wonderful opportunity to spend a little more time with these great characters.

I really love the videos you give me new incite into fascinating stories in a format we could understand very well, and give us a peek what's beyond Ghibli. Thank you and please keep up the good work!

Love your work, it is calming and inspiring, thank you for showing me such beautiful and interesting Gems.

Thank you for your videos man... They never fail to amaze me and I'm always looking forward for more! I hope you keep growing and wish you all the luck in your path!

Your content has me hooked, you describe everything with such intimacy and detail in ways i could never imagine, its remarkable work. Your appreciation for these arts is heart warming.

Very well articulated! I especially enjoyed your points about the appeal of rotoscope animation through its subtle capturing of mannerisms. Rotoscope can sometimes feel like a gimmick or beg the question of why not simply keep the film live action, and I appreciated how you were able to show those benefits. The moment I fell in love with this movie was around 9:10 when Alice did that awkward twirl to look at the staring mother! Also, I did not know Iwai directed all those other films, I'll be sure to check them out. Great work as always!

To see you make a video about my favorite director Shunji Iwai fills my heart with joy. He deserves way more attention than he gets! Thank you for making this video ❤️

Thank you for your videos Joe, I never know what is coming next, except that it will be a unique and poetic contemplation of the wider beauty of Japanese art.

this is so great.

Welp, if a review alone managed to make me laugh, go "aww" and leave me teary eyed then I've gotta check this director out, for sure. Joe, you're truly a goldmine :).

I watched the anime a couple years ago and I loved it, but I didn't know it was a prequel to the film :0

Great recommendation, I've been watching a lot of Iwai films, I'd love to see more non-anime content like this as well as what you already do greatly. Thank you!

Your channel is a gem. Your way of structuring and narrating so well balanced, engaging and warm. I always feel strangely moved by your videos, as longing for a past I did not lived....

Great video as always. I love the way you rhythm your videos. Thanks Fevol for the subtitles, I'm not a native English speaker so it help me to fully understand.

jesus, you are some kind of incredible. Subscribing to your channel has been one of the best decisions I've made this year. Definitely gonna have to check out this director.

I remember stumbling across the chinese comic for Hana and Alice! I didn't know that there was a movie, thank you Joe! I'll be adding it to my never-ending to-watch list :D

You need more views!!!!

i love shunji iwai’s works

For people unfamiliar with Iwai, I've always described Hana and Alice as "a 1930s screwball comedy as directed by Terence Malick." It has all of the wacky plot shenanigans of Bringing Up Baby, but it is told through a lens of empathy and kindness, in a very flowy-Malicky sort of style. The Case of Hana and Alice is similar: It's a Nancy Drew mystery as envisioned by Isao Takahata. I adore it. April Story is more of a traditional mood piece, but it is quite good. It's nice. It's comfy. I really need to check out more of his films, because he's 3 for 3 right now.

I remember when I watched this movie when I was a teen. I remember being lost in this movie, especially being confused with what to feel and tearing up smiling because all the emotion. Everyone should watch, watching this KZfaq video, thank you for sharing with everyone and bringing back the memories. Not just the memories of watching this movie, but also why I relate to this movie. 😌

I personally love your videos because you give source of your clips in the bottom left coner of the screen. It gives me resources to find the actual workds and judge them myself. Keep doing this, glhf!

Ok fine I will watch the film jeez stop making me so damn emotional about smthing I've barely even experienced yet😭😭

Quality content 👌

another great piece =w=

Didn't even know this anime existed. Gonna give it a look.

I've got to check these movies. thanks for making me aware of this. Update: These were pretty good movies, even had my grandma laughing at times.

Took me a while to remember, but realized Iwai plays the main character in Shiki-Jitsu! That's wild

Only because of this review, did I look up "The Case of Hana and Alice" and the director Mr. Shunji Iwai. I was not disappointed. Sad, wistful, light both emotional and visual and weighty, laugh out loud funny, deeply touching and recognizable, and expressing new emotions for which there are no names. A unique and wonderful story experience so thank you for the referral just like Alice forcefully turning Hana's head to look at Yuda's walkaway into the denouement.

Debussey's Arabesque...Just divine.

Why are you so fucking good at making video essays holy moly

Very nostalgic

This is really just one of those underappreciated movie...I have no idea any other movie that mixes rotoscoping, animation and live action nowadays.

My man my man!

second video i see this year sending some love to hana to alice, is not that bad of a year

Thanks

You put me on, its weird im really laughing watching this.

I love your videos. I have a recommendation, one movie, Children of the Sea. It is very beautiful in story and visuals.

Man you have a great taste

Thanks for this video. I’ve always hoped that more people will discover Shunji Iwai’s films because they’re made with such sincerity and heart. This video just made me want to watch all of them again. My favourite films of his are Swallowtail Butterfly and Hana and Alice. I love how the characters in Swallowtail Butterfly speak in different languages and the bond the main characters have. It’s the kind of friendship that I’ve always wanted in my life and this applies to the friendship depicted in Hana and Alice too. Interestingly, Iwai has made two versions of Last Letter: a Chinese version and a Japanese version. I’ve watched the Chinese version when it first came out and I’m looking forward to watching the Japanese version soon!

I love this movie

eu amo esse canal

Such a silky smooth voice! I sometimes just put on a vid just to relax.

I think you really should do a video about shinya shokudo...that drama series is so relaxing and grounded and more people should know about it as it is soo underrated..... Besides that great video with perfect narration as always

Great work as always, Joe. Another one for the increasingly long "stuff I've gotta watch cuz Beyond Ghibli said it was good" list. I hope one day, you review NieA_7 - something else you hardly hear people talk about.