SummaryThe last time Momo saw her father they had a fight – and now all she has left to remember him by is an incomplete letter, a blank piece of paper penned with the words “Dear Momo” but nothing more. Moving with her mother to the remote Japanese island of Shio, Momo soon discovers three yokai living in her attic, a trio of mischievous spirit creatur... Read More
Directed By:Hiroyuki Okiura
Written By:Hiroyuki Okiura
A Letter to Momo
Metascore
Generally Favorable
65
User score
Mixed or Average
5.5
My Score
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Metascore
Generally Favorable
73% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
9% Mixed
1 Review
1 Review
18% Negative
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
Jul 23, 2014
90
Enveloped in a sweetness that buffers the depths of its emotions, Hiroyuki Okiura’s A Letter to Momo explores the stains of loss and regret on a personality too young to articulate them.
Jul 21, 2014
80
The story distinguishes itself from other anime offerings through its attention to both visual and emotional realism.
Jul 24, 2014
75
Overall, Okiura stays very focused on Momo’s emotional journey, which is smart. It’s not as fantastical as “Spirited Away” or many other films about children who encounter the supernatural upon being forced to deal with death, as Momo always stays front and center. The final moments of her journey out of despair are powerfully emotional.
Aug 28, 2014
63
Writer-director Hiroyuki Okiura, however, does not match the high expectations for story and design set by other Japanese animators.
Jul 21, 2014
63
It offers a realistic portrayal of Momo's emotional state, but this comes at the expense of a deeper exploration into both the story's lush supernatural landscape and its inhabitants.
Aug 28, 2014
50
A Letter to Momo is unquestionably lovely to look at, but viewers may not be able to shake the feeling that they’ve seen much of it before, and done better.
Sep 5, 2014
25
Unfortunately, A Letter to Mona, directed by Hiroyuki Okiura, embodies this sense of frozen time with a tedious narrative punctuated by occasional bursts of sentimentality and hard-to-penetrate humor.
User score
Mixed or Average
54% Positive
14 Ratings
14 Ratings
19% Mixed
5 Ratings
5 Ratings
27% Negative
7 Ratings
7 Ratings
Jan 4, 2015
7
3.5/5★ Animated films used to be treated as kids fare but with studios like Pixar, Laika and Studio Ghibli releasing complex and engaging films that engage children and adults both, animated films are no longer only light entertainment to keep the kids busy. A Letter to Momo is a difficult film that at its core deals with loss and regret- issues that Hiroyuki Okiura handles with sensitivity and attention to detail that creates a visual delight and emotionally satisfying story. Verdict: For all ages.
Production Company:
- Momo e no Tegami Production Committee
- Bandai Visual Company
- Chubu-nippon Broadcasting Company (CBC)
- Chugoku Broadcasting (RCC)
- East Japan Marketing & Communications Inc.
- Horipro
- JR Kikaku
- Kadokawa Pictures
- Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co.
- Mainichi Broadcasting System (MBS)
- Mainichi Newspapers
- Oriental Light and Magic (OLM)
- Production I.G.
- TBS Pictures
- Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS)
- Tokyu Recreation
- Yahoo Japan
Release Date:Jul 23, 2014
Duration:2 h
Tagline:When I really started to notice, I wasn't alone.
Website:
Awards
Behind the Voice Actors Awards
• 3 Nominations
Asia Pacific Screen Awards
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Tokyo Anime Award
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
