SummaryThe people of Iorph live far away from the lands of men, weaving the happenings of each day into a fabric called Hibiol. They live for centuries while maintaining their youthful appearance. Maquia, an orphaned Iorph girl, lives her life in an oasis surrounded by friends, yet somehow feels “alone”. But the tranquil lives of the Iorph are shattered... Read More
Directed By:Mari Okada, Toshiya Shinohara
Written By:Mari Okada
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms
Metascore
Generally Favorable
72
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.2
My Score
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Metascore
Generally Favorable
72
75% Positive
6 Reviews
6 Reviews
25% Mixed
2 Reviews
2 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Jul 18, 2018
85
In her directorial debut Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms, Mari Okada weaves a beautiful story about motherhood, aging, and loss.
Jul 23, 2018
80
It’s possible that the film’s passing pleasures are so rich that we don’t even notice how deep Okada has driven her storytelling dagger until she pulls it out in the end, and the tears come, adding, to the bitterness and sweetness of this moving and strange little fable, a hefty dose of salt.
User score
Universal Acclaim
8.2
85% Positive
40 Ratings
40 Ratings
9% Mixed
4 Ratings
4 Ratings
6% Negative
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
Aug 8, 2026
10
I discovered *Maquia : When The Promised Flower Blooms* on an Instagram publication, as I was trying to make me a watchlist. Well that wasn't ordinary. The first thing that kept me locked into the film was the graphics. They neared the level of the latest Demon Slayer movie easily, while being 7 years older. Then, it was the voice acting : Maquia's voice on its own broke my heart, and the others were also extremely well done. Finally, the most violent one was the story. It was sad from the start, did get better, and was a true emotional rollercoaster. I love this movie, but the only comparison I could find would be the music album Everywhere At The End Of Time by The Caretaker. Not because the music is similar (I’d say they’re polar opposites) but because what I experienced with both of them struck me SO HARD and SO DEEP I’m not going back to them ever again. It’s been 3 weeks and my reaction alone still makes me hold back tears. When I finished it, I put my head in a blanket and ugly cried for 15 minutes straight. Then, for the rest of the day (it was 3PM) I somehow managed to hold my tears. My mom loves many kinds of art, so naturally I get to experience it with her, but never in my life have I cried so much to an art piece to a point where it goes side-by-side with events like funerals. This movie is good in ways I can’t put in words entirely. I’m making my own language just so I can describe it. Because no, “prefect” doesn’t even cut it. Thank you, Mari Okada, for such an insane story. Thank you, P.A. Works, for doing this animation that still tops most things we have today. Thank you, voice actors, for making me cry this much, and thank you, random Instagram post that allowed me to discover this film.
Jul 25, 2024
10
"Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms" is a masterpiece of Japanese animation directed by Mari Okada. The story follows Maquia, an immortal girl who adopts a human baby, Erial. The stunning animation and evocative soundtrack enhance a touching narrative that explores themes of love, loss, and personal growth. The characters are deeply human, and the dynamic between Maquia and Erial is authentic and moving. This film offers an unforgettable emotional experience, making it a must-watch for anime enthusiasts.
Jul 18, 2018
80
Okada both wrote and directed Maquia, which showcases her ability to depict complex relationships and project delicate character arcs.
Jul 23, 2018
75
Though not unusual for animated movies to provoke tears, Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms is perhaps the second animated film I would openly classify as a “tearjerker” (the first being Grave of the Fireflies).
Jul 19, 2018
60
At almost two hours, the film feels a bit long and suffers from multiple endings, but Okada is clearly a talent to watch.
Jul 18, 2018
60
It is a poignant set-up but, disappointingly, Okada’s ideas about motherhood don’t cut as deep as they could.
Jul 18, 2026
9
La guerra, el difícil arte de la maternidad, la separación y la muerte; todo en una historia que sabe cómo darse identidad propia, y dar en el blanco sin clichés baratos. Justo lo que todo fanático del animé necesita y ama.
Jun 18, 2022
9
Maquia is a magically wonderful movie. The relationship between a mother who could live for 100s of years and a normal mortal living child makes for an engaging story. There was definitely some worries that the story might go in "that" direction. Thankfully the movie sticks to the mother and son theme and it is all the better for it. Even though you know how this film is going to end from the get go, it still manages to tug on your emotional strings. The art style is gorgeous with beautiful backgrounds and stylish character designs. The music score is phenomenal as well. Only issues I had with the film is some slow pacing and the fact that the subplots don't have a strong resolution. This leads to some lingering questions even after the film ends. Nevertheless, Maquia is one of the most memorable original anime movies in a long time. The story will stick with me for a long time.
Mar 2, 2022
9
Actually, I'm not a critic, but I liked the story. It was a great experience. I would recommend anyone to watch the movie
Aug 21, 2021
6
The emotional strength of motherhood (mother-son in this case) is prominent in "Maquia", but the haphazard fantasy plot and heavy handed moments dour the interpreted beauty.
Jul 14, 2020
2
Definitely one of the worst movies I've seen. It's the story about a girl who is destined to live centuries and therefore end up losing any person she grows attached to. Still a teenager, she meets a newborn orphan and adopts him in spite of all difficulties, but she remains the same as he grows, with a war threatening to destroy their whole world. The premise is not too bad, but the execution... oh boy!
So, imagine a story that develops along decades. It could work with strongly developed characters, drama and emotions, but in this case it's like a director randomly picked up the stupidest moments, concentrating only on scenes where someone is whining for the most idiotic reasons. Seriously, every f***ing minute there is someone bawling, while the story is forgotten, the characters are barely sketched and then immediately abandoned. It's impossible to care for anyone, since you don't get to know them. Characters are introduced in two seconds and then those idiotic, maudlin scenes start again. The war? Apparently it's fought by a couple dozen people on either side and lasts two whole minutes before it's over.
Really, this is a tear-fest where everyone keeps crying all the time, but everything else is sorely lacking. Without a solid infrastructure, the drama falls flat on its face.
Gotta admit that the horrible dubbing in my language gets a good part of the blame. They picked a super whiny, querulous, grating voice actress for the protagonist, so that every time she spoke, usually between sobs, I felt like my brain was hemorrhaging.
Why 2 and not zero? In other languages, with better voice actors, it will still be abysmal but maybe a little less excruciating.
Production Company:
- Bandai Visual Company
- Cygames
- Hakuhodo DY Music & Pictures
- Lantis
- P.A. Works
Release Date:Jul 20, 2018
Duration:1 h 55 m
Tagline:Aishite, yokatta. (It was good to have loved.)
Awards
IGN Summer Movie Awards
• 2 Nominations
Shanghai International Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
