Hey Hiveans! Hope you all are doing well. Today I want to share my opinion about a cute anime. I went to watch Bubble without knowing a lot. Just that it was animated by Wit Studios, was music by Heroyuki Sanano, and there are many bubbles? That was enough for me. I like visual storytelling very much, and I always had a soft place for anime that tries to do something different.
After seeing this, I am still a bit torn. A part of mine loved its vibe, color, and music. But another part of me feels that something important was missing. The film is in Tokyo, but we do not know Tokyo. A strange incident has rained bubbles around the world, and for some reason, Tokyo was the most difficult.
Now it is cut from the rest of the world, a type of seal-off zone where gravity has become strange. You see that the goods are floating in the air, people are impossible jumping, the sky bends in ways that feel weird. Most of the people in the city have been abandoned, but some children now live there, form groups and play parkor games in roofs and ruined buildings. How they survive by collecting competition and resources.
Let's come to the story. Hibiki is one of those children. He remains calm and quiet. He wears headphones all the time. He's like an introvert boy. But one interesting fact about him is, he is sensitive to sound, which makes him uncomfortable around others. It is rare to see the characters shown in a serious, respectable manner. He is not just shy or calm without any reason. The way he separates from the world is something deep.
I don't know that the film meant to portray it as autism, but I saw its pieces. Then one day, Hibiki heard a strange song coming from Tokyo Tower. He chases the sound, climbing tower, but falls. When everything shifts. A mysterious girl made of bubbles saves him. He is curious, bright and like childhood. Hibiki named her Uta. She starts learning from him, copying how he walks, even the way he speaks. And in the same way, she becomes a part of his world.
Their relationship is quiet but sweet. They walk together, train together, and even though the Uta cannot talk much at the first time, you feel that the bond grows. But there is a grip, all the time she touches Hibiki, her body starts dissolving back into the bubble. It is reminding him like the universe that he is not there.
And yes, when I realized what kind of story it was going to happen. The film draws a straight line for Little Marmed, and does not try to hide it. The Uta also reads the fairy tale in a scene, and it is clear that she sees herself in that story. The girl who loves someone from the world cannot be a part of it. The one who finally sacrifices himself. If you know the original version of that story (sad one) you can probably guess where it is going.
Now, let's talk about the scene, because the place where the bubble actually shines. I don't say it lightly, it is one of the most beautiful anime movies that I have ever seen. The animation is liquid, wide and full of life. When the characters jump between the bowed buildings, it seems that you are flying with them. The use of light and color is magical. The bubbles flicker like small stars. The city looks both ruined and dreaming, such as nature and time are slowly swallowing it.
But here is the matter. As much as I loved the form and experience of bubbles I could not ignore that the story was not as difficult as I wanted. Uta is attractive and patient, but it is more of a symbol than a character. We really do not know her as a magic girl who teaches her to feel beyond her role.
And Hibiki, for all its emotional depth, never pushes beyond its early point. We see the beginning of something, walls are breaking, opening her heart, but it all happens very fast. I kept waiting for the film to dig deep. In the mystery of bubbles. Why did Uta come into existence? What did Tokyo become after the destruction? But it never goes there. It remains on the surface, focusing on emotions and vibes rather than building plot.
So if you ask me, would you recommend bubbles? Honestly...yes, but with conditions. Do not look at this as a deep, well developed plot or complex characters. Look at it like you see a sunset. Watch this for it's beauty. The way it makes you feel for a while. This is not an ideal film, but it should not be.
