Giovanni's Island
Seen it?2014 | 102 min | Animation, Drama, History
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
It earned strong reviews (75% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had almost no lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for animation lovers and history buffs.
- The mood
- Emotional (bring tissues), feel-good.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 42 min.
- What might put you off
- No age rating on record, so check it first for young kids.
- It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
In the aftermath of the most devastating conflict mankind had ever experienced, the tiny island of Shikotan became part of the Sakhalin Oblast... and on the unhealed border in this remote corner of the world, friendship among children from two different countries timidly blossomed, striving to overcome language barriers and the waves of history. Inspired by true events.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsStrong
75% on Rotten Tomatoes
- AudiencesSolid
7.5 out of 10
- AwardsBelow par
3 wins and 1 nomination from smaller awards and festivals
- Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 15K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by Mizuho Nishikubo
- Masachika IchimuraTatsuo Senou (voice)
- Yukie NakamaSawako (voice)
- Kanako YanagiharaMicchan (voice)
- Yusuke SantamariaHideo (voice)
- Kota YokoyamaJunpei Senou (voice)
- Junya TaniaiKanta Senou (voice)
- Saburo KitajimaGenzou Senou (voice)
- Hiroshi InuzukaChief (voice)
- Kaoru YachigusaOlder Sawako (voice)
- Tatsuya NakadaiOlder Junpei Senou (voice)