It seems like every time I watch a movie from Studio Ghibli, I end up gushing about how gorgeous everything is. “Oh my god, the backgrounds are breathtaking!” “The detail is exquisite!” “The character animation is so crisp and lifelike!” It starts to lose meaning after a while, and there are only so many times the same praise can be given before it starts to sound like rote. Therefore, please understand that when I say those things about Arrietty, I am comparing it to the other Ghibli films in the way I usually compare the other Ghibli films to everything else.

The best way I can describe the experience of watching this film is to liken it to lying on a grassy hill on a breezy summer day watching the clouds drift by. The pacing is relaxed but never too slow, and moments of silence are used to great effect. Though in his directorial debut, Yonebayashi Hiromasa knows just when to hit us with beautiful and serene background music, when to liven it up just enough, and when to give us nothing at all and let the mood speak for itself. What’s more, great care is taken in every aspect to make this world look real, right down to the droplets of liquid the borrowers have for tea and soup, and the dew on the grass and flowers that sway so lifelike in the wind.

The main character is, as Ghibli leads tend to be, spirited and brave but with a kind and open heart. The relationship she builds with the boy Sho, someone she’s been taught from birth to fear, is heartwarming and uplifting, and the things the two discover about each other really pull us in to that relationship as well. We feel for them as they feel for each other.

I don’t want to give away the ending, but I will say that while it is not what I was expecting, I was left completely satisfied. This is a film that leaves the viewer a peaceful and contented feeling that lingers even after the credits have run. I recommend it for long-time fans of Ghibli and newcomers alike.