From the director of A Silent Voice, Naoko Yamada, The Colors Within follows Totsuko, a young lonely girl whose time at an all-Catholic girls school has been quite fulfilling. However, her unique ability to see people as different colors leads her to find people whose colors are magnetic. These people will lead her on a journey of self-discovery that forces her outside her previous boundaries but, along the way, she wonders if she is drawn to her new friends for a good purpose.
Totsuko meets Rui and Kimi who start a band together. Totsuko discovers the art of creating music for the first time and the enjoyment she gets out of it becomes impactful on all of their lives. With the friends creating a band, the music is a key focus of this film especially by the final sequence and it is enthralling. They create some really enjoyable and catchy music.
The technical elements of the animation are very cool and pleasing to look at. The transition between shots and framing were very thought out, leading to some interesting and engaging montage sequences. The film takes a lot of care in presenting different parts of the instruments and people in this film.
The film never delves into melodrama, which I can appreciate. However, it does feel like the ending could have gone a bit deeper and had more interesting choices. While you know they are developing a friendship, the more important part seemed to be how their band and music was a sanctuary and escape from their normal lives. That is perhaps what the end is trying to deliver, that escape and sanctuary cannot last forever. That is the sad part. But the focus seemed to be more on their relationship and how it was cut off. (Admittedly, there are also never any consequences for the risks they take. This does feel inconsistent with the tension and themes that are prominent in the film.)
The film asks some interesting questions about faith and the purpose of religious institutions like a Catholic school. As Totsuko begins making music and spending time with these new friends outside of school–one of which she is not allowed to socialize with–she wonders if the music is made for a good thing. She is encouraged by a Sister Hiyoko, who tells Totsuko that all music can be a hymn to God. It’s an interesting question to wrestle with in faith, as art, while prominent in many religious texts (including and especially the Bible) is a constant question for Christians and artists in general.
How should faith be expressed and analyzed in art? With the rise again of films where the stories may serve too strictly as evangelical–or even political–tools, this film wants to advocate for stories that are about the people in our lives. While respecting and even glorifying an institution like a Catholic school, the film seems to focus on art that is made simply to be enjoyed while listen. For them, the art finds value in how it can connect them to each other and their family. For this film, that is where the value of our art comes from, when it can be the centre of a meaningful event, a social connection for people. For The Colors Within, art is about people and that’s certainly a nice message to take away.
The Colors Within is available in theatres on Friday, January 24th, 2025.
