Ask John: How Much Hoshi no Koe Is There?

Question:
I read in one of your articles that Hoshi no Koe is a very good example of anime. However, I was told that there is only one half hour episode ever made of it. Is this true, and if not, then how much is there?

Answer:
Hoshi no Koe: Voice of a Distant Star is one of the most stellar (no pun intended) anime ever created because, like all great works of art, it is a deeply personal expression of the artist’s personality. This 25 minute long film was produced as a labor of love. Creator Makoto Shinkai actually quit his job and stayed glued to his personal computer for over 6 months to pursue his dream of making this movie. And the result is one of the most distinctive and memorable looking, and most deeply and spiritually emotional anime films ever created. Hoshi no Koe is not without its flaws, but no film is ever perfect. This film simply comes as close as nearly any of the Studio Ghibli films to achieving that impossible theoretical state of perfection.

The quality of anime, and all film, is not and should not be based on running time. A bad three hour long movie is still a bad movie. The five minute long Azumanga Daioh theatrical movie is a better, more entertaining, and more technically accomplished film than many 90 minute long anime movies! The quality and value of an anime should be judged according to its impact on the viewer alone. $20, $50 or even $100 may seem expensive for an anime film, but if that film brings a smile to your face or a tear to your eye, and touches your heart and remains in your mind for hours, days or even years after you’ve watched it, the effect that film has had on your life is worth whatever amount of money you paid for it, be it a little or a lot. You can spend millions of dollars on things that won’t make you happy or sad or angry or make you feel anything at all. You can also spend money on a film or book or piece of music that will stir your emotions and your mind and influence your life and become part of your psyche and one of the distinct experiences that define, influence and shape your life. Whether an anime is 25 minutes long or 25 episodes long, it’s value is determined by how much you enjoy it, not by its length.

As a story, Hoshi no Koe is a self contained 25 minute long movie. It offers plenty of room for philosophical speculation and expansion of back-story and sequels, but like the original Highlander movie or The Blair Witch Project, some things are better left alone. Part of the brilliance of Hoshi no Koe is that the film’s exposition provides enough information to satisfy the demands of the story and leave the viewer pleased, still wishing for more. Expanding the story would dilute its focus and impact. The film, as is, works as a gorgeous looking sci-fi action story, and as a tragic but affirming romance on multiple levels. The lovers Mikako and Noboru are separated by the vast distance of space, but their attachment to each other exceeds the limitations of technology, time and distance. Quite literally, love conquers all. In a broader sense, the film addresses the romance between mankind and the stars. The aliens are literally the “voice of distant stars” calling out to mankind to venture farther and farther into space. It is the aliens that encourage mankind, and Mikako herself, to leave things behind and progress, and by doing so become closer to all things through gaining knowledge and experience. The sacrifice necessary to achieve wisdom and experience through space travel, and the growing time and distance between the Earth’s spaceships and the Earth itself is the stuff of tragedy, but at the same time, it is affirming and encouraging. Mankind is seemingly traveling to the outer reaches of the galaxy seeking vengeance, but the film also hints that this journey is one planned by the aliens like a carrot before a donkey, luring mankind into unwittingly exploring both their universe and themselves.

As an experimental work of art, Hoshi no Koe exists in two versions. The original version of the film screened theatrically in Japan as an entry into an animation contest features vocal performances by Makoto Shinkai and his wife. A second version of the film sponsored by studio backing features voice acting by professional seiyuu. The Japanese DVD version of the film also includes extensive promotional trailers for the movie, some of which include footage not used in the final film, and unused alternate angles and versions of shots and scenes that were included in the final movie.