"Child of Kamiari Month" opens by introducing Kanna (Aju Makita), a young girl with an irrational hatred and fear of running. It turns out that when she was young, she always ran with her mother, Yayoi (Ko Shibasaki). But since her death, she can’t bring herself to do it anymore.
Every October, thousands of gods leave their places of residence to gather in the Izumo region to have a conference. During this month, an Idaten needs to gather all the chiso across Japan to deliver them to the Izumo Shrine. Kanna’s mother was an Idaten, and since she’s gone, it’s up to Kanna to fulfill her destiny.
She’s hesitant at first. But after finding out that the gods could help her see her mother again, she ultimately agreed. With the help of Yato (Miyu Irino), a demon, and Shiro (Maaya Sakamoto), a rabbit, she goes on a fantastical journey full of challenges and bizarre creatures.
The "Child of Kamiari Month" has two aspects that keep the narrative moving: the mythological and the emotive. Director Takana Shirai juggles between the two and sometimes combines them for dramatic effects. But even if it has two interdependent sides, the attention to both aspects is not balanced. This is more of an emotionally-driven film because it’s Kanna’s inability to come to terms with her grief, trauma, and depression that compels her to an extraordinary journey across Japan. And it’s her desire to see her mother that holds it all together.
The film was animated by Liden Films, an animation studio that works on animes such as Tokyo Revengers and Terra Formars. With that said, "Child of Kamiari Month" is in capable hands. And it shows that everything was created with care because every bit is on point, up to the tiniest detail, such as eyeglass reflections and objects' movement. Not only that, throughout its 90 minute runtime, we’re treated to a feast of breathtaking landscapes, marvelous creatures, and scrumptious delicacies.
Takana Shirai is a new director, but he has been in the industry since 2012. With his extensive knowledge of animation, he was able to translate depictions of gods, fears, and traumas to the screen with ease. His experience also illustrates the relationship between good visuals and story and emotion.
Shirai also aced the voice casting, with Aju Makita leading a mix of pro and new voice actors and actresses. On the other hand, people who like dubbed versions of anime will surely swoon at the performances of Mia Sinclair Jenness, Mark Allen, Jr., and Luci Christian as the lead trio.
Anyway, the film’s weak point is in the pacing of the story. A good chunk of it is allotted to expositions that could’ve worked better if they’d been shown rather than told. There’s not much about the conflicts that Kanna faced, as most of them are repetitive and unexciting. It also doesn’t help that Kanna’s character arc seems to regress more than it progresses. She gradually becomes an unlikeable character as time ticks by.
Overall, "Child of Kamiari Month" is a mixed bag. It had good intentions, and Liden Films handled it with care. The animation is stunning, as are the VAs. But the writing needs a little tightening, and there is still a lot of space to let the narrative expand further.
2.5/5
