The Colors Within ★★★

Released: 31st January 2025

Director: Naoko Yamada

Starring: Says Suzukawa, Akari Takaishi, Taipei Kido, Yui Aragaki and Keiko Toda

The latest instalment from Naoko Yamada sees the director reuniting with writer Reiko Yoshida following the 2016 coming-of-age adaptation of The Silent Voice. Premiering at the 2024 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, this slice-of-life film centres on boarding school student Totsuko (Suzukawa) and her unique Synesthesia gift, allowing her to see and experience people’s auras as colours.

Totsuko’s fantastical ability draws her to the particular colour of the quiet Kimi Sakunaga (Atari Takaishi), but Kimi is soon kicked out of their Catholic all girls school, ending up working at a bookshop. After tracking her down, Totsuko soon discovers that Kimi plays the guitar and suggests they start an impromptu band together, with a fellow browser in the book store (Taipei Kido) also asking to be a part of their newly formed band.

The endearing narrative features an emotional (and often relatable) exploration of the weight of expectations, whether familial or religious, as the young adults find themselves facing difficult choices, navigating the precarious journey between the freedom of childhood and daunting realities of adulthood. Rui is grappling with the impossible decision of taking over his families’ clinic or leaving the small island – and his mother – to chase his dreams, while Kimi wants to pursue her own path away from school but not disappoint her Grandma who raised her.

As the trio undertake their collective literal musical journey of self discovery, we get a glimpse of each of the trio’s inner workings and emotions as they compose their own distinct songs – with brief flashes of how Totsuko views their individual colours and auras. While this unique and fantastical concept is intriguing and visually impressive, it unfortunately isn’t particularly well utilised or developed, feeling like a missed opportunity. Furthermore, the meandering pace and lack of stakes (think sneaking over for a sleepover and taking a sick day to avoid a school trip) may prove a disappointment for some.

Thankfully the central characters are a charming and eclectic bunch, with the film shining brightest in the shared sequences, particularly when they first meet in the bookshop and their subsequent band practices. When together, the gentle and floppy haired Rui embodies golden retriever energy, while Kimi is most definitely the mysterious and brooding member who begins to open up thanks to the new friendships. Totsuko also shares an interesting dynamic with one of the more progressive nuns at her school, an angle which could have been explored further.

While this gentle coming-of-age story is undoubtedly a slow-burn, it’s also a real treat for the senses, with a beautifully whimsical pastel colour palette amongst the wonderful mix of 2D and 3D animation, along with a whole host of musical bops courtesy of the central trio. The film also perfectly embodies the cosy vibe, think cute bookshops, adorable cats (and rabbits) and serene ferry trips, along with gorgeously animated dishes of food.

The Colors Within is an endearing character-driven film about the love of music, friendship and the discovery of your own unique colours. While it’s undoubtedly a cute and cosy slice-of-life, it’s a shame that Yamada and Yoshida didn’t fully explore the more fantastical side of Totsuko’s ability.