The Girl From the Other Side is a new and unique anime movie that has caught viewers' attention simply for its unusual art style. This lends it a more storybook feeling as seen in the trailer rather than a traditional anime feel.

Some have even gone so far as to say that it shares an aesthetic with Over the Garden Wall as opposed to more traditional anime such as Attack on Titan. Beyond the visuals, it seems to have an engaging concept.

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Background

A new trailer dropping on April 25th has already garnered over 350,000 views on Youtube, strongly implying that viewers are interested in this new movie. Unfortunately, the manner of distribution does mean that it will be difficult for any but the most diehard fans to watch it, as it is only releasing on DVD. However, for those that are interested, it will serve as a much-anticipated extension to the 2019 10-minute short previously produced by Wit.

The two-minute trailer that can be found on Crunchyroll’s YouTube shows a wonderfully emotional story of a young girl who crosses the boundary between two worlds to live peacefully with a being that she calls “teacher.” The emotional story depicted is only made more tragic by the use of a gorgeous fairytale art style. This style is clear from the sketchy dark lines and liberal use of cross hatching for shadows as well as the muted color tones used throughout the background.

Art

This artstyle makes The Girl From the Other Side immediately stand out, especially in comparison to the clean lines and bright colors that viewers have come to expect from their favorite shows. Even other anime from this studio, such as earlier seasons of Attack on Titan, aren’t as dramatic as this one, although The Ancient Magus’ Bride does come close.

Therefore when viewers catch a freeze frame of the trailer it would be easy to believe that they were simply looking at an image from one of Grimm's Fairy Tales. This aesthetic has led a few fans to draw comparisons to Over the Garden Wall, an anime known for its storybook feel. However it is not quite as visually similar to a fairy tale as The Girl From the Other Side looks like it is going to be. Where one appears like a fairy tale, the other seems to have similar content to a fairy tale.

Story

Beyond just the unique visual tone of this show, fans have been quick to point out other endearing qualities of the manga that managed to make their way into the trailer, and hopefully the movie. Firstly, the fact that Teacher is a phenomenal father figure to the young Shiva. This is a love story, but not a romance. Instead it seems to be the tale of how two people must fight through societal bounds and create their own happiness, even where no one else wants to let them.

In contrast to the heavier tones implied by the trailer it also appears to be a tale of how the naivety of children can cause real change, and broach even the strictest of biases. Shiva, throughout the trailer is indicated to trust and bond with Teacher against the natural order of their world. Teacher even goes so far as to ask Shiva if she is afraid of him, which in the way of children she eventually says no.

Summary

This stylized work from Wit promises its viewers a visual masterpiece and a heartrending story. Those who have read the manga, and have seen the 10-minute short from 2019 are overjoyed to finally give the story the time that it deserves. This trailer promises to do just that. Shiva and Teacher’s journey to be together, in a familial sense, is sure to capture hearts, bring tears, and stun those audiences that are able to enjoy their story.

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