Night on the Galactic Railroad isn't your traditional family film. It deals with some incredibly deep themes, as well as having a slow meditative pace. We follow a young cat (changed from human in the original book) called Giovanni. Giovanni has no time for himself. His father is away, his mother is sick, and when he isn't at school he has to work. One evening the family's delivery of milk never comes, so Giovanni goes to get it. He rests on top of a hill before being confronted by a train. He gets on and finds his friend Campenella. From there the duo encounter a number of passengers each with a strange story to tell. This film is certainly all about the metaphysical. Each story strengthens the themes of religion and sacrifice. It gets highly emotional at times. The imagery is often surreal but always memorable. The animation is calm in both colours and movement. This film is presented in chapters, which I think may be a better way to digest it. It's something no country but Japan would try, and the ending is so powerful it really does make the journey worth it. Mature and thoughtful, if sometimes a little slow.
33 Reviews
Among the most bizarre and fascinating animated movies I have ever seen
datautisticgamer-748538 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Like The Prophet and Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, this movie was a gift from my brother, who I viewed it with today. Given it was an adaptation of a Japanese children's book, we hadn't any idea what to expect. Almost all the way through the movie, my mind was all over the place from all the deep thought-provoking ideas it presents us with. The assortment of strange symbols, like all the Atari style vector graphics that appear periodically across much of the plot, left me absolutely confounded. The story was superbly adapted from its source aside from making the characters cats, although this is an artistic liberty that I appreciate in the sense that it gives it a rather distinct identity. It was certainly told better than The Prophet was. The characters left me in just as much confusion as everything else that occurred, since I never really understood why they, say, just vanish from this train that is supposed to represent a path to the afterlife. They were all fascinating nonetheless, especially given that I almost immediately recognized Giovanni as sounding like 4Kids Ash Ketchum. The animation most certainly shows its age due to 1985 CGI and areas that lean more monochrome to be cost effective, but it does a fair job of depicting what the characters of Fantastic Mr. Fox would describe as a mental and psychological "cluster cuss". The "monochrome" parts do also offer some of the most creepy and amazing parts of this film. What I can say overall is that if you do watch this film, prepare for absolute mystification from all its concepts. Personally, I appreciated it, though casual animation buffs should heed the following advisory: you may completely miss important stuff from this film because it puts you in thought nearly all the way through. Your emotions may also roller-coaster, as mine did. I would recommend it overall, especially for cat fans, anime otaku and fantasy fundamentalists. For others, though, I would keep my aforementioned advisory in mind.
The Solar Express
CuriosityKilledShawn4 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
An unfinished Japanese children's story from 1927 in the "Metaphysical & Visionary" section of a bookstore is hardly going to be noticed no matter what the current trend is. We've plowed through magic, supernatural romance, and now dystopian YA fiction in the past decade but something so offbeat is only going to be known to those who look REALLY hard for it. Kenji Miyazawa's (who died of pneumonia at the age of 37) Night on the Galactic Railroad was adapted into this equally obscure and mind-boggling Anime movie that feels like a cross between David Lynch and Studio Ghibli. Trying to figure out what exactly is going on is an exercise in pointlessness as the film is mainly to be enjoyed for its enormously cryptic sense of wonder and quiet epicnness.
On a planet populated by cats living in an almost-perfect early 20th century society a young kitten with a lonely and difficult life called Giovanni is whisked away across the Milky Way on a mysterious and completely empty locomotive. Along the way numerous enigmatic passengers materialize and disappear, including Giovanni's only friend Campanella, who he slowly realizes has died and is being taken to heaven. This is not My Neighbor Totoro, this is dark, brooding, depressing stuff. Not many children are going to be entertained by this.
Directed by Anime icon Gisaburo Suuji this film is surrealist, psychedelic, dreamlike, disembodied, abandoned, existential, and overwhelmingly puzzling. It's a fusion of Christian, Buddhist, and Salvador Dali imagery on acid. It has a captivating and haunting vibe that I know for sure influenced both Chris Van Allsburg and Robert Zemeckis when they wrote and directed The Polar Express. The sudden appearance of the train, the unexpected magical journey, a downbeat hero who needs to overcome his sadness...there's no way that it's just a coincidence.
A fun time it is not. An extremely singular viewing experience it most certainly is.
On a planet populated by cats living in an almost-perfect early 20th century society a young kitten with a lonely and difficult life called Giovanni is whisked away across the Milky Way on a mysterious and completely empty locomotive. Along the way numerous enigmatic passengers materialize and disappear, including Giovanni's only friend Campanella, who he slowly realizes has died and is being taken to heaven. This is not My Neighbor Totoro, this is dark, brooding, depressing stuff. Not many children are going to be entertained by this.
Directed by Anime icon Gisaburo Suuji this film is surrealist, psychedelic, dreamlike, disembodied, abandoned, existential, and overwhelmingly puzzling. It's a fusion of Christian, Buddhist, and Salvador Dali imagery on acid. It has a captivating and haunting vibe that I know for sure influenced both Chris Van Allsburg and Robert Zemeckis when they wrote and directed The Polar Express. The sudden appearance of the train, the unexpected magical journey, a downbeat hero who needs to overcome his sadness...there's no way that it's just a coincidence.
A fun time it is not. An extremely singular viewing experience it most certainly is.
A beautiful movie.
hellequin2 October 2001
In my opinion, "Night on the Galactic Railroad" is an outstanding piece of animation.
Many reviewers will note, and accurately so, that this movie is both heavy and slow as melted gold. It's true: in our current world of sound bites and media clips, fast action and short attention, this movie stands alone. This is especially so when the movie is compared to other anime, a category under which fall some of the fastest and slickest movies in the world. If nothing else, "Night on the Galactic Railroad" gets points for sheer originality and ingenuity.
Gisaburo Sugii (the director) has taken Kenji Miyazawa's children's story and created for it a living atmosphere. While highly detailed backgrounds are nothing new for anime, "Night on the Galactic Railroad" combines its finely crafted images with a brilliant use of frame shots, pacing, and audio montage to create a surreal and ethereal viewing experience.
While often advertised as a children's movie, "Night on the Galactic Railroad" most certainly does not tell a very light story. With both religious and nihilistic imagery, Sugii presents us with a powerful treatise on death and life. However, even if you do not appreciate the story itself, the beauty in the dream-like artwork and animation cannot be denied.
If this is the kind of movie that you'd just as soon sleep through, then you're missing out on some amazing cinema. Admittedly, most people these days would probably rather numb their brains in front of the "Tomb Raider" movie, than sit through the likes of "Don't Look Now" or "Blow Up." But, who knows....
If you want to be pulled into a beautifully crafted and mesmerizing world, then watch "Night on the Galactic Railroad."
Many reviewers will note, and accurately so, that this movie is both heavy and slow as melted gold. It's true: in our current world of sound bites and media clips, fast action and short attention, this movie stands alone. This is especially so when the movie is compared to other anime, a category under which fall some of the fastest and slickest movies in the world. If nothing else, "Night on the Galactic Railroad" gets points for sheer originality and ingenuity.
Gisaburo Sugii (the director) has taken Kenji Miyazawa's children's story and created for it a living atmosphere. While highly detailed backgrounds are nothing new for anime, "Night on the Galactic Railroad" combines its finely crafted images with a brilliant use of frame shots, pacing, and audio montage to create a surreal and ethereal viewing experience.
While often advertised as a children's movie, "Night on the Galactic Railroad" most certainly does not tell a very light story. With both religious and nihilistic imagery, Sugii presents us with a powerful treatise on death and life. However, even if you do not appreciate the story itself, the beauty in the dream-like artwork and animation cannot be denied.
If this is the kind of movie that you'd just as soon sleep through, then you're missing out on some amazing cinema. Admittedly, most people these days would probably rather numb their brains in front of the "Tomb Raider" movie, than sit through the likes of "Don't Look Now" or "Blow Up." But, who knows....
If you want to be pulled into a beautifully crafted and mesmerizing world, then watch "Night on the Galactic Railroad."
Ranks among the most epic Anime titles
earthlad11 November 2002
This film is up there with all of Miyazaki's works, including "Spirited Away," "Princess Mononoke," and "My Neighbour Totoro."
It has a very surreal quality and a deceptive cuteness to it, which may trick you into thinking it trite or superficial. However, like some of the best Anime out there, "cute" can leave you open to some horrifying consequences. Obviously it's not as heavy as "Grave of the Fireflies" or as light hearted and uplifting as "Totoro", but this film lies somewhere in between. I haven't read the book, but I'll bet it's similar in theme and scope to "Le Petit Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
I'm certainly not a Christian, and often tire easily when confronted by blatant Christian imagery in film, literature, and music. However, this film requires a degree of spirituality to get its point across, and the Christian images present, while overpowering at times, represent a nebulous kind of spirituality -- as if it's saying "there is a force out there which helps determine our fates, but I can't define what it is."
For example, the film takes place in some alternate European world (most likely Italy) and the characters have Italian names. But they're anthropomorphic cats and don't appear to practice any kind of Christianity (they celebrate moon festivals, and sail lantern boats in the river). However, they later meet up with human children on the train, and listen to Christian hymns on the wireless ("Nearer my God to Thee"). They pass several different layers of Heaven, and Giovani, the main character, has a special ticket that allows him passage to "the one True Heaven".
The film, like the train, takes its time to get where it's going, and some powerful messages come across to the viewer. Unlike many Anime and Western films, this one does not end with a happy and neatly tied-up ending, nor does it take pains to explain the things that go on inside the train. It leaves that to the viewer. This is what makes good art films. This is what makes a film worthwhile.
It has a very surreal quality and a deceptive cuteness to it, which may trick you into thinking it trite or superficial. However, like some of the best Anime out there, "cute" can leave you open to some horrifying consequences. Obviously it's not as heavy as "Grave of the Fireflies" or as light hearted and uplifting as "Totoro", but this film lies somewhere in between. I haven't read the book, but I'll bet it's similar in theme and scope to "Le Petit Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
I'm certainly not a Christian, and often tire easily when confronted by blatant Christian imagery in film, literature, and music. However, this film requires a degree of spirituality to get its point across, and the Christian images present, while overpowering at times, represent a nebulous kind of spirituality -- as if it's saying "there is a force out there which helps determine our fates, but I can't define what it is."
For example, the film takes place in some alternate European world (most likely Italy) and the characters have Italian names. But they're anthropomorphic cats and don't appear to practice any kind of Christianity (they celebrate moon festivals, and sail lantern boats in the river). However, they later meet up with human children on the train, and listen to Christian hymns on the wireless ("Nearer my God to Thee"). They pass several different layers of Heaven, and Giovani, the main character, has a special ticket that allows him passage to "the one True Heaven".
The film, like the train, takes its time to get where it's going, and some powerful messages come across to the viewer. Unlike many Anime and Western films, this one does not end with a happy and neatly tied-up ending, nor does it take pains to explain the things that go on inside the train. It leaves that to the viewer. This is what makes good art films. This is what makes a film worthwhile.
Slow, but interesting
danielemerson18 April 2021
This is a review of the English-dubbed version, and I'm sorry, but the voices aren't a great fit to the characters. However, the film as a whole is intriguing and beautiful. It also gets a little unsettling at times, but in a good way.
One shortcoming common to all versions, however, is the lack of facial individuality of the characters. They don't show much in the way of expressions and when they do, they are a bit samey.
But this is still something I'd recommend on the whole. A leisurely trip through a very strange galaxy.
One shortcoming common to all versions, however, is the lack of facial individuality of the characters. They don't show much in the way of expressions and when they do, they are a bit samey.
But this is still something I'd recommend on the whole. A leisurely trip through a very strange galaxy.
Stays true to the author's intent.
Misaomaki1927 March 2002
Kenji Miyazawa intended "Ginga tetsudo no yoru" as a book for children. But in it are truths that everyone big and small look to find. No one is comfortable with death. Everyone searches for answers. As I read the book before seeing the movie, I was amazed to see how accurately and wonderfully the director and animators were able to capture the feeling of this fantasy. It may be too arty for some, but I feel that more often than not, viewers will come away with a deeper sense of what death can do for life and what life can mean if given a chance.
As for the cat characters, this seems to be a consistent image that surrounds Miyazawa. Some of the stories he wrote were populated by cats that would take human roles. Interestingly enough, in Kenji Miyazawa's biographical anime (Shoji Kawamori's Spring and Chaos) Miyazawa is portrayed as a cat. Maybe the cats exist to shield children from the pain that these harsh truths might bring. But not shield too much
Sometimes it is easy to look at a work like Night on the Galactic Railroad and say, this is just a fantasy. Perhaps Miyazawa wanted us to think that, maybe at first anyhow. But the true beauty behind this animation is that by creating a fantasy world so wild and vibrant, it forces us to see who and what we really are.
As for the cat characters, this seems to be a consistent image that surrounds Miyazawa. Some of the stories he wrote were populated by cats that would take human roles. Interestingly enough, in Kenji Miyazawa's biographical anime (Shoji Kawamori's Spring and Chaos) Miyazawa is portrayed as a cat. Maybe the cats exist to shield children from the pain that these harsh truths might bring. But not shield too much
Sometimes it is easy to look at a work like Night on the Galactic Railroad and say, this is just a fantasy. Perhaps Miyazawa wanted us to think that, maybe at first anyhow. But the true beauty behind this animation is that by creating a fantasy world so wild and vibrant, it forces us to see who and what we really are.
Eerie and very slow
sharptongue11 April 2000
Most of the story is very dream-like or, more accurately, nightmarish. The story is aimed at very young children but, bearing this in mind, is incredibly dark. It deals, in a clever and allegorical manner, with the up-coming death of someone close to the main character... though the film keeps you guessing as to who it will be. I found this film has images and feelings which stayed with me long after the finish, and is genuinely haunting. However, the pace is excrutiatingly slow, and the film could have had at least half its length cut out. Many children's movies earnestly commit this error. That is, too much screen time is spent on "real world" happenings, taking much too long to get to the fantasy. Another quite good Japanese anime which suffers from this same problem is Totoro. There are many parallels with the earlier "Galaxy Express 999". NOTGR appears to be a sort-of kiddy version of GE999. I would recommend GE999 as by far the far better movie, but NOTGR is still worth some attention, faults and all.
Slow, Cryptic, Beautiful
Robotic_Castro26 January 2002
The first time I watched this movie I had to see it in two parts because my friend got sick of it after the first half. This movie is definitely not for everyone. The pacing is extremely slow and thoughtful. If your not the sort of person who spends time contemplating the mysteries of life, you will not enjoy this movie. If you watch this movie, don't watch it by yourself. Find a friend who you think might enjoy it, and set aside a quite relaxed evening to watch it. You will want someone to talk it over with afterwards.
One thing that must be noted is the character design. You may be initially turned off by the extremely cute, childish-looking characters. It doesn't take long to realize that the film is much darker and deeper than it seems at first.
Something to think about when viewing this film: It's interesting to see the strong use of Christian imagery in this film. I can't help but feel that as a westerner I'm getting a different reaction than the primarily Buddhist original audience and perhaps losing a bit of the mysticism.
I would suggest this film to anyone who enjoys spending a quiet evening lost in thought.
One thing that must be noted is the character design. You may be initially turned off by the extremely cute, childish-looking characters. It doesn't take long to realize that the film is much darker and deeper than it seems at first.
Something to think about when viewing this film: It's interesting to see the strong use of Christian imagery in this film. I can't help but feel that as a westerner I'm getting a different reaction than the primarily Buddhist original audience and perhaps losing a bit of the mysticism.
I would suggest this film to anyone who enjoys spending a quiet evening lost in thought.
Night on the Galactic Railroad is a very dull ride, but it is still extraordinarily dark and has a lot of heart.
guillermobosque14 January 2016
Summary: Night on the Galactic Railroad is a very dull ride, but it is still extraordinarily dark and has a lot of heart. 60/100 (C+)
On the night of a cat village Festival of the Stars, a kitten and his friend go on an celestial journey on a magical space locomotive. On that trip, they have various stops where they meet strange sights, even more unusual fellow passengers and learn some lessons of life on their trip to the terminus of the Galactic Railroad. First of all I want to say that it was not as depressing as I thought it would be. It was a good movie, but it did not live up to my high expectations. I am not a fan of anime, but I liked this film, it was dark and deeply uncomfortable. The film is slow, very slow. Also, the character development was pretty confusing because I did not felt a connection between Giovanni and Campanella they were supposed to be friends. But I did felt sorry for Giovanni, the whole story about his father and his sick mother was touching.
The second act was less dull to me, but still slow. There was a scene where Giovanni is quite surprised as he sees the train for the very first time and it was loudly effective. The second act continues having some boring issues and confusing moments. The third act was profound, unexpected and extraordinarily dark. Some people say that the film itself is disturbing and children should not watch it, but for me it was not disturbing at all, it was poignant. Moving on, the voice actors did a great job. The animation was stunning and looked fascinating. My only issue with this film was its boredom and inactivity. Anyway, I am glad that I watched it. While at times it lacked direction, and it was slow-paced, this little animated feature delivers a payoff and a reflective message. (C+)
On the night of a cat village Festival of the Stars, a kitten and his friend go on an celestial journey on a magical space locomotive. On that trip, they have various stops where they meet strange sights, even more unusual fellow passengers and learn some lessons of life on their trip to the terminus of the Galactic Railroad. First of all I want to say that it was not as depressing as I thought it would be. It was a good movie, but it did not live up to my high expectations. I am not a fan of anime, but I liked this film, it was dark and deeply uncomfortable. The film is slow, very slow. Also, the character development was pretty confusing because I did not felt a connection between Giovanni and Campanella they were supposed to be friends. But I did felt sorry for Giovanni, the whole story about his father and his sick mother was touching.
The second act was less dull to me, but still slow. There was a scene where Giovanni is quite surprised as he sees the train for the very first time and it was loudly effective. The second act continues having some boring issues and confusing moments. The third act was profound, unexpected and extraordinarily dark. Some people say that the film itself is disturbing and children should not watch it, but for me it was not disturbing at all, it was poignant. Moving on, the voice actors did a great job. The animation was stunning and looked fascinating. My only issue with this film was its boredom and inactivity. Anyway, I am glad that I watched it. While at times it lacked direction, and it was slow-paced, this little animated feature delivers a payoff and a reflective message. (C+)
Beautiful at times, but sick at heart
jodawi14 August 2001
Beautiful at times, but sick at heart. Watch it for the graphics and sometimes-aura, not for the Christian death-cult sentiments and moralizing, unless you want to have a view into the psychology of some of the Japanese/Christians.
Night on the Galactic Railroad is amazing piece of mind bending cinematic work.
has_no_pseudonym15 January 2002
This by far is the best anime I have ever seen. With its slow moving and oft disturbing plot this is not a movie for everyone, especial the adolescent/short attention span types who have only seen slasher/action examples of anime.
This movie is so slow yet it sucks you in and you can't stop watching. I have never heard or seen anything like it and I don't think I ever will again. No movie I have ever seen has affected me half as much. Its amazing visuals, sounds and eerie plot make this fascinating movie hard to describe and do justice to it.
This movie definitely deserves a 10 out of 10.
P.S. If you are the crying type have tissues handy.
This movie is so slow yet it sucks you in and you can't stop watching. I have never heard or seen anything like it and I don't think I ever will again. No movie I have ever seen has affected me half as much. Its amazing visuals, sounds and eerie plot make this fascinating movie hard to describe and do justice to it.
This movie definitely deserves a 10 out of 10.
P.S. If you are the crying type have tissues handy.
Christian film ... and a dark one at that.
aryxus-221 June 2008
I was very surprised to find, as I watched this with my young daughter, that it is full of dark themes (VERY dark for a small child) and a kind of messed-up (at least from a North American perspective) take on Christianity. Someone had recommended it to me based on our love for Studio Ghibli films like Kiki's Delivery Service and Whisper of the Heart. It's not at ALL like those. It is religious (of a sort) and contains themes of loss and death.
That being said, I would have enjoyed the film had I been watching on my own. I like films about loss and death.
It's beautiful and strange.
Just dark.
That being said, I would have enjoyed the film had I been watching on my own. I like films about loss and death.
It's beautiful and strange.
Just dark.
General content disclaimer
rossodell-871-15035415 October 2010
In researching this movie before I watched it, I noted some mention of Christian themes, and assumed that there would be some recurring religious motifs in it, something on the order of the Matrix. However, I was wholly unprepared for the almost abusively forward religious imagery that seems to randomly crop up. Accordingly, this is just a general warning to other viewers, that if giant galactic crosses and esperanto hymns aren't your thing, you may want to skip this. I can't in good conscience rate this lower than a 5, because (as every other reviewer has noted) this is still a terribly beautiful movie, with heart-wrenching scenes and a fine message. But seriously, the Christianity pops up all over the place, and just when you think "oh, that's not so bad, I can ignore that part," everyone starts talking about praising god again.
Reviewers on Christianity
cielstiel27 June 2013
I have noticed that everywhere I look for reviews on this movie I see people confused and, sometimes, offended by the use of Christian symbols and themes used throughout this movie. I watched this movie as a child and remember being the only kid in my family who loved it and found it fascinating, but i was a Christian back then (that being the only thing I knew). As an Atheist, I rewatched this movie a few days ago and was completely overwhelmed by its use of Christian symbolism throughout the film, but I kept watching and noticed that almost as abruptly as that had started, the subject had dropped. Upon sitting alone in my room I thought it over in my head and I noticed something: The Christians on the train went to Christian heaven, while another character on the train went to his own heaven to join with one of his family, and Giovanni had a ticket to the "One True Heaven". I rather like this idea, and it makes me love the film more than I already did. Truly one of the best animated movies of all time, what a masterpiece!
Also, the Heaven Giovanni can't see might be his one true heaven, just something to think about. ;)
Also, the Heaven Giovanni can't see might be his one true heaven, just something to think about. ;)
Metaphysical Feline Travelogue Aboard Space Locomotive
Seragovitz6 October 2010
Superior to almost every toe-curling art-house flick that touches on similar territory Night on the Galactic Railroad says more and presents itself better than one would expect coming from a mere animated movie. Indeed if this was re-shot in live action, maybe in black and white and dubbed into French it would become a canonical post new-wave classic: to be fawned over by leagues of pea-brained cineastes. However it remains a little known and rarely talked about anime that has been seen by more fans of Galaxy Express 999 than by fans of Alan Resnais. Based upon the short children's work of the same name by Kenji Miyazawa the tale is ostensibly of a young cats (Giovanni) coming to terms with death by means of a surrealist adventure along the titular Galactic Railroad. The film contains a sequence of superbly realised vignettes that gradually paint the picture of Giovanni's life at home; his ill mother and itinerant father, bullying classmates and later the fantastical sights and stations he encounters on his one way ticket to the edge of the universe. The train he boards carries with it passengers of many creeds and persuasions: some disembark at the Pliocene Coast to further the cause of science others exit only to blithely tramp towards an afterlife of either Pagan, Christian or Buddhist contrivance . . . but young Giovanni stays on until the end. The less alert may mistake this film for some sort of religious allegory but it is nothing of the sort: Giovanni's revelation at the end seems more a triumph of moral philosophy. All text in the movie is written in Esperanto and the locations on Earth are reminiscent of small town medieval Europe. Beautifully scripted, animated and immaculately directed by Sugii Gisaburo, Night on the Galactic Railroad is one of the unsung masterpieces of cinema.
Wonderful
uwasatchisocks28 April 2014
Warning: Spoilers
As soon as I finished watching this, I knew it had become my third favorite movie of all time. The characters are very cute, and I especially grew attached to them because they were cats. The animation and effects can be underwhelming but at the same time impressive for a 1985 anime.
Giovanni is an anthropomorphic kitten who tackles a lot of responsibility since his mother is sick and his father is away, and to make his trouble harder, he is bullied at school. He has a friend called Campanella. I find it unfortunate that the friendship between Giovanni and Campanella isn't expressed very much. Campanella does do a "favor" for Giovanni at the beginning of the movie. (Giovanni didn't answer the teacher's question, and so Campanella didn't answer it either so that Giovanni doesn't seem stupid). But Campanella spends time with the cats who bully Giovanni and he doesn't seem to have any interest in spending time with Giovanni.
After a seemingly ordinary introduction, the movie becomes a surreal and dreamlike adventure through mystical worlds of imagination. A galaxy train appears while Giovanni is resting on a hill and perhaps he is dreaming in some way. While he is on the train, Campanella slowly appears out of thin air and starts saying some mysterious things. Giovanni doesn't seem very bewildered considering what is going on. He asks questions but Campanella doesn't answer directly. The two of them ride the train together and sometimes other passengers appear / disappear.
One of the passengers, a bird-catcher, has a sack of herons. When he opens the sack, the herons seem to be flat. When he takes a heron out, he pulls it leg off but it's not as morbid as it sounds. He gives a piece of the leg to both Giovanni and Campanella and it turns out the heron is candy. The scene where it shows the cat catching birds is really beautiful. It seems cruel at first, since the herons seem alive, but in your mind you know they're candy in some kind of way. When they land on the ground, they seem to dissolve.
The scenery that the train crosses is full of magic and wonder. There's a place where magpies land in the trees and turn into apples, and a place where there's nothing but a cross in a weird blue sea of light. Many passengers appear out of nowhere apparently praying to the cross. Yes, there are Christian themes in this movie but that's one of the things that makes the movie so special. The movie revolves around heaven and that there are many different heavens, so I think including the Christian heaven was a good idea.
A human passenger and the children he is guarding arrive. I think one of my favorite parts of the movie is when he talks about how he and the children died on a ship that crashed into an iceberg and sank. He talks about how he tried to decide what to do for the children as the ship was sinking... it really touched my heart for some reason. He is obviously a Christian since he mentions God and it makes me wonder, are Giovanni and Campanella Christians? They don't pray to the cross like the other passengers did when they passed it, and they didn't get off at the Christian heaven that the man and the two children get off at. Of course, this is just an idealistic movie, but there are many questions you can ask and it's interesting to think about the movie and come up with your own answers.
Soon Giovanni and Campanella are the only two passengers on the train. Giovanni talks about how they'll always be together, and Campanella seems sad. He tears up but Giovanni doesn't seem to notice. Then it's time for Campanella to go to "his" heaven, where he says his mother is waiting. He leaves Giovanni without saying much else besides goodbye, and he doesn't seem to be sad as he leaves poor Giovanni alone and crying. I think the music it plays during this scene is very unfitting. It seems like happy or action music; I think it would be a lot better if they put sad music or even no music all so it doesn't disrupt viewers from reflecting these events in their mind.
In the real world, Campanella has drowned. It's a pretty devastating ending but Giovanni says he knows Campanella is out there and that they will always be together... even though he's in his own heaven far far away. Will Giovanni enter that heaven too when he dies? I'm not sure if it's implied in the movie.
Anyway, this is a wonderful movie. It manages to have death, heaven, and religion as themes while being about two cute colorful kittens. It's beautiful and creative, opens up your imagination, and touches your heart. It's also depressing.
If you're after comedy or action, this movie isn't for you. But if you don't mind a long, deep, sentimental film with an upsetting ending and some religious references, you need to watch this movie. It's a masterpiece.
Giovanni is an anthropomorphic kitten who tackles a lot of responsibility since his mother is sick and his father is away, and to make his trouble harder, he is bullied at school. He has a friend called Campanella. I find it unfortunate that the friendship between Giovanni and Campanella isn't expressed very much. Campanella does do a "favor" for Giovanni at the beginning of the movie. (Giovanni didn't answer the teacher's question, and so Campanella didn't answer it either so that Giovanni doesn't seem stupid). But Campanella spends time with the cats who bully Giovanni and he doesn't seem to have any interest in spending time with Giovanni.
After a seemingly ordinary introduction, the movie becomes a surreal and dreamlike adventure through mystical worlds of imagination. A galaxy train appears while Giovanni is resting on a hill and perhaps he is dreaming in some way. While he is on the train, Campanella slowly appears out of thin air and starts saying some mysterious things. Giovanni doesn't seem very bewildered considering what is going on. He asks questions but Campanella doesn't answer directly. The two of them ride the train together and sometimes other passengers appear / disappear.
One of the passengers, a bird-catcher, has a sack of herons. When he opens the sack, the herons seem to be flat. When he takes a heron out, he pulls it leg off but it's not as morbid as it sounds. He gives a piece of the leg to both Giovanni and Campanella and it turns out the heron is candy. The scene where it shows the cat catching birds is really beautiful. It seems cruel at first, since the herons seem alive, but in your mind you know they're candy in some kind of way. When they land on the ground, they seem to dissolve.
The scenery that the train crosses is full of magic and wonder. There's a place where magpies land in the trees and turn into apples, and a place where there's nothing but a cross in a weird blue sea of light. Many passengers appear out of nowhere apparently praying to the cross. Yes, there are Christian themes in this movie but that's one of the things that makes the movie so special. The movie revolves around heaven and that there are many different heavens, so I think including the Christian heaven was a good idea.
A human passenger and the children he is guarding arrive. I think one of my favorite parts of the movie is when he talks about how he and the children died on a ship that crashed into an iceberg and sank. He talks about how he tried to decide what to do for the children as the ship was sinking... it really touched my heart for some reason. He is obviously a Christian since he mentions God and it makes me wonder, are Giovanni and Campanella Christians? They don't pray to the cross like the other passengers did when they passed it, and they didn't get off at the Christian heaven that the man and the two children get off at. Of course, this is just an idealistic movie, but there are many questions you can ask and it's interesting to think about the movie and come up with your own answers.
Soon Giovanni and Campanella are the only two passengers on the train. Giovanni talks about how they'll always be together, and Campanella seems sad. He tears up but Giovanni doesn't seem to notice. Then it's time for Campanella to go to "his" heaven, where he says his mother is waiting. He leaves Giovanni without saying much else besides goodbye, and he doesn't seem to be sad as he leaves poor Giovanni alone and crying. I think the music it plays during this scene is very unfitting. It seems like happy or action music; I think it would be a lot better if they put sad music or even no music all so it doesn't disrupt viewers from reflecting these events in their mind.
In the real world, Campanella has drowned. It's a pretty devastating ending but Giovanni says he knows Campanella is out there and that they will always be together... even though he's in his own heaven far far away. Will Giovanni enter that heaven too when he dies? I'm not sure if it's implied in the movie.
Anyway, this is a wonderful movie. It manages to have death, heaven, and religion as themes while being about two cute colorful kittens. It's beautiful and creative, opens up your imagination, and touches your heart. It's also depressing.
If you're after comedy or action, this movie isn't for you. But if you don't mind a long, deep, sentimental film with an upsetting ending and some religious references, you need to watch this movie. It's a masterpiece.
Waking dreams
megabigblur12 November 2004
The best thing about this movie is the dreamlike quality of it. Lots of fiction texts--novels, comicbooks, movies, whatever--take place in the world of dreams, but this is the first movie I've seen that really felt like it. Things happen one after the other in a drifting, diffuse pilgrimage on a train that goes to the end of the universe: migrating herons that fall to the earth and turn into candy, apples that reproduce themselves, an Italian village populated by cats. Being that they're passing through the night sky, some of the stations are named after constellations, and some are just...places. It's like reading The Old Man and the Sea--you feel like you're there for days and wake up to find that it was only a few hours. To me, that's a measure of a really good story.
One of the funnier bits was when the human characters appeared and didn't bat an eye at sitting next to anthropomorphic, pastel-coloured cats.
If you enjoy picking apart movie texts, you can always have a fun argument with your friends about the religious motifs that pop up in an oddball way throughout the story. Were the filmmakers taking stabs at Christianity, or just appropriating its symbols for the story's own kind of mysticism (a la Neon Genesis Evangelion, maybe)?
One of the funnier bits was when the human characters appeared and didn't bat an eye at sitting next to anthropomorphic, pastel-coloured cats.
If you enjoy picking apart movie texts, you can always have a fun argument with your friends about the religious motifs that pop up in an oddball way throughout the story. Were the filmmakers taking stabs at Christianity, or just appropriating its symbols for the story's own kind of mysticism (a la Neon Genesis Evangelion, maybe)?
Dull, preachy and depressing
docbrown-329 September 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This review has spoilers, but how can you spoil something that is already rotten? I picked up this awful movie to show to my kids and had to apologize to them afterward. It's partly my fault as I saw Miyazawa and thought Miyazaki, the genius behind Totoro, Castle in the Sky, Kiki, etc. Unlike those movies, 'Night' is completely unenjoyable. From the title and the blurb on the box, I was expecting a fun adventure on a train ride across the galaxy. What I got was a painfully slow story, filled with disjointed surrealism, overtly Christian preachiness, and a depressing ending.
The movie starts off introducing Giovanni as a boy who is struggling in school and is picked on by classmates because his father is late coming back from a fishing expedition in the North Sea. He is also shown working hard for little money at a printer's shop so he can help provide for his sick mother. The introduction section is relatively long and uninteresting, but it could have been bearable if the rest of the movie made up for it. At the end of the initial part of the movie, Giovanni tries to go to the town's Centaurus festival but is teased away by a his classmates once again. He runs off to a field, falls asleep and is awakened by a steam train appearing out of nowhere.
OK, now we get to the part where the poor picked on kid gets a fun romp around the galaxy on a train, right? Nope. They turn a trip through the galaxy into a series of disjointed surrealist images, loosely based on the constellations. You get to see a fossil dig under their city unearthing 1.2 million year old walnuts (why?) An old man catching heron, which apparently taste like candy, and an observatory of Alberio that looks like the yellow and blue stars of Alberio being used as a lighthouse beacon. None of these scenes are very interesting, but they leave you hoping something coherent will happen.
Unfortunately the something that happens that make things a little more coherent is that the movie becomes preachy. Hymns, prayers and stories about how great it is to sacrifice your life. Yech! The box should have had warnings on it for the preachy content.
After a stop at the Southern Cross (heaven) the boy's one true friend who's been with him on this journey jumps off the train. The boy then wakes up back in the field where he was asleep and soon finds out his friend died rescuing another of their classmates from drowning.
So there you have it, depressing, preachy and dull all rolled into 1 bad movie. Don't bother with it, and don't subject poor innocent children to this stinker.
The movie starts off introducing Giovanni as a boy who is struggling in school and is picked on by classmates because his father is late coming back from a fishing expedition in the North Sea. He is also shown working hard for little money at a printer's shop so he can help provide for his sick mother. The introduction section is relatively long and uninteresting, but it could have been bearable if the rest of the movie made up for it. At the end of the initial part of the movie, Giovanni tries to go to the town's Centaurus festival but is teased away by a his classmates once again. He runs off to a field, falls asleep and is awakened by a steam train appearing out of nowhere.
OK, now we get to the part where the poor picked on kid gets a fun romp around the galaxy on a train, right? Nope. They turn a trip through the galaxy into a series of disjointed surrealist images, loosely based on the constellations. You get to see a fossil dig under their city unearthing 1.2 million year old walnuts (why?) An old man catching heron, which apparently taste like candy, and an observatory of Alberio that looks like the yellow and blue stars of Alberio being used as a lighthouse beacon. None of these scenes are very interesting, but they leave you hoping something coherent will happen.
Unfortunately the something that happens that make things a little more coherent is that the movie becomes preachy. Hymns, prayers and stories about how great it is to sacrifice your life. Yech! The box should have had warnings on it for the preachy content.
After a stop at the Southern Cross (heaven) the boy's one true friend who's been with him on this journey jumps off the train. The boy then wakes up back in the field where he was asleep and soon finds out his friend died rescuing another of their classmates from drowning.
So there you have it, depressing, preachy and dull all rolled into 1 bad movie. Don't bother with it, and don't subject poor innocent children to this stinker.
A true masterpiece
dennis706 February 2006
Gisaburo Sugii sure has had a eclectic career, starting out with children's fare like Jack and The Beanstalk. Here he takes Kenji Miyazawa's children's story and creates a living atmosphere. While highly detailed backgrounds are nothing new for anime, "Night on the Galactic Railroad" combines its finely crafted images with a brilliant use of frame shots, pacing, and audio montage to create a surreal and ethereal viewing experience.
If I tell you that this is the same guy who did Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie you wouldn't believe it, right? Well it is the same person. But this is without any doubt his best film. I have never had such an experience with an animated movie before (I particularly dislike most of anime) but this was enlightening. A must see.
If I tell you that this is the same guy who did Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie you wouldn't believe it, right? Well it is the same person. But this is without any doubt his best film. I have never had such an experience with an animated movie before (I particularly dislike most of anime) but this was enlightening. A must see.
Three hours of my life gone!!!
poxwalker30 August 2000
This anime was so bad it caused a friend of mine to crash his car when he left the viewing. Don't ever see this garbage. Even for an art film it is bad. I love cats but I couldn't bare to sit through this bomb again. I even love art anime but this one almost made me sick. Too much art not enough plot. Read the book if you want but don't watch this anime.
Beautiful.
SheMightBeKaren22 April 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Being Japanese and having a Korean immigrant to Japan as a father and a Japanese mother, I grew up surrounded by Japanese culture--- including anime. Sometime when I was a toddler, my parents showed me this movie and I loved it, although back then I didn't understand much of it. I have no idea why... I just loved it. And to this day, I think it's beautiful.
It's slow paced, and it isn't for some people. But I think this is a very deep movie that moved my heart. Revolving around the lives of two cats living in a strange, Spanish or Italian-looking town, this movie is no doubt very dreamlike and seems like a dream I would have.
A very deep, sad movie which lets the viewer choose their own ending... this is a fantastic movie that lets you contemplate the meaning of life. A lot of the best scenes are the quiet ones... such as the way it showed that Giovanni was crying, without showing his face. Or how they showed how 'left out' Giovanni felt by showing Campanella and the girl's mouths move but no sound come out. I also loved the music. Sometimes it's eerie, sometimes it's merry. Either way, I love it. Oh, and one more thing... everything in this movie is in Esperanto. Just if you were interested Great movie that everyone, not just anime fans, should watch.
It's slow paced, and it isn't for some people. But I think this is a very deep movie that moved my heart. Revolving around the lives of two cats living in a strange, Spanish or Italian-looking town, this movie is no doubt very dreamlike and seems like a dream I would have.
A very deep, sad movie which lets the viewer choose their own ending... this is a fantastic movie that lets you contemplate the meaning of life. A lot of the best scenes are the quiet ones... such as the way it showed that Giovanni was crying, without showing his face. Or how they showed how 'left out' Giovanni felt by showing Campanella and the girl's mouths move but no sound come out. I also loved the music. Sometimes it's eerie, sometimes it's merry. Either way, I love it. Oh, and one more thing... everything in this movie is in Esperanto. Just if you were interested Great movie that everyone, not just anime fans, should watch.
haunting, superbly crafted little movie
eviltwin-223 April 1999
though it crawls along very deliberately, this is one of the most disturbing and beautiful movies I can remember. virtually every shot and sound in this feature was carefully chosen to serve a higher artistic purpose. it's not for everyone, but if possible, definitely take the trouble to see what should be known as one of the finest animated features ever made. it deals with an anthropomorphic cat and the relationship he has with his best friend, semi-autobiographical interpretation of a novel by Miyazawa Kenji, if I can remember right... go see this movie.
Mind-blowing, heart-breaking
matt-thorn13 December 2001
I'm usually pretty conservative when it comes to dishing out stars, but this is one of the few films to which I would give ten without hesitation. The original story (by Japanese children's author Kenji Miyazawa) is a masterpiece in itself, but Sugii's screen interpretation is nothing short of amazing. Some of the best scenes are the quietest, such as when the protagonist is setting type in the printer's shop, or when he goes to the dairy to get milk and finds only an old woman there. Thought-provoking and moving, this is one I pull off my shelf and watch every couple of years.
Two Hours of @#!$ Blinking Rabbits!
Kunochan19 May 1999
I don't usually write comments on IMDB, but when I saw people giving "Night on the Galactic Railroad" good reviews, I had to inject a note of sanity. This is without a doubt the worst film, anime, animation, or otherwise, that I have ever seen without the benefit of Joel and the Bots. It's an insult to all the fine anime out there to laud this POS. Animation is supposed to MOVE, and two hours of rabbits staring at each other, their eyes occasionally blinking, is not animation. I would hate to think that anyone would sit through this somnolent piece of crap, and think it bears any relation to Japanese animation. But if you're curious to see a full-length motion picture where absolutely NOTHING HAPPENS, rent this. "Slow paced" indeed.
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