Summer Ghost Movie Review

"Your soul moves where you wish to be."

AnimOtaku

Summer Ghost is a 2021 Japanese anime short film that was released by Flat Studio and was the directorial debut for loundraw. The film follows the characters of Tomoya Sugisaki, Aoi Harukawa, and Ryo Kobayashi all of which who are going through troubles and pain in some way. The three meet up through the internet in the hopes of finding and meeting the "Summer Ghost", an urban legend ghost that is said to show up at an abandoned airport at night if fireworks are lit. When the three head to the airport and light the sparklers after a while the Summer Ghost does appear and introduces herself as Ayane. She also reveals that she is only visible to those who are touching their own deaths. The three ask a few questions about Ayane's experience as a ghost and she responds with vague and appropriate answers for what it's like after death. They then leave and Tomoya comes back to learn more about Ayane and learns more about himself and about Aoi and Ryo.

IMDb

Summer Ghost makes the most of it's short runtime of 40 minutes, focusing on the brief lives of the characters and what makes them change or find a new perspective in life. Each of the three are having a brush with death in their own way. Tomoya feels dead inside as he feels like he's had to bury his passion of art and living inside himself, instead having to focus on getting the best grades at school due to his strict mother. He finds life to be a never-ending chore and goes to the Summer Ghost to help him find meaning to existence again. Aoi is a struggling high school girl who loves cats and gets relentlessly bullied and is constantly on the verge of committing suicide who goes to the Summer Ghost to figure out how to grow stronger mentally and stand up for herself. The final member and the most tragic of them all is Ryo. Ryo is a high school basketball student who could've had a promising future and life but has only mere months to live due to a horrible diagnosis. He goes to the Summer Ghost and wants to know what lies after death, why life chose him to die and what he should do in his final days. Summer Ghost tackles all these themes and heavy-handed topics with respect and care. Tomoya spends more time with Ayane whether it be flying and looking at the city lights above or going to an art museum, they both get better character development throughout and learn more about each other.

IMDb

Multiple perspectives are given in Summer Ghost on how to find your way through existence and life. None of the lives the characters face are easy but Summer Ghost showcases the perseverance they have. Even during their hardest moments the main three characters aren't alone and always have each other's backs even if in doubt. Along with them for the journey is Ayane who transcends beyond human needs but still wants to find peace with what happened to her and how she died. Ayane is another great character here who really compliments the otherworldly feel of the movie. Ayane still acts human at times but she always feels distant and her eyes and smile show a bittersweet sadness to her. There is always a tinge of sadness yet comfort in her voice and how she talks to the characters throughout and yet even as a ghost she still tries to have fun with Tomoya and helps motivate Tomoya, Aoi and Ryo to be the best version of themselves. Finally, the animation and score to this movie are beautiful. The beautiful melodies and OST mix with the more choppy and unique art style perfectly. The scenery also is breathtaking with scenes like showing the beautiful moonlight of the forest shining through Ayane's face or the evening sky of an empty airport.

IMDb

Summer Ghost is a beautiful short film. It's not going to impact everyone in the same way or have as much characterization due to the length but for forty minutes it really delivers a captivating and larger than life experience that really spoke to me personally. You grow attached to the characters and know just enough about them to feel real emotion if something shocking or life changing happens to them and between this, the visuals, themes, and beautiful score it serves as a pretty memorable forty minutes that will stay with you for a long time.