The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is arguably one of Mamoru Hosoda’s most brilliant films. 

Originally released in 2006, the film is a sort of sequel to the 1967 novel of the same  by Yasutaka Tsutsui. 

In this adaptation, the teenage protagonist,  Makoto Konno, is the niece of Kazuko Yoshiyama – the protagonist to the original story, who shows her the power of time travel. She begins using the time-leaps frivolously to fix problems, and repeatedly relives the same day in a time loop, using her abilities for small (but personal) gains. As she continues leaping, the consequences of her choices begin to unravel the lives of those around her, including her best friends Chiaki and Kōsuke.

Although Mamoru Hosoda directed the film, the screenplay was crafted by Satoko Okudera, whose collaboration with Hosoda helped define his signature storytelling style. Though the film began as a limited release, it quickly gained momentum through word of mouth, packing theaters to standing-room capacity and earning numerous awards for its emotional depth and artistry. 

The film was called “absolute magic.”  by Justin Sevakis of Anime News Network and has enjoyed multiple home releases.  Most recently, GKIDS issued a limited-edition steelbook, placing it alongside Hosoda’s other celebrated works—Wolf Children and Summer Wars, both of which were also penned by Okudera— as an Amazon exclusive. 

Presented with both a 1080p Blu-ray and, for the first time, a 4K Ultra HD disc, the release features English and Japanese audio tracks in rich DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, offering the film’s most immersive and pristine presentation to date – with bonus content that includes: 

  • Feature with Storyboard
  • Feature Commentary with Director and Voice Cast
  • Storyboard Commentary
  • Teasers and Trailers

Like the previous Hosoda releases for G Kids, the steel book is beautifully crafted. The artwork is pristine, and it’s just a gorgeous release. 

As a limited release, once it’s gone, it’s gone so if you want to add it to you collection, make sure to purchase directly from Amazon. 

There will be more anime reviews soon so…

Stay Tuned!