“Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop” is a Japanese animated film, released in 2021 and directed by Kyōhei Ishiguro. Premiering at the 2020 Shanghai International Film Festival, the movie centers around Yui “Cherry” Sakura, a shy boy expressing himself through haikus, and Yuki, known as “Smile,” an online influencer concealing her braces behind a mask.
I recently rewatched the movie, and once again I realized that I haven’t reviewed the content yet. So, I buckled up and here I am with the movie review.
Table of Contents
Without any further ado, let us get going with-
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop – The Narrative
At Oda Nouvelle Mall, Kouichi “Cherry” Sakura spends his summer break working at an elderly care center. Cherry, a reserved boy who finds solace in writing haikus to express his emotions, grapples with the challenge of reciting them publicly.
Amidst a chaotic pursuit involving delinquent Beaver and mall security, Cherry accidentally swaps phones with Smile, an online influencer concealing her buckteeth behind a face mask. As the two get to know each other, they discover a shared interest in their respective hobbies.
Smile joins Cherry at the elderly care center, contributing to the preparation of the Daruma Folk Song for the upcoming summer festival. When Fujiyama, a care center regular, expresses his longing to hear the “YAMAZAKURA” record, Cherry and Smile embark on a quest to locate it, discovering it to be a cherished recording by Fujiyama’s late wife.
Suspecting the record’s presence in a vintage shop, Cherry and Smile enlist the help of mall friends to thoroughly search the premises. After finding the record behind a refrigerator, they plan to play it. While making arrangements, Smile invites Cherry to watch the festival fireworks together, and he agrees. However, their plans take a turn when Smile accidentally breaks the record while attempting to flatten it.
The following day, Cherry and Smile attempt to apologize to Fujiyama but are interrupted by the revelation that Cherry will be moving away on the festival day. Disheartened, Smile bids a regretful farewell to Cherry.
On the festival day, Smile presents Fujiyama with a reassembled record as an apology, only to discover a functional copy repurposed as a wall clock in the care center. Inspired, Smile hatches a plan to incorporate the record into the care center’s performance. As Cherry’s family car passes the mall, he notices his haiku about Smile spray-painted on street signs by Beaver.
Summoning his courage, Cherry rushes to the festival and confesses his feelings for Smile through a haiku atop a tower. The fireworks begin, and Smile responds by removing her mask, revealing her smile in a touching moment.
Things Which I Liked A Lot From Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop
Unique Characters: The characters, such as Yui “Cherry” Sakura and Yuki aka “Smile,” are portrayed with distinct personalities and challenges, making them relatable and engaging for the audience. They both suffer from insecurities which they have skilled up in hiding from the rest of the world.
However, in the end, both of them overcome their insecurities. Yui speaks out loud his emotions not caring about the mass standing in front of him. Smile removes her mask putting in front her bare face.
Charming Setting: The backdrop of a rural area with a large shopping mall adds charm to the story. Settings can play a crucial role in creating a vivid and immersive experience for the audience. Also, the representation was very cozy and warm.
Themes of Communication: The theme of difficulty in communication, especially through unconventional means like haikus, adds depth to the narrative. It explores the nuances of human connection and the challenges individuals face in expressing themselves.
Romantic Element: The budding romance between the characters adds an emotional layer to the story. Romance is a universal theme that often resonates with audiences. However, their meeting and then towards the end whatever happens to the relationship was extremely cute and impeccably dramatic. I must add that the situations reminded me of Bollywood movies.
Cinematic Elements: The narrative is highly benefited from the visual representation of the movie. Also, the storytelling techniques, that are employed in the project were impactful, well, you will definitely rewatch the content a lot of times, this is what I mean. Overall the animation, direction, and cinematography contributed to the comprehensive appeal of the film.
TOTT’s Take On Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop is an anime film with a unique and engaging narrative. It explores themes of communication, features distinct and relatable characters, and incorporates elements of romance set against the backdrop of a charming rural setting and a bustling shopping mall.
As with any piece of entertainment, individual preferences may vary, and the enjoyment of the movie depends on personal tastes. However, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the movie.
#ADI am delighted to rate the movie-
But, this is it for today, hope to meet you all very soon for my next publication.
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