Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms(さよならの朝に約束の花をかざろう)

Film Threat by

If you’re not a fan of anime, give it try. Be open and patient.

The Guardian by Cath Clarke

It is a poignant set-up but, disappointingly, Okada’s ideas about motherhood don’t cut as deep as they could.

Los Angeles Times by Charles Solomon

At almost two hours, the film feels a bit long and suffers from multiple endings, but Okada is clearly a talent to watch.

Time Out by Dan Jolin

Ultimately, it’s [Okada's] attention to the emotional content, honed over years of writing romantic youth dramas (both animated and live action), that makes ‘Maquia’ so compelling. It’s a coming-of-age story, of sorts, even if the main character can’t age.

The Hollywood Reporter by Deborah Young

Okada both wrote and directed Maquia, which showcases her ability to depict complex relationships and project delicate character arcs.

ReelViews by James Berardinelli

Though not unusual for animated movies to provoke tears, Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms is perhaps the second animated film I would openly classify as a “tearjerker” (the first being Grave of the Fireflies).

Variety by Jessica Kiang

It’s possible that the film’s passing pleasures are so rich that we don’t even notice how deep Okada has driven her storytelling dagger until she pulls it out in the end, and the tears come, adding, to the bitterness and sweetness of this moving and strange little fable, a hefty dose of salt.