Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
toxicgreen777
First off, do not let the kitten character designs and animation style fool you. This is NOT a happy kids movie. Night on the Galactic Railroad is one of the most surrealist, bittersweet, and philosophical films ever made, dealing with topics of self-sacrifice, selflessness, death, the afterlife, and religion. The novel of the same name this movie is based on was published around 1934 after the author, Kenji Miyazawa, passed away in 1933. Although I am by no means an expert in this man's history, this story really helps explain his thoughts on the afterlife and his purpose for his life in a very thought-provoking and interpretive way for the audience.
For a film that was made in 1985 based on a story that wasn't published until 1934, the science fiction setting as Campanella and Giocanni…
Read at the sourceAeroGunz
“Night on the Galactic Railroad” is what happens when You have a hell of a trip after a bunch of drugs You took to deal with a really, Really tough day.
One night a boy named Giovanni finds himself on a very unique train. He doesn’t really have any recollection of getting a ticket. On the train he finds his (probably only) friend - Campanella. Together they travel through the galaxy on the way to the edge of the universe. During the ride they meet a bunch of people who have different takes on life and witness a lot of things that would make You question Your sanity on a normal day, and develop their relationship further.
The longer the ride goes the more it is obvious that Giovanni is a bit special. Something that is shown by a unique ticket he possesses. A ticket so unique that even a pa…
Read at the sourceTableDrawz
let's be honest if you have a short attention span and you only like generic anime this probably isnt for you, but if you're the type to watch anime to live an experience, to feel like youre traveling somewhere else or to simply discover a new world, this is definitely an anime for you. This is an emotional ride about friendship but also about life. Its a simple, dreamy anime where things are simply happening and you need to just stay along for the ride instead of nit picking every detail.
Story- 10/10
Its fun, you just need to listen to it and not think too much. seriously dont, that anime is only fun if you're just listening to it, especially with someone else.
Characters- 9/10
they're not really special or different, but once you get to the end of the movie you still feel like you m…
Read at the sourceEriolElfwin
An extremely well hidden gem in a world of superficial entertainment that I was lucky to stumble upon.
The entire movie is incredibly atmospheric and dream-like, the scenery is beautiful, the same for the music. It has the quality that some movies have to resemble a work of art, like a painting that draws you into it and makes you spend some time just appreciating it. I don't mind low pacing in general, I actually like it, and here the low-pacing is an extra plus that increases appreciation time. I could just watch it again and again.
And it is not just empty beauty. The story is touching, deep, and emotional, and just adds to the overall beauty of everything. It's actually much more serious than I was expecting, with some dark revelations and concepts, although there is enough hope in i…
Read at the sourceEpisodicFan
This movie is paradoxical for a number of reasons, but the most important one was how it merged a sense of calmness with unease. Its extremely slow pace was an open invitation to a very contemplative viewing experience. There is a generous abundance of silent moments in which the characters are able to allow their emotions to sink in, and in turn the viewer is allowed to interpret their thoughts and emotions. Inner monologues are practically non-existent, and the dialogue is enunciated very naturally, more for the benefit of the moment than for the viewers' comprehension. This is not a negative point, far from it. Those quiet scenes in which we are able to take in the atmosphere are meant to lead us into thought, into interpretation, and the message is either clear enough or just elusive e…
Read at the sourcePup_Linton
Even being one of my favorite movies, it’s really hard to me to review this movie, but I’ll do my best.
The story is amazing, but the way the movie tells it could be better. Sometimes it doesn’t flow smoothly. If you are looking for an action-packed movie, this is not for you. I think this is a movie to take a moment and just watch it, but sometimes the movie kind of stops and that can be bothering. Also the story is very philosophical, so the meaning of the movie isn’t evident the first time you watch it. I had to read an analysis of the book to completely understand it.
The art is ASTONISHING. The music was composed by Haruomi Hosono and is sometimes eerie, but also very beautiful. The art of the movie is magnificent and oneiric (also kinda trippy tbh)
The characters are cute kitties! I…
Read at the sourcePankiePea
Night on the Galactic Railroad is one of those movies that tries really hard to be deep and meaningful. If you like these sorts of movies, you’ll probably be able to find enjoyment in this one. It’s not entirely on the same level of weird, abstract/surreal as something like 2001 A Space Odyssey, but it’s approaching it.
The characters are dreadful. They don’t react to anything that happens around them, even when insane things are occurring. It’s hard to talk about the characters because they do not do very much throughout the movie. Mostly we see shots of them looking at things and being bored. I would say we’re shown their reactions, but as I already mentioned, the characters do not react to anything and have blank, bored looks plastered on their faces.
Did I mention this movie is inc…
Read at the sourceEvangelynn
What an interesting film.
I've never truly seen anything quite like this movie, and I find myself thinking about it quite often.
The story is very simple, yet very complex at the same time. Just about two little cat boys who ride a giant train and travel across the universe, in it all being a metaphor for dying and being taken to heaven.
While this film is very slow and can drag at moments, its extremely atmospheric. The inside of the train and the cats are nothing special but some of the backgrounds are STUNNING. Things like the giant cross and fields seen from the train look very well drawn, especially for the time this movie was made.
It should also be noted that the main theme is one of my favorite orchestrated pieces of all time. Such a beautiful and haunting tune, combining a mu…
Read at the sourceephemerry
Night on the Galactic Railroad is a perilous adventure of two cat-people, Giovanni and Campanella, who travel through space on a train that glides through galaxiesーor is it? This iconic film is something that bred films like Angel’s Egg and Yuasa Masaaki’s adaptation of Nekojiru-sou; this movie is a heavily surrealistic, auteur piece that breaches the boundaries of mortality and death. An unfettered classic that will send shivers down your spine with the eerie atmosphere and emotionally intense climax.
The story begins with the protagonist, Giovanni, running errands for his sickly motherーwhich then turns into a magical adventure with the deuteragonistーthe protagonist’s closest friendーCampanella. Much of this movie is quiet and contemplative, rather than filled with dialogue; every speech…
Read at the sourcethenewtypetheory
Night on the Galactic Railroad is a slow-burning reflective piece about death and self-sacrifice. The story follows Giovanni, an absent minded yet diligent working class boy, through his night whisked away on an inter-dimensional trail ride. Though adapted in 1985 from the 1934 cult novel of the same name, the work’s enduring influence on anime cannot go unnoticed. This is what drew me to the work initially as I felt my understanding of shows like Mawaru-Penguindrum and Giovanni’s Island were lacking. After viewing the film I quickly realized how much wider this scope of impact was. For example, its persistently soft and otherworldly feel, and ephemeral characters are all over the waterside train scenes in Miyazaki’s Spirited Away. I was pleased to find that the film stands on its own desp…
Read at the sourceMidnightPuppet
+Beautifully atmospheric
+Simple character animation but gorgeous scenery
+Very artsy and symbolic
+Slower paced but I like it
+The characters were cute
+Surreal
-Yeah definitely for the more creative, artsy type (Which isn't really negative tbh)
As I said, this movie is very atmospheric, and very dreamlike. Yes, it's very slow paced, not much happens at once, but personally I love these types of movies now and then. These types of movies are always such a nice breather from the usual anime I watch. If you're more into shOUNEN, TONS OF DRAMA, SUSPENSE, FAST PACED ACTION then yeah you're definitely not going to like this movie. It's more something for people who are creative (What I mean by that is people who are, daydreamers, surrealist, artist ect ect).
But who knows, if you can hand…
Read at the sourceLadyStardust97
I really, honestly, don't think it's possible to capture the beauty of this movie in words. I don't even know if I can call it a movie, because it's nothing short of an experience. It's a languid, heavy exploration of the cosmos, relying heavily on esoteric symbolism and the lack of interaction projected AS interaction. Screenshots and short clips don't do it justice; just like a Captain Beefhart album, this is something that you need to sit down and take in in one sitting with no distractions.
The only thing I didn't give a perfect score to was the art, but please know that the art is gorgeous and the only reason I left off a point was because the high foreheads of the cats bothered me a little bit. Aside from that, I don't see any flaws.
Also: do not watch this movie if you want to wat…
Read at the sourceBowlingJD
Based on the classic Japanese fantasy novel by Kenji Miyazawa written around 1927, Night on the Galactic Railroad is a bit of a story with major themes hidden and in plain sight. One theme in particular, “What is true happiness” is the focal point. It was directed by Gisaburou Sugii (Astro Boy episode director), and a slew of other notable staff members, most of which went on to promising careers in the anime industry as directors or studio founders. One of note was Kōichi Mashimo, whom founded Studio Bee Train (.hack//sign).
The story centers on what appears to be a mix of an old Japanese town with Italian influences, hence the two main characters names Giovanni and Campanella. All the major characters in the anime are depicted as cats as to mellow down the somewhat depressing overall mo…
Read at the sourcepeachboo
To be known: I watched the dub version on 360p.
Regardless of watching this movie in 360p, the animation seemed to be astounding and dreamy. If I watched this movie on mute with no subtitles, the experience could have been a lot better.
The things I despised most were the sound and character. The music was off putting. The dialogue was vague and awkward. This could have been because I watched the dubbed version, but I would rather not watch this movie again to find out. Translation is a tricky thing for sure, but this was awful. Everything is so rigid and with no flow when the characters talk to each other.
Everything in this movie is spacey and rigid. If I had watched this as a child, I would have been creeped out. The two main characters and their friends are okay character wise, t…
Read at the sourceScruffyjay
This is one of the most atmospheric movies I've seen in awhile. It's very abstract, the animation and character design is very well done, especially for its age. This story stresses on friendship and makes you reflect on life. It impacted me very emotionally at the end, and there were many scenes I did not expect at all. The music, especially, was very well placed, and pleasing to the ear. Overall, this is the kind of movie I would love to show to all of my friends.
Read at the sourceThat_Bulge
-No spoilers are contained within this review-
Night on the galactic Railroad is quite the ride… to say the least. Before beginning this movie I had been given fair warning, yet I still proceeded giving it the benefit of the doubt.
Story (2/10)
Have you ever smoked acid? Me neither, but I’m pretty sure this story is something that might pop into your head if you did. Get ready for the ride of your life as you follow two cardboard cutouts into a cluster of strange and meaningless scenes. Usually stories have linear plots and character developments with a twist at the end that makes everything make sense. Gisaburou Sugii throws all of that out the windows. Night on the Galactic Railroad is a tale that will leave you shocked at the fact that you just spent over an hour of your life watchi…
Read at the sourcektulu007
Unlike a lot of anime films, Night on the Galactic Railroad isn't based on a game, a manga or a light novel. It's based on a children's story written by Miyazawa Kenji. It's a novel that's unfinished. Miyazawa was still polishing the middle of the piece when he died in 1933. The novel was posthumously published as it was and it became a classic work of children's literature. In 1985 it was made into an anime film. How well does it work? Let's take a look and find out.
We open with our protagonist, Giovanni attending classes. Giovanni attends school with all the other cats... Yes, cats. All the characters in this were replaced by talking cats most of which need to put on pants. For those of you who aren't familiar with the book, it's not originally about cats. That pointless change aside,…
Read at the sourcekekekeKaj
I'm really in two minds on what to make of "Night on the Galactic Railroad". On one hand it seems to be quite a subtle anime with deep and hidden meanings, on the other hand it's so booooriiiiing. One thing I am sure of though, is that in terms of effective audience targeting, this anime badly misses its mark. It's meant to be for children, but it'll be a miracle to find some that can actually sit out the whole film and absorb some of its meanings. For one thing the pacing is far too slow for children, and for another it's far too incoherent. In fact, even I had trouble keeping concentration, especially during the first half. My mind would often start wandering and then I'd suddenly realise that the scene's completely changed without me noticing, which is NOT a good sign. I couldn't be ars…
Read at the sourceklausfish
This is a movie for dreamers. That's as simple as I can state it. It evokes strong interest and emotion from the viewer. I was on the edge of my seat. It is paced much like an odyssey-traveling along an ever changing magical landscape that you feel you are becoming part of. The artwork has a simplistic beauty that is extremely pleasing to the eye. There is a feeling of drama and intensity all throughout, even in the smallest of scenes you feel as if you are on the verge of-something, something big. This movie is for the fantasy, fairytale and visual experience fans. I feel like I have just watched my first piece of fantastical anime. That's a pretty huge feeling, I hope you can share the same.
Read at the sourceTenchio
Night on the Galactic Railroad, or Ginga Tetsudou no Yoru, may be based on a children's book, but it's definitely a movie anyone can enjoy. To be completely honest, I think I would've been seriously scared had I watched this when I was younger - it's quite creepy at times. Almost all characters in NotGR are cats with human proportions for some reason. I don't know if this was the case in the original book, but I never felt like it mattered, actually. Judging from the synopsis, it was because the animators were lazy, and that may've been the case for all I know.
The story starts off on an Italian-esque countryside, on the day of the so called Centaurus Festival. We are introduced to the movie's main character, a blue cat named Giovanni, who apparently is being bullied because of his father…
Read at the source