When Marnie Was There (film)

When Marnie Was There (Japanese 思い出のマーニー, literally Marnie of Memories) is a 2014 psychological drama film directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi and animated by Studio Ghibli based on the novel of the same name by Joan G. Robinson. The rights were sold to Ghibli in spring 2012, and the novel gained a boost in sales following the film's release. It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2015, but lost to Pixar's Inside Out. It is the last film to be produced before the restructuring of Studio Ghibli, and the last film for Yonebayashi before leaving Ghibli and joining Studio Ponoc.

When Marnie Was There follows the story of twelve year old Anna Sasaki, who, after an asthma attack, moves in with her foster parents' relatives Setsu and Kiyomasa Oiwa for the summer, where the air is cleaner. There, she meets Marnie, a mysterious girl who lives in the mansion near the marsh. The film focuses on Anna's interactions with Marnie, and Anna's growing self esteem arising from these interactions, as well as Anna's journey to uncover who Marnie really was.

Of course, being a Ghibli movie, the film has the studio-mandated rolling hills, lush green forests, Silence Is Golden, and Slice of Life moments.


 * Aerith and Bob: You can tell whether a character is from the original book or created by Ghibli by their name. We have the standard English Anna and Marnie, but also Sayaka, the Oiwa family, and Hisako.
 * Apologises a Lot: Anna at the start of the film, who apologizes for costing her caregivers money.
 * Arcadia: Anna is sent to live this lifestyle to improve her health, frequently exploring the forest and beaches surrounding her new house.
 * Bait and Switch Lesbians: Although never explicitly stated in the marketing for the film, almost every sign in the film points to a potential relationship between Anna and Marnie. Then.
 * Blush Sticker: Anna frequently gets these, especially when she's with Marnie.
 * Bittersweet Ending:
 * The trope can also apply in real life. When Marnie Was There is Ghibli's last film that they produced before their restructuring, and shutting down their animation department. Its bittersweet ending, thus, makes the studio's farewell even more emotional.
 * But Now I Must Go: During Anna and Marnie's last interaction, where Marnie asks for forgiveness. "Marnie: "Anna, I cannot stay here any longer, I have to say goodbye to you. So please, Anna, I need to hear that you forgive me.""


 * Coming of Age Story: The film focuses on Anna slowly gaining more self esteem through her interactions with Marnie, becoming a more confident person in the process.
 * Conveniently Interrupted Document: Marnie's diary, so audiences do not prematurely find about
 * Creative Closing Credits: The credits are imposed over a slideshow of backgrounds of the film, and it's very clear that Ghibli put a lot of work and effort into these backgrounds.
 * Dead All Along:
 * Dream Sequence: Anna has these of the mansion before meeting Marnie, identifiable by the foggy environment and slightly desaturated colours. In these sequences Anna is standing in the marsh in front of Marnie's mansion, and gazing into a window where Marnie is visible and having her hair stroked.
 * Ghibli Hills: A very frequent occurrence in long and wide shots of the film, given who made it.
 * Mr. Exposition: Or Ms. Exposition, in this case, as Hisako explains Marnie's backstory.
 * No Antagonist: As this is an internal, character driven conflict.
 * Opening Monologue: Anna does this at the start of the film, explaining how she is an outsider and cannot fit into the existing social circles.
 * Sailor Fuku: In the beginning of the film, Anna leaves her school bag and sketchbook at school. The girls who return them wears these.
 * Scenery Porn: The film has many shots focused on green forests, the sky, or just a wide shot looking out into the distance. These shots often bring the already slow pacing to a standstill.
 * Secondary Character Title: Marnie appears in the title despite Anna being the protagonist.
 * Silence Is Golden: There are prolonged periods in the film where there are no dialogue or even music whatsoever, and the film shows you its lush world. In addition, the entire film can be described as quiet, with gentle music as well as soft and calming sound effects.
 * Slice of Life: Scenes in Oiwa family's house, showing actions such as eating, writing a letter, cooking, or gardening. In addition, many slice of life elements, such as a biker passing by, are visible in the backgrounds of some shots.
 * The Reveal: When Anna discovers