Mary and The Witch’s Flower - Simplicity at It’s Peak

Whenever I heard grown people say they didn’t watch cartoons, I always stared at them, knowing that that was something I didn’t relate to, and never may relate to. However, change started gradually. It started with me becoming selective of the cartoons I watched, then the range got wider and wider. I don’t know how far this change is going to eat into that part of my life that once obsessed over cartoons, but for now, I’m simply exploring all genres out there.

A friend of mine recommended the Japanese animation ‘Mary and the Witch’s Flower’ to me. So, on a random day, when I wanted to watch a cartoon but couldn’t bring myself to watch one for fear of it cringing me out, I settled for this. Here’s my review on it.

The Japanese animation centers around Mary, a little girl, who happened to come across a magic flower while wandering the woods on a random day. Holding the magic flower in hand, she lays her hand on a witch’s broom that’s been hidden in the woods for years, thereby activating the broomstick’s flying powers. Mary, from there is flown into a world she’d never imagined existed. Not only does she get to explore a different world, she also gets to discover secrets about her family, and fight for them also.

The plot of this animation was quite simple and fun. I laughed out loud at intervals, and dreaded for the protagonist, everytime I sensed something bad was about to happen. I was too engrossed in this show for my own good, and I can’t even pinpoint the reason. I’m a huge lover of fantasy, and the fantasy elements this movie had, was so satisfying to watch. Perhaps it’s why I jerked to reality everytime someone around me called my name while watching the film, lol.

Secrets were uncovered a lot in this show, and talents were discovered. I love how the writers blended everything together - from suspense and comedy down to the fantasy aspect. I had to stay glued to my phone all the while this movie played, because I feared I’d miss something due to how suspenseful it was.

Mary is that cute little character you can’t help but love. There were scenes where she made me laugh, and there were scenes where I was curious to see the result of the choices she made. As you must have guessed, yes! I liked her. She carried the film single-handedly, being the only protagonist. There was also Peter. As much as he became likeable at the end, I couldn’t look past some actions of his earlier. He was the closest to a male lead in this film, however, he’s what I’d describe as a shallow character.

This is a movie that’s safe for both kids and adults. I liked how the message of greed was passed. It was passed in such a way that you didn’t even know you were getting a moral lesson, till you’re probably replaying the scenes in your head, few moments after watching. I didn’t expect too much from the animation when I started it actually so the fact that it outdid my expectations was a plus in itself, wasn’t it? I’d rate this movie a 7.5 out of 10. It was entertaining.

Thanks for reading.