Millennium Actress is a 2001 animated film directed by the late Satoshi Kon. The film chronicles a two-man film crew, Genya Tachibana (voiced by Shozo Izuka) and Kyoji Ida (voiced by Masaya Onosaka) who are shooting a documentary about a recently bankrupt movie studio. While making the documentary, they’re granted access to the reclusive former star for the company, Chiyoko Fujiwara (voiced as an old lady by Miyoko Shoji, as an adult by Mami Koyama, and and as a child by Fumiko Orikasa), who proceeds to tell them about her career from when she was first spotted, to her very last role. While reminiscing, she reveals that everything she did (acting, traveling, etc.), she did to see a mysterious man (voiced by Koichi Yamadera) who gave her a key in her youth. 

The animation in this movie is beautiful, and extremely impressive considering that it was traditionally animated.It’s not up to par with Spirited Away, which came out the same year, but it still evokes the Ghibli feels. I will say however, that I think it’s more stylized, and dare I say it, smoother.  When Chiyoko is acting in the period piece, the background looks like an Ukiyo-e painting, and really puts the viewer in the moment, and when the train is attacked, the movements of everyone being knocked around is surprisingly realistic. 

The music is my favorite part. The leitmotif for Chiyoko when she’s happy really gives off major Totoro vibes, and the synths, while at first, don’t make sense, do contribute to the overall tone of whimsy. 

The voice acting is amazing, as it really brings the characters to life, and their emotions are conveyed realistically and clearly.  One character in particular being Chiyoko herself. Her emotions were conveyed the clearest, and each of her voices had their own distinct personality while still sounding like the same person. 

I will say however, that the documentary crew being inserted into the stories was very confusing at first, and it sort of made any climaxes in the scene a little lackluster. That said, once it’s explained why they’re there, it does start to make sense. However, it doesn’t make any of those climaxes fall any less flat. 

Though not as popular or influential as Spirited Away, Millennium Actress is another welcome addition to the then new wave of emotionally mature animated movies of the 90’s and early 2000’s. 

Despite the documentary crew, the movie is still beautiful in both story and animation, and I’d recommend it to any Ghibli and animation fan. 

I give it 8.5 keys out of 10.