Its quite an engrossing watch in a sense. As ever with such an anime film, the quality of the seemingly 2D animation is quite remarkable and I particularly liked the scenes which showed more traditional animation but with a 3D element, such as it seeming as if the camera is swooping through (sometimes quite vibrantly colourful) landscapes. Its got an almost medieval setting to it and thematically it reminded me a little of The Tale of the Princess Kaguya and also of Violet Evergarden, with loneliness being a key theme - that and displacement. I enjoyed this film as a piece of anime fantasy escapism, in these troubling times.
This is a story of irreplaceable time, woven by two lonely people who can only find solace in each other. But as the era changes, the bond between Maquia and Ariel changes too, amidst a backdrop of racial tensions between the Iorph and the Mezarte. Maquia raises this boy "Ariel", with the help of some new friends. She then encounters an orphaned baby who is “alone”. Maquia manages to escape, but loses her friends and her home in the chaos. But the tranquil lives of the Iorph are shattered in an instant when the Mezarte army invades their territory on a dragon fleet, seeking the blood that grants the Iorph long life. Maquia, an orphaned Iorph girl, lives her life in an oasis surrounded by friends, yet somehow feels “alone”. They live for centuries while maintaining their youthful appearance.
But the tranquil lives of the Iorph are The people of Iorph live far away from the lands of men, weaving the happenings of each day into a fabric called Hibiol. Summary: The people of Iorph live far away from the lands of men, weaving the happenings of each day into a fabric called Hibiol.