When Marnie Was There
Upon being sent to live with relatives in the countryside due to an illness, an emotionally distant adolescent girl becomes obsessed with an abandoned mansion and infatuated with a girl who lives there - a girl who may or may not be real.
Critics Sentiment
Anna meets mysterious blonde girl Marnie at mansion
Anna discovers documents showing foster parents are paid
The film drops to its emotional low when Anna discovers the painful truth about her foster care payments, then soars to its highest point with the grandmother revelation that reframes everything as a story of enduring family love.
When Marnie Was There builds steadily from a beautifully animated but melancholic opening to an emotionally transcendent climax. Critics consistently praised the gorgeous visuals and deep character work, with the mysterious friendship at the center driving audience engagement. The final revelation about Marnie being Anna's grandmother was universally celebrated as a masterful twist that elevated the entire film into a profound meditation on family bonds across generations.
Full cast
Sara Takatsuki
Anna Sasaki (voice)
Kasumi Arimura
Marnie (voice)
Nanako Matsushima
Yoriko Sasaki (voice)
Susumu Terajima
Kiyomasa Oiwa (voice)
Toshie Negishi
Setsu Oiwa (voice)
Ryoko Moriyama
Elderly Lady (voice)
Kazuko Yoshiyuki
Nanny (voice)
Hitomi Kuroki
Hisako (voice)
Hiroyuki Morisaki
Art Teacher (voice)
Takuma Otoo
Neighborhood Association Officer (voice)
Hana Sugisaki
Sayaka (voice)
Bari Suzuki
Elderly Lady 2 (voice)
Shigeyuki Totsugi
Marnie's Father (voice)
Ken Yasuda
Toichi (voice)
Yo Oizumi
Dr. Yamashita (voice)
Yuhko Kaida
Marnie's Mother (voice)
Renge Ishiyama
Emily (voice)
Crew
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