Only Yesterday (1991)

As is happening more and more these days, this movie is not for young children, despite the animated feature. the oddity of this film is that while it was just released this year in the U.S., it was made in 1991, long before this sort of animated classic was much seen by American eyes.  the Japanese were well ahead of us on this front and continue to be.
The main character is a kind of young Japanese everywoman with a bit of an attitude, and a push back against the move away from the country. Taeko is a 27-year-old single salary woman in 1982 Tokyo. The movie begins with her telling a work colleague that she’s off to visit relatives in the countryside. Truth is, she has no actual close relatives there, but rather has signed up to help the family of her brother-in-law’s older brother in her destination to harvest safflowers. She is struggling with her future direction, her love interests, and the role of both work and family in her life.  The end result is a movie that makes you think, and is well worth watching.