The Story Doesn’t End Here

In recent years, I’ve found that the supposed end of a story of any kind isn’t quite as conclusive as I once expected it to be. And I don’t mean in a narrative sense (although some arguments can be made for that), what I’m talking about relates more to its impact on my interests, my understanding, and me as a person. In some respects, this is the logical result – it’s hard not to be affected in some way or another by the many thing you encounter in your day to day life and this is especially the case for stories. After all, their primary objective is to catch our attention and take us for a ride outside the confines of reality. Through fiction, feelings, emotions, ideas, and understanding can all be conveyed powerfully to anyone willing to watch or listen.

It’s obvious, I know. But this kind of crazy simple thing is something that I’ve really come to love.

Two months ago, I watched Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name. The emotions it tried to convey and the underlying story it wanted to tell made me realize how little I really knew about the world and myself.

Two days ago, Re:Creators reminded me how much fun it was to speculate about the intentions and message of a show and how much insight into myself that speculation would result in.

And yesterday, I finally got to watch A Silent Voice – a movie with so much to unpack, understand, and appreciate that it made my head spin.

These movies and shows, the light novels and manga, are things that I’ve become enamored with – even if I hadn’t cared much for them the first time around. No, especially if I didn’t think much of them at first. The capacity for these things to be loved gives them a lifeline that lasts as long as the last captivated heart. It’s self-perpetuating and almost organic, striving to live as long as possible and to deliver its message as many as possible – whatever that might be.

And I think that’s pretty amazing.