Flavors of Youth is an exquisite and introspective animated anthology film that portrays various stages of life that range from blossoming love, to reminiscing about the little things that make life special. It is a product of collaboration between Japanese and Chinese studios. Released in 2018, the film encompasses three individual tales, each set in a different Chinese city. While the tales are all different, each of them are linked through a central idea of the relationship between memories and emotion, and the seemingly insignificant details of life.
Gentle storytelling and animation combined with the relatability of the film make it stand out. Flavors of Youth is not bogged down with unnecessary excitement. It focuses on simple and unadorned activities. These activities can be indulging in a steaming bowl of noodles, listening to an ancient cassette, the cozy embrace of family, or even the soft glowing light of a childhood house.
Structure and Format
Flavors Of Youth is divided into three shorts:
The Rice Noodles
A Little Fashion Show
Love In Shanghai
Each city hosts a new character and new story, but none of the stories dive deeper the the characters and the plots for all of them, Elements of nostalgia and existential drifting in the present defines all their stories. Each story is a comes of age story focused on self-discovery and recognizing the nuances of life.
Story 1: The Rice Noodles
Taking place in Hunan, the story follows the reminiscences of a San Xian noodle. More specifically the story follows the life of Xiao Ming. The San Xian noodles were more than just a food item to him, they represented the family, comfort, and love. Xiao Ming’s Noodle Shop memories with the grandmother portray Xiao Ming’s life the way they remember It.
Like a moth drawn to a flame, the city fills Xiao Ming with reminisce. The feeling offered with a single noodle bowl remains unmatched to this day, and resturuants have innumerably surfaced. They’ve changed, but so has the world. Xiao Ming, like many, is enamored with beauty and culture from a distant land, and the the world works and evolves, leaving nostalgia behind.
Thoroughly intertwined nostalgia wraps around the story, emphasizing the precious memory with the food, and emphasizing the fond food from a childhood. It’s bittersweet, with childhood being loved, and growing up is rude, considering the sacredness of childhood is rudely ripped away.
It’s obvious as to how this is the very lesson being encompassed in Story 2. Keeping this in mind, the very central theme is also hope: and how it crucial to our being, to extract individuals like the old Xiao Ming with his bowl of noodles.
Thud. The bright flashing of the lights was a clear indication that the show was over. “Perfect. You guys nailed it today. Couldn’t have imagined a better result.” As the curtains rest as a dream curtains caress the skins of the fashion biters sitting in the first row.
The slits serving as the windows converse in silence, deeply astounded with the image stitched in. The light ripped straight from the sun, illuminating off each Bengal, her face as brilliant as light, catching the black Bengal and dancing with its sleek patterns.
The soft rain dirties the crystal skin, but the pride of a dozen diamonds unable to separate from the sturdy satin skin, only glide and smear.
As she experiences emotional distress, Yi Lin starts to withdraw from her sister while forgetting the original reason she began modeling in the first place. The moment she sees a dress designed by Lulu, a work that reflects the essence of childhood and the connection the two of them share, is an example of a breakthrough.
This narrative emphasizes the importance of family, self passion, and self rediscovery. It reflects the struggles of growing up, the positive role of siblings, and the quest for self authenticity. The subtle and nuanced development of Yi Lin in the story is incredibly empowering. It is beautiful, yet motivating, to know that the love and encouragement a person needs, does not stem from their success but, rather, their family.
Story 3. Love in Shanghai
As the title suggests, the last and thirs story is named Love in Shanghai, and it takes place in the 1990s Shanghai. One of the main characters of the story is a high school student named Li Mo, who is reminiscing the first love of his life with a girl named Xiao Yu. They shared a cassette tapes on which they would record their voice with messages to each other. Over time, their relationship became closer as they chased dreams to go to the same school and build a life together.
With most things in life, though, things change. Their dreams are slowly neglected family, society, and consequences of poor opportunities. Years later, Li Mo is listening to an old tape and learns that to save his feelings, Xiao Yu had to keep her feelings hidden, along with her dreams, just to allow him pursue his.
Regret, first love, and the passage of time are the main themes. We are reminded that though remembering the past might be painful, with a clear head, we can make peace with the past. what’s more important is that we had love. In the final scene is an indication, time is bound to change people. what we had with, is the most special to us and securely locked in our hearts
The film, Flavors of Youth, presents the myriad of universally acknowledged themes and messages.
Nostalgia and memories is an important motif in the film. each of the three stories is anchored in reminiscence.
The film depicts the struggle of growing up to be a woman in the world – portraying her as a woman in society. the dual nature of beauty, and the underlying painful emotion, of becoming is sadness.
- Family and Relationships
The film cherishes emotional connections that go unarticulated like the unspoken love and affection between siblings and the unvoiced hardships of youthful love.
- Everyday Beauty
The film encourages us to find pleasure in the mundane by portraying a bowl of noodles, a hand-sewn dress, and a cassette tape with unadorned exquisite simplicity.
Animation and Visual Style
The animation of Flavors of Youth is intricate and vivid, drenched in feeling. Each tale uses light, color, and setting to express the characters’ feelings and the narrative’s emotional shift. For instance:
The Rice Noodles has warm hues and gentle light to evoke a sense of nostalgia and reminiscences of childhood.
A Little Fashion Show is drenched in vivid hues to mirror the colorful, yet frantic, realm of fashion and modeling, filled with stylish attires.
Love in Shanghai nostalgically captures the era with imagery of antique bicycles, narrow alleyways, and cassette tape players.
The depth of emotion intertwined with the animated visuals creates a sense of fulfillment within the simplicity of the narrative. Though short, every part feels whole.
Conclusion
As an audience member, I can confidently say that Flavors of Youth is a film that is not centered around action or suspense, but rather one that works on the gentle pangs of the heart and emotions. There are three stories that are heart-warming and complex in their own ways: the stories of coming of age, lost opportunities, silenced sentiments, and the remnants that stay with us. To appreciate and enjoy these beauties, one doesn’t have to live in my mind or experience my complex reality. \
These stories can be cherished and felt with to a certain extent and the movie works on the gentle strategy of nostalgia. It is meant to wriggle and wiggle in the back of your mind. This would ring true for anyone who has memories of a favorite dish cooked and served, memories of a sibling, or first crushes.
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