The Place Promised in Our Early Days (2004)

Within their colourful world of fairytale blue and pink skies, Shinkai's yearning hopefuls exist to transmit thoughts and stir personal, emotional responses in the viewer. The kind of wisdom that comes from knowing you were on the precipice of something beautiful but acutely aware that it could never be known fully until it passed is his stock-in-trade.
Keep in mind while viewing that the ‘Place’ of the title is more than just physical. Also that sometimes the mind knows what the heart wants is transitory, so it suggests hesitation and creates a distraction.
Music is by Shinkai's regular composer, Tenmon (Atsushi Shirakawa); it’s another perfect accompaniment to a timeless, bitter-sweet story.

5 distant branches out of 5