Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
The rigorous city life of China, while bustling and unforgiving, contains the everlasting memories of days past. Three stories told in three different cities, follow the loss of youth and the daunting realization of adulthood. Though reality may seem ever changing, unchangeable are the short-lived moments of one's childhood days. A plentiful bowl of noodles, the beauty of family and the trials of first love endure the inevitable flow of time, as three different characters explore the strength of bonds and the warmth of cherished memories. Within the disorder of the present world, witness these quaint stories recognize the comfort of the past, and attempt to revive the neglected flavors of youth.
Flavors of Youth is a visually sumptuous anthology co-produced by CoMix Wave Films (the studio behind Your Name), and its cinematography is genuinely exceptional — lush, painterly backgrounds and meticulous food and cityscape animation that elevate the material significantly. However, the three vignettes vary considerably in emotional depth, and the plotting across them is thin and episodic, leaning on nostalgia as a substitute for narrative drive. The stories are gentle and pleasant but rarely surprising, following familiar coming-of-age and lost-love beats without much structural innovation. The anthology format also means none of the endings land with real weight — they dissolve rather than resolve. Acting (voice performance) is serviceable. Novelty is moderate: the anthology structure and Makoto Shinkai-adjacent aesthetic give it some distinctiveness, but the emotional territory is well-trodden.