Makoto is just an average Japanese teenager. One day, she wakes up to find herself late for school. Riding her bike furiously to get to class in time, she ends up colliding with a moving train when her bike brakes fail to stop her on a hill. However, she wakes up to find she is not in fact dead, but was instead transported through time back to right before the accident. She soon found how this new gift (called a time-leap) worked, so she constantly repeats parts of her life to make things better for herself. However, she learns that while making her life better, these repeats could have negative impacts on those around her. When she discovers that she only has a limited amount of time-leaps, this creates a tough situation for her to decide how to use them; decisions that could affect her closest friends. I won't write much more about the plot in case anyone wants to watch it, but it is a great story that is very touching.
This movie has won multiple awards, and it deserves every single one of them. This animation is beautiful, and the plot is amazing. While none of us have probably been in a time-leaping situation, this really hits home with the relationships that Makoto holds with her closest friends. The ending is a bit sad, but it's one of those ending where you know everything will work out well eventually. So if you've got a free hour and a half, watch this movie. You won't regret it.
