The Courage to Restart

MOVIE REVIEWS
Chimney Town: Frozen in Time (映画 えんとつ町のプペル 〜約束の時計台〜)
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Genre: Animation, Fantasy, Drama
Year Released: 2026
Runtime: 1h 38m
Director(s): Yûsuke Hirota
Writer(s): Akihiro Nishino
Cast: Yuzuna Nagase, Masataka Kubota, Megumi
Where to Watch: shown at the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival

RAVING REVIEW: What happens to a child when the world keeps moving but their heart stays frozen at the moment of loss? CHIMNEY TOWN: FROZEN IN TIME builds its entire framing and structure around that question, using fantasy not as escape, but as a language for grief, belief, and the fear of standing still. Director Yûsuke Hirota returns to the universe first introduced in POUPPELLE OF CHIMNEY TOWN with a sequel that’s quieter, more inward-looking, and more emotionally deliberate, aimed less at extravaganza than at clarity.

The story follows Lubicchi, a young boy still carrying the weight of losing his closest companion, Poupelle. That loss becomes the doorway into a strange parallel world where unforgiving rules govern time itself. Clocks must tick, or they are discarded, erased without sentiment. In this realm, a single tower stands in defiance of logic, its clock frozen at 11:59, refusing to be removed. Lubicchi learns that restarting this clock is the only way home, setting him on a journey that’s less about mechanics than conviction.

What the film understands is that grief isn’t passive. It’s something that traps, immobilizes, and convinces you that forward motion is betrayal. Lubicchi’s reluctance to believe again isn’t framed as weakness, but as self-preservation. The fantasy elements, including Fluff, Gus, and Nagi, function less as just whimsical guides and more as emotional mirrors, each representing a different response to time, waiting, and faith. Gus, who has waited a hundred years, embodies devotion bordering on resignation. Nagi, a tree spirit who once lived as a human, represents transformation that can’t be undone.

Studio 4ºC’s animation is expressive without leaning into excess. The color palette offers a soft, almost muted selection, reinforcing the film’s preoccupation with liminal states, between childhood and maturity, belief and doubt, movement and stasis. The stopped clock at the tower becomes a haunting visual motif, not because it’s magical, but because it’s familiar. Everyone recognizes that moment when something inside them stops, even as the world insists on moving forward.

The film takes its time, sometimes deliberately, allowing moments of stillness to stay with you. For younger viewers, this may feel more contemplative than thrilling. For older viewers, especially those adjusted to stories about loss and resilience, the pacing feels intentional. The film isn’t in a rush to reassure the viewer. It wants the audience to sit with uncertainty before offering a resolution.

The voice performances ground the story with sincerity. Yuzuna Nagase brings a fragile resolve to Lubicchi, capturing the tension between fear and longing without overselling either. Masataka Kubota’s return as Poupelle carries added impact; his presence is less playful than before, more symbolic. The film treats Poupelle not only as a memory but also as something that must be understood differently now, so that Lubicchi can move forward.

Music by Fuuki Harumi supports the arc without dictating it. The score leans toward restraint, allowing silence and ambient sound to carry as much focus as melody. When the music swells, it does so gently, reinforcing moments of belief rather than screaming. Sound design further enhances the ticking, stopping, and restarting of clocks as a recurring emotional cue, subtly reinforcing the film’s central metaphor.

Where CHIMNEY TOWN: FROZEN IN TIME may divide audiences is in its ambition. The film clearly aims to speak to children and adults simultaneously, which means its metaphors occasionally lean towards a broad range. Concepts like faith, belief, and courage are articulated clearly, sometimes more directly than some viewers might prefer. The film’s sincerity prevents it from feeling hollow, though. It believes in what it’s saying, and that belief carries throughout.

This film is designed to be accessible to younger viewers while resonating with those watching alongside them. By the time the film reaches its climax, the miracle that occurs doesn’t feel earned through spectacle, but through emotional readiness. The clock doesn’t restart because Lubicchi solves a puzzle; it restarts because he allows himself to believe again, fully aware of what belief risks. That distinction matters. The film understands that faith isn’t certainty, it’s a choice.

CHIMNEY TOWN: FROZEN IN TIME is a thoughtful, emotionally grounded animated feature that values sincerity over flash. While its themes may feel familiar and its pacing deliberate, it offers a meaningful exploration of grief and belief that resonates most strongly when viewed as a shared experience across generations. There’s something undeniably powerful about such a simple idea being explored in a way that can connect to so many. I will say, while you don’t have to watch the previous film, it does offer a more fulfilling journey into this world if you do.

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[photo courtesy of STUDIO 4ºC, THE PR FACTORY]

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