Dareka no Manazashi shows what short anime shows can be like. Usually the best shorts are funny because the easiest way to get emotion in such a short amount of time is to make someone laugh. Dareka no Manazashi does not fall into that common category for shorts nor does it try to do a school age slice of life like many other shorts have tried as well. This short follows the relationship between a father and daughter throughout their lives.
Dareka no Manazashi shows how a relationship with a family member can go from close to more distant as time goes by. The progression from childhood to adulthood watching Aya get more independent and grow away from her dad helped to make the audience feel attached to her.
On both sides they are hiding things from the other because they no longer feel comfortable talking about them together. It can be very hard to talk to a parent about things going badly. Most people want their parents not to worry and believe everything is OK. It is touching seeing the both of them hide how upset they are to be apart to make it easier for the other person.
Having the cat pass away bring the two back together was the right touch. While it was sad that their pet was gone it got the two back together which is what the cat would have wanted. There was also a nice life keeps moving forward moment with the new kitten the dad brought home. Maybe the new cat will bring them close once again.
It was a pretty cool touch that the narrator appears to be the cat. At first it seemed like the mom, but later it was obviously the cat. That explains things like the cat referring to her as an old lady, since the girl would be old for a cat, while is not all that old for a person.
Usually I would not be able to say this much about a 7 min show, but it is so well done that there was quite a bit to say. The relationship between the father and daughter felt so real. Most people could identify with the actions going on in the anime, so it was able to evoke a strong emotion in such a short period of time. A lot of anime is frivolous and made for purposes that are not the best. I can only wish that more anime would show things that feel real and are as easy to identify with as Dareka no Manazashi. This is the direction anime should be going in. Even if the story of the anime is about a different world the emotions are the same and should make sense so the viewer can relate to them.
