The Girl Who Leapt Through Time 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

If at first you don't succeed...

Reviewed by Randy Miller III May 12, 2026

Scripted by Satoko Okudera and intended as a sequel to the 1967 sci-fi novel by Yasutaka Tsutsui (which had already been adapted multiple times, including as a 1983 live-action drama), Mamoru Hosoda's The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a lightweight animated fantasy film with strong slice-of-life elements, taking quite awhile to fully hook viewers into its familiar Groundhog Day-like premise. Maybe too long, even: while this 99-minute production ultimately unfolds into a bittersweet and decently moving story, there's a lot of stop-and-start drama to wade through first.

The girl in question is teenage Makoto (voiced by Riisa Naka in the original Japanese, and Emily Hirst in the English dub), a high school student who pals around with Kōsuke (Mitsutaka Itakura, Alex Zahara) and Chiaki (Takuya Ishida, Andrew Francis), mostly playing catch on the baseball field. A somewhat clumsy girl, she's usually late to school and seen as a nuisance when biking to class on the crowded city streets. One day she happens to fall on an unusual walnut-shaped object and brushes it off... but on her way to visit her sweet aunt Kazuko (Sachie Hara, Saffron Henderson), a restorationist at the Tokyo National Museum who she nicknames "Aunt Witchy", Makoto's brakes fail on a steep slope and she's propelled into a passing train, presumably killing her instantly. This might have suddenly become the darkest movie ever... but luckily it doesn't, because Makoto mysteriously rewinds time by a few minutes, leaving her at the top of the hill in perfect health but obviously confused. During their visit, Aunt Witchy suggests that Makoto has developed the power to leap backwards in time, which is triggered by jumping while moving at a high rate of speed.

Makoto eventually learns to understand her strange new power, which is somehow related to a gradually decreasing number that appears on her forearm, but first uses it to basically restart the day and do everything she wants: get perfect grades, avoid awkward conversations, and of course not die in a bike accident. However, she soon learns that her "perfect day" might in fact be negatively affecting those around her, including a frequently bullied fellow student, so Makoto decides to consider her actions to benefit others instead of herself. But things get really strange when a second person with similar powers confronts Makoto from a distance, instantly sending The Girl Who Leapt Through Time into truly mind-bending and fantastical territory during its potentially bittersweet third act. All of a sudden, unrequired love has now entered the chat and poor Makoto may no longer be able to hit the reset button.

This is an appealing premise, as evidenced by its multiple adaptations through the years, but Mamoru Hosoda's take on The Girl Who Leapt Through Time only achieves "good, not great" status despite a few inarguably compelling highlights along the way. Former reviewer Casey Broadwater already penned a more complete synopsis and warmer appreciation of the film in his coverage of Bandai Entertainment's now out-of-print 2011 Blu-ray but, while I overall enjoyed myself, I consider it about on par with Peter Howitt's 1998 experimental drama Sliding Doors: decently interesting, but only as good as its core gimmick and nothing more. Perhaps there's too much lost in translation here, but I often found myself struggling to fully connect with Makato and her pals despite being curiously invested in their fate. That judgment may soften in the future -- especially since there are obvious / through-lines early on that may heighten repeat viewings -- but in the present, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time doesn't hit all the marks it's clearly aiming for.

More recently reissued on Blu-ray by FUNimation in 2022 (but again obviously now out-of-print), The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is here to stay on 4K UHD via Shout Factory in a Steelbook combo pack that also includes a Blu-ray copy of the film. (Please note that this specific package is still listed as an Amazon exclusive through next month, where it'll be more widely available from other retailers and perhaps in a non-Steelbook edition as well.) A standard Shout Factory Blu-ray is also available right now for a very reasonable price... and though I usually don't say this, the cheaper version just might end up being the most sensible one to get based on this film's particular visual style.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

NOTE: These screenshots are sourced from the included Blu-ray, also available separately and reviewed here.

Hand-drawn animated films with simplistic character designs -- especially those upscaled from 2K source materials -- don't always show giant leaps in visual quality from Blu-ray to UHD, and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is a perfect example of this: it's soft by design and not particularly vivid in the color department either, favoring an overwhelmingly muted palette almost everywhere expect during a few "time transitions" that, as far as I know, were the only segments done fully digitally. As such, the wide majority of Shout Factory's 2160p/HDR10 transfer will be nearly indistinguishable from its Blu-ray counterpart (which, again, is included in this combo pack and also available separately) on all but the largest displays, where subtle improvements can be seen in regards to disc compression and color dynamics. The 4K transfer is also noticeably dimmer in direct comparison with "true white" rarely achieved and, in some moments (such as outdoor baseball scenes), I actually preferred the brighter appearance of the Blu-ray's SDR image. Detail-wise it's basically a toss-up, so collectively this may not add up to a ringing endorsement for a 4K combo pack that's currently priced more than double its Blu-ray counterpart. I'm glad the option exists since this UHD comes out ahead in a few areas if you have the setup to support it, but it's one of the most incidental upgrades in recent memory.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

While I don't have Bandai's 2011 Blu-ray (or any newer disc, such as FUNimation's 2022 edition) on hand for a direct comparison, I wouldn't expect that either of the two primary audio options here -- the original Japanese as well as an English dub, both presented in DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio -- sound meaningfully different than any earlier lossless track. This is especially true because I made the same general observations that Casey Broadwater took note of in his linked 2011 review, so please see his write-up for more details about what to expect here.

While I'm not sure about the subtitle options found on those earlier releases, both the 4K and Blu-ray included here offer separate English subtitle options for the dub and Japanese track, which is very much appreciated.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This two-disc release ships in semi-glossy Steelbook packaging, with the front cover depicting a striking image of Makoto leaping into a time jump against a beautiful blue sky, which continues onto the back cover. The interior aims for more subtlety, simply showcasing the steep city street where she first discovered her new power. This is a solid design overall, although perhaps a little stark for those who prefer more characters, detail, or visual contrast. Both discs sit on overlapping hubs and the extras listed below can only be found on the included Blu-ray copy of the film. It's a limited slate for two reasons: several behind-the-scenes items from Bandai's 2011 Blu-ray are missing, and it would've been preferable to have both audio commentaries play on the 4K disc as well.

• Feature Commentary with Director and Voice Cast - Presented in Japanese with optional English subtitles, this laid-back and largely enjoyable legacy track features director Mamoru Hosuda flanked by key voice actors Riisa Naka (Makoto), Takuya Ishida (Chiaki), and Mitsutaka Itakura (Kousu).

• Feature with Storyboards - This side-by-side comparison features a larger window for the finished main feature at the top left next to a smaller window with its corresponding black-and-white storyboard sketch. This extra also includes an optional second legacy commentary with Mamoru Hosuda, assistant director Toshiniko Ito, and animation director Hiroyuki Aoyama, again presented in Japanese with optional subtitles.

• Teasers and Trailers (2 clips, 2:21 total) - Really just one of each, but this appears to be the same rough-looking trailer and promotional clip from the 2011 Bandai Blu-ray.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Mamoru Hosoda's The Girl Who Leapt Through Time is often described as director Mamoru Hosoda's breakthrough feature, and overall this is an enjoyable sci-fi/fantasy drama with more than a few memorable moments. But most of its most effective ideas and concepts are tied to the source material, which has been adapted many times over in live-action movies, TV shows, and even manga, so in my opinion it doesn't quite achieve true "four-star" status in my book. Neither does Shout Factory's long-awaited new 4K / Blu-ray combo pack, which again has its merits but a few possible drawbacks as well. Given some of the inherent (and perhaps unavoidable) limitations of the UHD presentation and the fact than its limited extras aren't on the 4K disc, Shout's separate Blu-ray edition gives you more bang for your buck. That said, this one's still lightly recommended for die-hard fans and Steelbook collectors.