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Children Who Chase Lost Voices (2011) movie poster

Timeline

Children Who Chase Lost Voices (2011) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2011 · 116 mins · Japanese
JustWatch #22,659 2
Directed by
Makoto Shinkai
Starring
Miyu Irino, Sumi Shimamoto, Fumiko Orikasa, Rina Hidaka, Hisako Kanemoto, Yuka Terasaki

After her father’s death, Asuna listens to enigmatic music on his crystal radio. When a monster attacks, a mysterious boy named Shun saves her, but he soon vanishes. Determined, she travels with teacher Mr. Morisaki to the hidden realm of Agartha to find him. The journey reveals both cruelty and beauty, teaching her about loss and farewell.

Animation Fantasy Family Adventure Cast, crew & box office
On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (13)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Categories
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Children Who Chase Lost Voices (2011)

Where can you watch Children Who Chase Lost Voices? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on HBO Max, Amazon Video and Apple TV Store: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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13 events in order · contains spoilers

Children Who Chase Lost Voices Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Children Who Chase Lost Voices (2011) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Asuna's quiet life after her father's death

    Eleven-year-old Asuna lives with a nurse mother who works long shifts, leaving her to fill the house with solitude and the mysterious music from the cat's-whisker receiver her father left. She spends her days in quiet isolation, rarely far from her loyal cat Mimi. The calm is fragile, hinting at the strange world that will soon intrude.

    Where
    Asuna's home and neighborhood

  2. Shun rescues Asuna and reveals he is from Agartha

    On the way to her clubhouse across a bridge, Asuna is attacked by a terrifying creature but is saved by a mysterious teenage boy named Shun. They share a moment over a radio broadcast, and Shun explains he has come from a place called Agartha in search of something. He plants a blessing on Asuna with a kiss on the forehead and promises to return the next day.

    When
    Day of the meeting
    Where
    Bridge and clubhouse

  3. Tragedy strikes as Shun dies

    Shortly after their encounter, Shun gazes up at the sky and falls to his death, leaving Asuna shaken and alone. The bridge becomes a place of memory as the mystery of Agartha begins to unfold. The moment tests Asuna’s resolve and loneliness.

    When
    Day of Shun's death
    Where
    Bridge/outdoor area

  4. A new boy and the lesson of Agartha

    The following day, Asuna's mother mentions a boy seen in the river, while at school Mr. Morisaki lectures about Agartha and the old keeper of the dead, the Quetzalcoatl. Intrigued, Asuna visits a hidden hideout and meets a second boy who resembles Shun. Suddenly, armed men—the Arch Angels—launch an assault, forcing the boy and Asuna to flee into an underground cavern.

    When
    Following day
    Where
    Hidden hideout and surrounding cavern

  5. The Clavis and the Gatekeeper

    In the cavern, the mysterious boy refuses to kill the Quetzalcoatl gatekeeper and entrusts Asuna with a crystal known as a clavis. The Arch Angel commander captures Asuna and uses the clavis to open a gateway to Agartha. The boy, revealed as Shin (Shun's younger brother), fights back as their identities unfold.

    When
    During the Arch Angel assault
    Where
    Underground cavern near Amaurot

  6. Into Agartha

    Morisaki leads Asuna into Agartha through an underwater entrance, with Mimi in tow. They begin a journey toward the Gate of Life and Death, heading toward Amaurot where Shin learns that Asuna carries a fragment of the clavis. The path is fraught with danger as the two worlds collide.

    When
    During journey
    Where
    Underwater entrance to Agartha; Amaurot

  7. Izoku kidnapping and escape

    Asuna is kidnapped by the Izoku, a shadow-dwelling race, and meets a young girl named Manna. Shin helps them escape, but he is wounded in the process, forcing the trio to continue their perilous journey with a healer's caution.

    When
    During pursuit
    Where
    Amaurot and Izoku territory

  8. Manna's village and Mimi's fate

    The group arrives at Manna's village, where villagers are wary of top-dwellers but offer shelter for a night. Mimi remains with the villagers, while Shin, Asuna, and Morisaki press on the next day toward Amaurot by boat. The following morning, Shin learns Mimi has died and the villagers offer her to the Quetzalcoatl in a ritual.

    When
    One-night stay; next day departure
    Where
    Manna's village

  9. Tension at the cliff and the clavis shard

    Asuna and Morisaki depart by boat while Mimi stays with the villagers; Shin wakes to find Mimi dead, and the villagers prepare to attack. Shin fights to protect Asuna, while Morisaki trades a gun for a clavis shard with Asuna, who refuses to descend the cliff.

    When
    Following morning departure
    Where
    Manna's village to cliff edge

  10. The river, Ark of Life, and songs

    Asuna lingers by the river, reflecting on Agartha and her loneliness as the Izoku return and the water dries up. Shin saves her again and they witness the Ark of Life descend. A Quetzalcoatl sings a final song, and Asuna realizes the last song she heard belonged to Shun.

    When
    As water dries; near Ark arrival
    Where
    Riverbank near Amaurot

  11. Life and Death gate, Lisa's return

    The gate to Life and Death opens, and Morisaki has already wished for Lisa to come back. Lisa's soul seeks a vessel and possesses Asuna, prompting Morisaki to pursue a desperate plan. Shin sacrifices the clavis to free Asuna, and Lisa departs her body, leaving Morisaki devastated.

    When
    At the gate confrontation
    Where
    Gate of Life and Death, Agartha

  12. Farewell and return to the surface

    With the burden resolved, Asuna says farewell to Shin and Morisaki and returns to the surface world. She carries the memory of what she has learned and the people she has grown to love, promising to carry on.

    When
    After Lisa's departure
    Where
    Surface world; near Amaurot

  13. One year later: graduation

    A year later, an older Asuna stands at her window overlooking the cliff where she first met Shun, and she goes back to finish her schooling at graduation. The image closes on a hopeful note that she has found a new balance.

    When
    One year later
    Where
    Asuna's home/window overlooking cliff; school

Last updated: October 03, 2025 at 10:35

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Timeline questions answered

Children Who Chase Lost Voices Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Children Who Chase Lost Voices (2011): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Shun die so suddenly after saving Asuna?

Shun fell to his death while gazing up at the sky shortly after meeting Asuna. The exact reason for his fall is left ambiguous, but it appears he was called back to Agartha or was killed by the same otherworldly forces that brought him to Asuna's world. His sudden death sets the central mystery of the film in motion and motivates Asuna's journey to find him.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Shun mentioned he came from Agartha to find something, hinting his time in the surface world was temporary.

  • shun
  • death
  • agartha
  • mystery
  • fall
Q3

Why does Mr. Morisaki want to resurrect his wife Lisa?

Mr. Morisaki is driven by grief over his wife Lisa's death. He discovered Agartha and the Gate of Life and Death, which can bring back the dead. His motivation for collaborating with the Arch Angels and leading Asuna to Agartha is to use the gate to resurrect Lisa, whom he clearly loved deeply.

Foreshadowing: Morisaki's substitute teaching about Agartha and ancient resurrection practices hints at his personal agenda.

  • morisaki
  • lisa
  • resurrection
  • grief
  • wife
Q4

What is the clavis crystal and what does it do?

The clavis is a sacred crystal that serves as a key to open the gateway between the surface world and Agartha. It can also activate the Gate of Life and Death, which allows communication with or resurrection of the dead. Shin entrusts a fragment of it to Asuna after refusing to kill the Quetzalcoatl gatekeeper.

Foreshadowing: The clavis is introduced when Shin refuses to kill the Quetzalcoatl, showing its importance to the gatekeeper's survival.

  • clavis
  • crystal
  • key
  • gateway
  • agartha
Q5

How did Lisa's soul end up possessing Asuna?

When Morisaki uses the Gate of Life and Death to wish for Lisa's return, her soul seeks a living vessel since her physical body no longer exists. Asuna, who carries a fragment of the clavis, becomes the vessel for Lisa's soul. The possession is incomplete because the price offered is insufficient, causing Asuna pain and danger.

Foreshadowing: The Gate of Life and Death is established as a means to restore the dead, but it requires a vessel and sufficient sacrifice.

  • lisa
  • possession
  • asuna
  • gate
  • soul
Q6

Why did Shin sacrifice the clavis to save Asuna?

Shin sacrificed the clavis to free Asuna from Lisa's possession. With Morisaki having already lost an eye as the price for resurrection, Shin used the clavis to provide the additional energy needed to force Lisa's soul out of Asuna's body. This act saved Asuna's life but also ended any chance of bringing back the dead.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, the gate required significant sacrifice, establishing that resurrection demands a price.

  • shin
  • clavis
  • sacrifice
  • lisa
  • save
Q7

What is Agartha in the movie?

Agartha is a hidden underground realm described in Mr. Morisaki's lesson as an ancient place where the Quetzalcoatl, the keepers of the dead, guided human maturation before retreating underground with their followers. It is accessible through hidden entrances and contains the Gate of Life and Death, which can communicate with or resurrect the dead.

Foreshadowing: Mr. Morisaki's classroom lesson about Agartha foreshadows the entire journey Asuna will undertake.

  • agartha
  • underground
  • quetzalcoatl
  • realm
  • gate
Q8

Why did Asuna decide to return to the surface world?

After experiencing Agartha and learning about loss, grief, and farewell, Asuna realized she needed to let go of her attachment to both Shun and Shin. Though she loved Shin and wanted to stay with him, she understood that carrying the burden of the dead can become a curse, as Shin warned Morisaki. She chose to return to finish her life and grow up properly.

Foreshadowing: Shin warns Morisaki that carrying the burden of a deceased person can become a curse, a lesson Asuna internalizes.

  • asuna
  • return
  • surface
  • goodbye
  • growth
Q9

What happened to Mimi in Manna's village?

Mimi, Asuna's cat, stayed with the villagers while Asuna and Morisaki continued toward Amaurot by boat. The next morning, Shin discovered Mimi had died. The villagers performed a ritual offering Mimi to the Quetzalcoatl, treating her death as a sacred passage.

Foreshadowing: The villagers are preparing to attack the travelers when Shin learns of Mimi's death, adding tension to the scene.

  • mimi
  • death
  • village
  • quetzalcoatl
  • ritual
Q10

Who are the Izoku and why did they kidnap Asuna?

The Izoku are a mysterious race that exists only within shadows. They kidnapped Asuna and brought her to meet a young girl named Manna, suggesting they collect or protect children in some way. Their motives remain somewhat enigmatic, but they serve as another obstacle in Asuna's journey through Agartha.

Foreshadowing: The Izoku's return later in the film, as the water dries up, connects their actions to the larger environmental changes in Agartha.

  • izoku
  • shadow
  • kidnap
  • manna
  • agartha
Q11

What is the significance of the final song Asuna hears?

The final song a Quetzalcoatl sings makes Asuna realize that the last song she heard in her own world, the mysterious music from her father's radio, actually belonged to Shun. This connects Shun to Agartha and suggests his spirit or essence was always tied to that otherworldly place, reinforcing the film's themes of connection across worlds and the importance of saying farewell.

Foreshadowing: Asuna's obsession with the mysterious music from her father's receiver runs throughout the film, pointing to this revelation.

  • song
  • music
  • shun
  • quetzalcoatl
  • revelation
Q12

Why is the ending of the movie bittersweet?

The ending is bittersweet because no one gets what they originally sought: Morisaki fails to fully resurrect his wife Lisa, and Asuna must say goodbye to Shin, the person she came to love. However, they all find peace and closure. Asuna returns to the surface world older and wiser, having learned to accept loss. The final image shows her at graduation, suggesting she has found balance despite her grief.

Foreshadowing: The meta notes establish that the primary emotional arc is Asuna's progression from lonely grief to mature acceptance of loss.

  • ending
  • bittersweet
  • farewell
  • closure
  • acceptance

Movie threads

More Movies Like Children Who Chase Lost Voices, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Children Who Chase Lost Voices tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies with mythical underworld journeys like Children Who Chase Lost Voices

Characters travel to hidden realms, navigating beauty and peril to find answers. If you liked the journey to Agartha in Children Who Chase Lost Voices, you'll enjoy these movies featuring travels to hidden realms. Discover similar fantasy and adventure films where characters explore beautiful, melancholic underworlds for self-discovery and to process loss.

  • dreamlike
  • melancholic
  • fantastical
  • yearning
  • somber
  • mournful
  • Tone: melancholic, dreamlike, wondrous
  • Pacing: steady, journey-focused
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a protagonist, often grappling with personal loss, who discovers a gateway to a fantastical but perilous world. The journey through this realm is a central focus, filled with encounters that test their resolve and reveal truths about themselves. The climax usually involves a difficult choice or a farewell, leading to a bittersweet resolution where the character returns changed, having accepted a painful truth.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared focus on a literal and emotional descent. They combine a melancholic, dreamlike tone with a steady pacing that allows for reflection. The primary appeal is the exploration of a fully realized mystical world that serves as a powerful backdrop for a character's internal journey of grief and acceptance.

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Movies about bittersweet acceptance like Children Who Chase Lost Voices

Stories about learning to say goodbye and finding peace in loss. Fans of the themes of grief and farewell in Children Who Chase Lost Voices will appreciate these films. Explore similar moving relationship stories and coming-of-age tales that focus on bittersweet endings, emotional maturity, and the profound journey of accepting loss.

  • bittersweet
  • mournful
  • reflective
  • somber
  • yearning
  • melancholic
  • Tone: melancholic, bittersweet, reflective
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The emotional journey follows a character who is defined by a past loss. Their initial goal is often reversal or reunion, driven by yearning. As the story unfolds, through hardship and reflection, they come to understand that true resolution lies not in reclaiming the past, but in honoring it and moving forward. The conclusion is poignantly satisfying because it feels earned and realistic, focusing on growth through pain.

Why they belong together: These movies are connected by their core thematic focus on processing grief and the specific emotional quality of their endings. They share a melancholic or reflective tone, medium to heavy emotional weight, and a narrative structure that prioritizes emotional maturity over traditional victory. The experience is cathartic, offering solace in shared human experience.

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1991
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Categories

Movie Lists Featuring Children Who Chase Lost Voices

Children Who Chase Lost Voices appears in these hand-built movie categories. Each one groups movies by a specific mood, theme or story type, with their plot summaries and endings explained.

View all movie categories
Hidden Mythical Beings movies

Hidden Mythical Beings

Movies about forgotten gods in modern world

Every angle

Children Who Chase Lost Voices (2011) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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