The Garden of Words is a poignant animation that tells the tale of two lonely souls who find solace in each other's company amidst the rainy seasons in Tokyo's Shinjuku Gyoen Park. Takao Akizuki and Yukari Yukino are unlikely comrades who frequent the park on rainy days, sharing a love for shoes or literature without ever introducing themselves properly. Takao aspires to be a shoemaker and spends his mornings sketching shoe designs, while Yukari is a literature teacher struggling to overcome her fears of bullying at work. During their time together, Takao decides to create a pair of shoes for Yukari while Yukari penned a tanka (a style of Japanese poetry) and left it for Takao as a mysterious gift. Following summer break, Takao finds out Yukari is a teacher and witnesses her getting bullied; she quits her job before the school year ends. On one fateful rainy afternoon, Takao meets Yukari at the park again; they share moments under a sudden thunderstorm before heading to Yukari's place. Takao confesses his love for Yukari, opening up to her, but she reveals she's moving back home to Shikoku, resulting in an emotional debate that causes Takao to reconsider his life ambitions. Both characters pass through personal struggles, but the film ultimately leaves viewers with a warm feeling that friendship can occasionally be the most vital and transformative connection.

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Some movies that have similar genres and were produced around the same time as The Garden of Words include Your Name., Anomalisa, Oscar Wilde's the Nightingale and the Rose, Feast, The Wind Rises, Sita Sings the Blues.