My most absolute favorite cel and one that you 
helped get me (*many hugs*). I know how it feels 
to be anti-cel at the moment. I'm also glad to 
remember at this time why I collect and one of 
the reasons is because of this cel.

From Omoide Poroporo (Only Yesterday)-- it's a 
cel of the protagonist Taeko. I absolutely adore 
this movie because it is an introspective study 
about what it means to reach a certain age in 
life and consider the choices that have been made 
-- and what choices can be made in the future. 
It's really a romance in some ways but pays 
attention to (like most Ghibli films) what it 
means to be a woman in the world today. 

In this scene Taeko has chosen to take a vacation 
in the countryside (looked on as "weird" among 
her city co-workers who don't understand her 
desire to vacation on a farm). She is picking 
flowers that were/are used to make lipstick. At 
this point she's thinking about all the farm 
girls thinking about the city girls who will use 
the red, red lipstick -- a luxury item at that 
time. For me it captures that longing for 
something better not only for the girls who 
worked the fields but also really for Taeko who 
also knows that something is out there better for 
her. 

It's about the effort to live your life in tune 
with your world.

Wendy