Also known as HOSHI NO KOE, Voices of a Distant Star
was almost single handedly created by Shinkai Makoto. It is a futuristic tale of a long distance love affair between childhood friends, Nagamine Mikako and Terao Noboru, who are junior high students in the beginning of the movie. In 2046 after the discovery of the ruins of an alien civilization on Mars, man has been able to make leaps in technology and is planning to send an expedition into space in the next year. However, while Noboru will be entering senior high next winter, Mikako is selected to join the space expedition.