Gochuumon wa Usagi desu ka?? Dear My Sister

A Heartfelt Dive into "Is the Order a Rabbit dear my sister”


So, I finally got to watching "Is the Order a Rabbit? Dear My Sister," and let me tell you it’s a bit of a mixed bag for me.

First off, I've gotta give props where they're due. The movie really stepped it up a notch in terms of animation quality and honestly they did not have to the animation was already amazing. But Seriously, the visuals were on point, and that just added an extra layer of delight to the whole experience. Plus, can we talk about how we got to see more of Cocoa's ... mom and sister? That was like a warm hug to the heart.

Speaking of heartwarming, the movie didn't skimp on the wholesome vibes. It's the kind of flick that wraps you up in a blanket of cuteness and leaves you grinning ear to ear . And let's be real, who doesn't need a dose of that every now and then? Cause you know depression

Now, here's where it got wobbly for me—the pacing. Just like the series, there were moments when I found myself checking the time, wondering when things were gonna pick up. Honestly I’m not the biggest slice of life fan but a bit more zip in the narrative would've been nice.

But listen if you're into slice-of-life shows, this movie is like a warm cup of cocoa (see what I did there) on a rainy day—it hits the spot. So, if you've been a fan of the "Is the Order a Rabbit?" journey so far, you're bound to enjoy this extra helping of cozy vibes. Just be ready for a smidge of slow-burn storytelling along the way.

I've talked about GochiUsa twice before. And now we're looking at the film. The film came out in '17, after the second series. Now, the real question is how you make a film out of a slice of life series that has no real story and is basically just about moe girls playing around while working at cafes. 

Story:

The narrative is pretty simple. Cocoa returns home temporarily to help at her family's bakery. So, we see her with her family. Meanwhile, the rest of our cast interacts with each other and tries not to feel lonely with Cocoa gone. Which is especially difficult for Chino. 

It has ... all the hallmarks of the franchise. It's endearing, enjoyable, cutesy and has a grand sense of humour. The film is really good about taking full advantage of Cocoa's dynamic with her family and the way the rest of the cast copes with her temporary absence. 

You won't enjoy the film if you demand involved, complex narratives from your comedies but I don't think most people who aren't Karen do. So, that's fine. About the only real complaint I have is that the film could take better advantage of having Cocoa deal with customers in her family's bakery but it's basically one scene where you barely see her do anything. The film could also show the passage of time a bit better. It feels like she's only gone for two days instead of the week we're told she's leaving for. 

Characters:

There are a lot of enjoyable character moments to the film. Seeing Cocoa interact with her mum and sister leads to a lot of good moments, including a really heart-warming chat with her and Mocha. It's also nice to see how the other characters respond to Cocoa's absence. It just really reinforces what an integral part of the group she is. There are also quite a few good comedic moments that stem from their various reactions to missing Cocoa. 

The cast remains relatively simplistic but they more than make up for it in entertainment factor and the strength of their dynamics. 

Art:

The backgrounds and nature scenes are superbly drawn. The characters are very standard moe but they still look good, if you enjoy that style. There's also some stuff with plush bunnies and a dream sequence where the visuals are pretty interesting. 

Sound:

The actresses do a great job. Minase Inori, Sakura Ayane, Taneda Risa, Kayano Ai, Sato Satomi, Uchida Maaya and all our other returning actresses perform fully up to the high standards that the series has set. The music is nice and fun. It suits the aesthetic well. My one, minor gripe is that it all sounds like it came directly from the series proper. Which is a bit lazy.  

Ho-yay:

Sharo still has a blatant crush on Rize. Which doesn't come up that much in the film since its more about the familial interactions with Cocoa and her family and the not so familial dynamic betwixt Cocoa and Chino. She really wants to give Chino that rosary and be called Onee-sama in the shoujo-ai trope way. And Chino will say she doesn't need it but take it any way and be happy about it. 

Areas of Improvement:

1. Have a bit meatier of a scene where Cocoa deals with customers. 

2. Have a stronger indication of time passing. A short montage of cutesy scenes would do wonders. 

3. Have some film exclusive music. 

Final Thoughts:

This film is pretty delightful. It has its share of strong moments and all the charm of the main series. If you enjoy GochiUsa, you'll definitely have a laugh with it since it's more of the same. So, I'm giving it a solid 8/10. 

I even reserved a ticket to see this movie in a theater, because I'm a such a big fan of the franchise. I expected it to be similar to the series'. And it was. But it was too similar.

It felt like the main objective was to remind the viewer of as many scenes from the past episodes as possible. And while it achieved that, it almost entirely lacked the things that I liked most about the anime: Every episode felt fresh, there were minor arguments, some character development, sometimes even a plot that made me want to know what happens next. But the movie felt ... like nothing more but a bunch of only semi-related scenes that felt like one déjà vu after another. And the ending was easily predictable after the first interaction between Kokoa and Chino.

Still, the characters were as cute as ever and the humor was the same, too. For these reasons alone I was able to enjoy the movie.