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I wanted to love this movie. I was well aware of people’s complaints going into this, but I still expected the best. I was wrong. I went in expecting an enjoyable experience at least, but instead this film was all filler, no killer.

This movie is sadly a waste of the 02 cast. While marketed as their revival film, their presence was little more then window dressing to another chosen child’s story. Not a single 02 cast member made a contribution to the plot that could only be made by them. Not a single 02 cast member received a character arc in the film. The most ... focus and effort put into showing their lives as adults was the opening montages of the film. While a beautiful opening it was, it was not enough to make this film worth watching for any digimon adventure fans.

Not only did this film not focus on any of the 02 digidestined, it did not address or mention the plot of last adventure kizuna and its major reveal (unless a certain single line of dialogue in the closing narration was meant to imply kizuna’s reveal is now meaningless, despite never even being mentioned in the film prior). Instead we were treated to another story about a new oc crammed into the franchise, cough male Meiko cough. For every complaint people had about Meiko’s focus in tri, this movie did it worse. She had 6 movies, so at least the focus on her was spread out and the 8 characters the audience is invested in had character arcs, that is not the case here. Instead , we were treated to a story about another digidestined. Another claiming to be the first, which we were previously lead to believe we saw in tri, which was a weird retcon to begin with, then we met the first child to lose her partner in kizuna, and now we meet a new special snowflake, with his new special digimon that apparently is responsible for the partnership between all digidestined and digimon, and maybe even the death of his parents (lol). Not only is this insulting to adventure cast, but fans as well. When will they realize, we don’t need shocking reveals that contradict previously established lore, but meaningful character arcs for our chosen children and to see their partner digimon reach new digivolution heights.

The director of this film possibly thought he could recapture the magic of the first 02 film, but what makes that film more enjoyable is the fact that it came out during 02’s original release and not decades later. And while Willis was a primary character, the main cast still had plenty of chances to shine. Like gatomon and palmon suddenly reaching mega with no build up whatsoever lol.

This film contributed nothing new for our 02 cast. No new mega forms, or even their ultimates, new new levels for DNA digivolved Silphymon and Shakkoumon, not even the chance to see the digiegg of kindness in the anime for the first time. Hell, armor digivolution never even got mentioned, but at least we revisited the computer lab.

Not to mention that after all these years, there are still plotlines left unresolved. The dark ocean still hasn’t been explained, despite being brought up in tri and claiming Maki Himekawa, nor has its ruler Dragomon, or what happened to Daemon once he was stranded there and the fact his presence alluded to a plotline with the 7 demon lords. These dangling plotlines would have been perfect to address in a 02 movie or series, instead we got something less meaningful then a shounen filler movie (like the original 02 movie). At least those typically allow for their cast to shine despite focusing on original characters.

The 02 cast deserve their tri movie series, or even their version of kizuna. They needed to regain the future they achieved at the end of 02 that got retconned away, despite the epilogue still apparently being canon. They deserved character arcs, and some damn confirmation on takari after all these years. I wanted to see them overcome obstacles, to achieve their dreams. Instead I endured a meandering story for a new more chosen then all the rest of the “chosen children”. Can the people behind the digimon movies please stop trying to one up each other now?

I encourage all digimon fans to still watch the movie. If we want to see the adventure and 02 cast again, we need to support the series, but we also have to let our complaints be known, in order to encourage a better outcome in the future. While this film is a waste of the 02 cast, it is still nice to see them again, even if their presence felt more significant in their brief subplot in kizuna. At least we have confirmation that they’re still making progress towards their dreams, still hanging out and still hoping for a brighter future with their digimon. What little we got of them interacting was still nice, funny and even heartwarming at times. And if you’re a dub fan, at least we got Brian Donovan back as Davis one more time. Weird they let him reclaim the role but not Lara Jill miller for Kari, even though Tara Sands is still great.

Until next time digimon fam, stay Prodigious. And to Lui, I'll be playing you the world's smallest violin if you ever show up again

I saw it in theaters and it was even better then I imagined.

Turning Akane into a tragic heroine may have been the best choice for her character after all. Her self sacrifice elevated her character to another level in my eyes.

I have not yet watched season 3 or first Inspector due to patiently waiting for the dub, but knew akane's fate and how it resolves. I went into this movie hoping it would explain how Akane was imprisoned and fearing she would take the fall for Shindo based on the context the film provided, instead I was pleasantly surprised to see our heroine ... take her fate into her own hands and make a difficult choice. Her self sacrifice was flawless and I was nearly in tears when she broke down. There is even a fantastic parallel between her choice here and Kougami's at the end of one. They both leave each other letters and both call the other an idiot for their decision. I left the theater fully satisfied.

I really appreciate how Kougami and Akane are always on eachothers minds and how their past interactions motivate their present actions even when they're apart. I think they'd make an excellent couple and Kougami being such a stubborn baby and not apologizing to Akane and being shocked when she hung up on him was too funny. I feel like them understanding eachother so well is both a strength and a weakness. It could very well be what keeps a a clear canon paring for them from happening. But I feel like this ending for Akane opens a lot of doors for them going forward. In the eyes of sybil, they're now two of a kind. The power imbalance barrier from their different statuses is now gone! And from what I hear about season 3 and first Inspector, I believe we'll be able to get more content of the two of them working together again in the near future.


On to the rest of the movie and cast.

I can't help but enjoy Mika. I think her character arc in 2 was actually really interesting and a nice contrast to Akane. And seeing her devastation at Akane's actions after she had just tried to save her, really spoke to me. I feel like she's still very much that broken girl from season 1 and Akane's loss probably opened up those wounds again. Her character has a lot more potential than most fans acknowledge.

Gino also has a prominent supporting role in this movie. Whether interacting with Kougami, Akane and Frederica he really shines. He is clearly happy to be with Kougami again, but let's his pride get in the way. But at the end of the day, they are both incredibly loyal to Akane. While Gino protects her as a shield, Kougami fights for her like a sword. It offers a unique dynamic. They essentially have Akane on a pedestal, as does sybil itself, which makes her very public and on purpose fall from grace all the more interesting. What will these two men do now that Akane has made herself a martyr for the justice her ideals strive to protect? I think we all have an idea of where the story goes from here whether we've watched the next material in the timeline already or not.

Finally its worth noting that essentially the entire supporting cast gets a few moments to shine, whether from season 1 or 2, and of course some characters from 3. The cast from 3 may not be the focus this time but they are still present in the background and I believe this movie answers some questions about their pasts.

In closing some stray thoughts.

- I can't help but ship Frederica and Gino now. They had great chemistry and a moment of theirs mirrors and earlier Koihami x Akane ship baiting moment in the movie. Keep yours open for it!

-we lost a good man this go around. His death generally shocked me. Keeping it vague so I don't lessen the impact!

- the music for this movie is A+ however, there is no after credit scene if you dont want to listen to the ending

Chocolate Christmas is an adorable romantic comedy that feels in tune with classic rom coms such as You Got Mail and classic Christmas movies, while also having that delightful Takeuchi touch. Reading this is a real treat, considering it was her first published work.

The two leads are actually in love with eachother without knowing it. After spending a lonely Christmas eve listening to the radio Ryoujo happens to catch the debut broadcast of a lonely hearts style show, Choclate Night. Learning that the DJ, Choco,a lso feels alone and that it's his birthday, she decides to deliver a Christmas cake to him and proclaims ... herself his first fan. Over the next year l, she regularly listens to his program and sets out to bring love to others, much like him. The story then picks up with her getting a job at the same radio station as him, hoping to meet him. She has fallen on love with the man herself, and her cake and declaration last Christmas ignited the same feelings in his heart. Without knowing it the two are drawn together, both in their everyday school life and their life at the station, all without initially realizing who the other person is.

Does this mysterious type of love ring any golden bells?(read the story for the reference!) That's right it plays out similarly to the initial love story of Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon! If you're a fan of the dynamic between Uasagi and Mamo them you'll probably be a fan of this story. Much like how sailor moon begins with them bickering, yet being drawn to eachother, so too does this love story.

Their status as the person special to the other, isn't revealed at the same, leading to some great romantic tension as they impact eachother in significant ways. Ryouko and Choco (real name Keiki) continue to influence eachothers behavior and build eachother up into better versions of themselves. By the end of the series, they have both developed a new found appreciation for eachother, Christmas Eve and the Chocolate Night program.

What can I say other then Takeuchi truly has that special gift to write a compelling romance. Its a shame she hasn't released a true blue long running rom com. This is a great holiday read and is sure to illicit feelings of satisfaction in her eternal fanbase.

Her art is as stellar as ever, and her character designs attractive and fashionable. There's not much to dislike in the story that gave this book its name.

I do recommend reading it carefully though. The fan translation available on mangadex is a little shaky in some spots and I think the dialogue was switched for the two leads on page 53 of one of the abailable translarions. At least it appears to be in the wrong word bubbles to me. I also recommend temporarily switching to a alternate translatiom due to the fact page 5 is missing from one, and instead features a page from near the end of the manga in its place. However I believe the fan translation is overall better on on the other. I would say the sites hosting the translations I recommend using but I don't think that's allowed.

Fingers crossed that we one day get an official release or an anime movie!

Now to briefly mention the second story in this vollume release. Wink rain is a fun bonus but I honestly don't have a lot to say. It's not bad, but it didn't really resonate with me personally. Part of my issue with it is the 2 fantranslations I found for it both appear to have a fair amount a faults. Or maybe it's just the way the story unfolds that sometimes makes things a little confusing. I found it less rom com, more teen angst over being the third wheel ina. Friend group after two parties get together. There is a love story unfolding for the main girl but it kind of ends anticlimactically. Or it felt that way to me due to the fan scanlation.
It's definitly worth a quick read though. It has great art as usual and cute characters!

Fruits basket prelude. The values of modern times may change, but past media doesn’t.

The relationship of Kyoko and Katsuya is controversial amongst fans of the series, especially the anime onlies who flooded the fandom as result of the reboot. What is important to remember is that fruits basket is both a series from another culture, and another time. The 90s and early 2000s was a different time. Teens dating slightly older adults wasn't viewed the same way and the further back you go, the more common it was. From The Sound of Music, to Sabrina the Teenage Witch, you see it. Add in the fact ... japan is a different culture which changes at a different rate and you should get the picture. And for the record, the story is self aware enough where starting drama accomplishes nothing. Kyoko literally makes a Lolita complex joke at Katsuya's expense.

Let's all remember this is a work of fiction as well and enjoy the show. While we may relate to these characters and love them, they aren't real. And fiction is where we explore fantasy. A student teacher romance itself, being a popular romance story trope.

Before we tackle the prelude, let's address the recap and epilogue.

The recap, while unnecessary does provide some nice insight into kyo's point of view. For those of you who were dissatisfied with some creative liberties the final season took regarding kyo "forgetting" his connection to Tohru and Kyoko, despite it being clear through out the earlier seasons and even during the final itself, that he didn't, this clarifies that he simply tried to put it in a box and not think about it. Is it a lazy retcon because TMS got called our for their bs and realized they created plot discrepancies that weren't there? Probably but we'll never know for sure. At best this recap serves the purpose of emotionally prepping the viewer to cry during the movie and reintroduce the context regarding kyo's bond to Kyoko. Something that wouldn't have been necessary if they final season was given the full season order it needed.

At worst, it's just a cheap and pointless time killer eat up runtime while barely spending any money. It's also a minimalistic approach to trying to restore the emotional impact this background story had during the manga and how the later content would play off this tension, both during Kyo and Tohru's character arcs. Not that tms / production committee saw much value in those, despite them being the protagonist and love interest.

Now Takaya sensei hear our pain about the final season rushing though content and not properly delivering the resolution to character arcs and the story. And she took this opportunity to provide a nugget of joy to anime and manga fans alike. That's right, a new brief epilogue from therapist. I mean mangaka.

While the epilogue is brief, it hits all the right notes. It builds on Tohru and Kyo’s graveside conversation and shows a glimpse at their married life. The happy couple is living their best lives, working hard, panning a trip back to the family and being all lovey dovey. Its everything tms cut out of the main series. It's thrilling to see some of the sweet kyoru content we deserved. Thank you sensei. You never fail to deliver when you're needed. Now please pick up that pen and get back to Liselotte. If you're truly done with furuba and furuba another your fans need you elsewhere.

So let's dive in to prelude now. Katsuya Honda is an interning student teacher and the fantastic woman we all know and love, Kyoko, is a middle school senior. Their paths cross at a time where Kyoko is young, rebellious and emotionally volatile. She is the crimson butterfly, the girl gang member feared by her peers, and underneath her tough as nails facade, is just a broken girl from an unhappy home.

This is the story about how this girl became the emotional pillar that helped save Arisa, Kyo and of course Tohru. And the person who saved her? That's right, Katsuya Honda. He saw in Kyoko, the same emotions he hid beneath a mask of his own and when she broke down and cried, he fell in love. It was her raw honesty that reached him. And while their situations may have been different, they were still quite similar.

While she had chosen to put on a tuff girl act and gall in with a bad crows in order to hide her pain, he had chosen to give into the demands of his controlling and judgmental family and put on the act of the dutiful and obedient son. Even his decision to pursue teaching was in order to please those around him, be they family or the expectations of the other teachers. You can see the moments he drops his mask. He removes his glasses (which are fake and part of his facade) and swiftly flips the switch into a dark prince type character. He takes Kyoko pointing out his bad behavior as a compliment every time. Because she sees the real him along with the fake him and enjoys it. Just like how he sees value in both versions of her.

the two of them spent many lunch breaks chatting and growing closer. She never once attended his class. Even after he revealed he would be leaving the school and not pursuing education, she couldn't bring herself to face her peers judgement by entering a classroom. But luckily for her this twisted teacher wanted to keep meeting her.

His belief in her, reach her. It helped guide her to a better path. And helped teach her that she is worthy of love. But this better path and desire to change was held back by her past. Her decision to leave her gang, stole her opportunity to attend high school and got her disowned by her family. But luckily for her, Katsuya provided the home she needed and with the blessing of her father who just wanted her gone, married her.

We spend just enough time witnessing and enjoying their life together to become attached to their bond, their marriage and their parenting before tragedy strikes and Katsuya abruptly passess away. It leaves you wanting more, a feeling painfully shared by Kyoko as she is reduced to an empty shell of the woman she was before. She falls into so much darkness that she essentially forgets about Tohru entirely.

This story is as much a commentary on societal expectations as it is a romance. Both Katsuya and Kyoko were forced to hide behind masks as they came from two very different, but very troubled homes. They were judged by their family, each others families, their peers, but with the support of Katsuya's father who had lightened up after the death of his wife, they were able to move forward, determined to prove everyone who judged their relationship wrong.

"Show them you are happy because you are together"

That’s right people, even within the story their relationship is judged as wrong. After katsuya's death, insults at hurled at Kyoko by both his family and her own father. And while the movie didn't show it, the anime did reveal that they even insulted tohru, choosing to say hurtful things like she probably isn't even Katsuya's son. We spent 40 minutes on a recap but couldn't even have crucial content like that put in cause reasons.

Now I want to take the time to discuss something very important. The poor planning of the series that tore the final season to pieces is not solved through this movie alone. And the poor planning continues here. The time spent on the 40 minute recap, could of easily been spent animating content that directly ties into Kyoko's death. Kakeru's arc and connection to Tohru were repeatedly foreshadowed throughout the second season. Manga spoilers follow, so please only continue if you're OK with that. This would of been the perfect opportunity to fix one of the biggest mistakes of the final season, which was not adapting the content revealing what this connection was. Kakeru's girlfriend, Komaki, who was also mentioned several times, is the daughter of the man who killed Kyoko with his car. He attended Kyoko's funeral and went off on tohru for acting like she was the only person who lost someone in that accident (all before Komaki could nock some sense into him). An act that would play a part in Tohru beginning to hide her grief behind her happy go lucky attitude for most of the series. The final season did Tohru's background and character arc a disservice in many ways, and while this movie at least restores some of it, it does not fully deliver or resolve the issues with the final season.

I'll see you guys when tms and the production committee come back for more ovas, movies or whatever else they decide to do to bleed more money out of us. There's still entire chapters that were left unadapted and plenty of half chapters and skipped scenes, so here's hoping for a director's cut. Otherwise, be sure to check out the manga. You won't regret it. The story deserves the be told infull and that's the only way to experience it as of now.

And for anyone wondering if they'll adapt furuba another, the sequel series, kakeru and komaki's child is a player, so it shouldn't be adapted without a proper adaptation of their story arc.

Qualia under the snow is truly an underappreciated masterpiece. As much as I love Stranger By The Shore, I wish Qualia was given a sequel and anime instead. This will be an analysis as much as a review and please forgive any typos I missesd. My laptop is currently broken and I had to write this on my phone.

As usual, the art is beautiful. The characters are expressessive and the story is full of symbolism and subtleties. There is really not much more to say on the subject, just take your time to really appreciate the art in the panels. A lot is expressed through ... glances, blushes, other facial expressions and the scenery.

This is the story of a bond forming between two deeply different young men, who experienced a great deal of pain in their early lives that has shaped who they are in the present. As these two grow closer, they begin to tear down the walls the other has and help build each other up.

In order to truly appreciate the story and their romance you will need to think about what is actually being said, even by characters outside the couple. A recuring motif is comments on the weather. As the seasons change, Aki changes with it. Going from cold, to warm. This is often expressed by his mentor, but also by him himself, as he changes due to his relationship with Umi.

Another valuable component is the two cats the boys find. One black haired and one white, like the boys. When Umi is leaving he gently kisses the white haired cat on the forehead, telling him to be good. Both Umi and the cat have a surprised and embarrassed expression afterwords.

I'd like to draw attention to one other element before I move on. Through the last few chapters, a pair of young boys with the same hair colors as our male leads can be seen. They are depicted as having a close relationship and appear to represent a younger and purer version of Aki and Umi. They appear and express what is happening to their elders via their actions and dialogue.

Now lets dive into the characters themselves. For Umi, he tries to project his feelings onto Aki. It's both a way for him to understand Aki  and express his inner feelings without directly stating them. This happens several times throughout the story before Aki realizes what's going on underneath Umi's external behavior.

While Umi's feelings are apparent from early on, Aki's are more subtle as he grows to care for and appreciate Umi. He never directly says what he's feeling for Umi, but it can easily be infered through his actions during the second half of the series. Even without a direct declaration and definition of their relationship, it is clear in the finale chapter. Aki  invites Umi to share his bed and later expresses his desire to take their relationship to the
next level by off-handedly sharing he was researching gay videos online, stealing a kiss and discussing the weather. He gows on to state how Umi makes him kinder, as well as by referencing how Umi said He didnt HAVE to love him back.


Both boys live their lives trying to relive the past. While Aki is caught between his hatred and love for his absentee parents, specifically his father, umi is caught between his desire to run from repeating the mistakes of his first relationship and repeating them.

Aki's pain is demonstrated through his habit of smoking the same cigarettes his father once used and avoiding relationships altogether. While the cigarettes serve as a symbol for his dad, the damage his mother caused can also be seen through his apparent dislike for women. He abhors superficial relationships, leading to his resistance towards people.


Umi on the other hand, engages in repeated one night stands with the goal of avoiding the pain of rejection. He tries to numb the pain his first relationship inflicted through this as well. Early on, we hear Umi state he's not interested in straight men and then we learn his first love rejected him after they had sex and then proceeded to marry a woman. While Umi claims he has no interest in falling for a straight man, he proceeds to express interest in Aki repeatedly, who he believes to be straight. This is infact his subconscious desire to relive his first relationship and change the ending.

Throughout the story Aki needs to learn to be loyal to a person and open up to a relationship with someone, while Umi needs to learn he deserves love. As a result of these problems, both of the boys engage in subtle, emotional acts of self harm. The reminder of the cigarettes brings Aki pain as he mirrors his father's habit. For Umi, casual sex, the pursuit of unrequited love and the decision to repeatedly stand out in the cold while waiting for Aki, demonstrate his own self loathing. This is a story of overcoming these obstacles and moving in as much as a romance.

The series ends with Aki telling Umi the name of a flower Umi found, while remembering how his dad told him to share it with someone he deeply cared for. While the scans online don't reveal the name, the final vollume release had two additional pages, that can be found on the scanlator's tumblr with an explanation. Apparently, the flower can mean "I'll never let you go". This is as close to an outright declaration of love the series provides and it is profoundly moving in its own right.

All this unfolds whilst the young versions of them observe in awe and question their relationship. Through the pure eyes of a child, their relationship is defined for the audience. While we never see them officially become a couple, Aki's behavior through the last chapters are the actions of someone in relationship. Umi said Aki didn't HAVE to love him back but Aki fell for him willingly.


Please give Qualia Under The Snow a read. It's a beautiful story with a lot of depth and subtleties to reflect on. The characters are complex and their relationship is as refreshing as it is deep. Kanna Sensei has truly turned me into a boys love fan and I hope she can do the same for some of you out there regardless of your sexual orientation or exposure to LGBT subjects. Her stories are highly relatable and deeply meaningful. Thank you for reading.

P.S. if you enjoy this series please consider recommending it to seven seas on their monthly licensing survey. It definitely deserves more exposure! And hopefully one day a sequel like Stranger received.

P.P.S there is also possible a cameo from Shun and Mio at a bar. If you're a fan of Stranger by the shore and it's sequel then Qualia is worth checking out for that alone.

This will be an analysis as much as a review. And their will be some spoilers.

The Stranger By The Shore is the kind of lgbt content we need more of. It doesn't fettishize us or make light of us, but treats lgbt people like normal human beings. It is a character drama and full blown romance that treats its leads with agency and respect.

Homophobia is something that a lot of LGBT people experience. It's almost unavoidable. There will always be people who hate us and our own insecurities eating away at us. Shun is the focal point of this struggle for the story. He ... experienced homophobia from his classmates in high school before even coming out. When he over hears his classmates riddiculing him for being femmine he runs away and experiences a panic attack, something he suffers from to this day. Later we are shown Shun being asked by his female fiance if he is really ok with marrying her. He replies it's fine as long as its her. We later learn he said the same words to her as a child where she is thrilled and his expression is one of accepting a hard truth.

From his early childhood, to his highschool days, to his wedding day. Shun tried to bury his feelings and live a life of least resistance. A normal hetero life. But like many real people, Shun couldn't put up this front forever. When he comes out to his parents, he is ridiculed for breaking  things off with his fiance and asked by his mother to deny his truth. In response, Shun accepts his parents scorn and leaves. But the scars of the past aren't soon forgotten. These experiences left him with some trauma, taking the form of internalized homophobia. Shun believes he would be better off if he could of loved a woman, and even as he grows closer to Mio, he tries to warn him of how society will view their relationship. With flashbacks and scenes of judging eyes sprinkled in between romantic moments in public, we are given a glimpse of what homophobia may be like for someone in Japan, as well as what the environmental can do to a person.

Now Mio has a different story to tell. The focal point of his character is overcoming loss and depression. When we are introduced to Mio, he has just lost his mother. We are given glimpses into their relationship via flashbacks and other sources. The flashbacks are beautifully incorporated into the scenes. Often while Mio is by the beach. Be it his special bench overlooking the water or his secret spot he shared with his mother.

There is a scene where mio and shun are talking on the beach while Shun fishes. While this conversation is happening, a young Mio and his mother are scene in the background having a conversation. There voices played along side the conversation Shun and Mio are having in the present. This perfectly illustrates how Mio is living in past. Unable to let go of his mother even while interacting with Shun. It is also a great example of the effort that was put into the cinematography of each scene. something I will touch on more later.

Mio's depression is demonstrated by his facial expressions and the way he interacts with the world. Despondent and  wanting nothing to do with the present. That is until Shun slowly breaks through the darkness surrounding Mio. Interacting with Shun slowly opens Mio up. Shun gave Mio the strength to keep living and the we see the true Mio when he returns later on. This time it being his turn to help Shun.

This isn't a romance with no grounds as some people might want to claim. Both men are given reason to be attracted to the other. Initially, Mio is shown to be Shun's type. A flashback shows a boy Shun had a crush on who shared a similar appearance. And Mio's depression and circumstances drew Shun in with the desire to reach him. Shun's kindness and attempts to reach Mio via his bench and the bread he used to enjoy with his mother, leads to Mio giving him flower trimmings from his Mother's plant. While a misunderstanding about Shun pittying Mio leads to a brief fight, it brings them closer together when Mio realizes Shun was in fact flirting with him and not pitying him. Shun even accidentally gives Mio his favorite food that he shared with his mother, curry. And by providing Mio a hot meal and the sensation of a warm home, Mio finally laughs and smiles.

The romance is there for both boys. It's demonstrated both subtlely and unsubtlely , but beautifully done. When Mio returns later on it is his turn to reach Shun, who has succumbed to his depression and own inner homophobia. Mio spends the rest of the movie being the more active member of the relationship. He breaks down Shun's walls and making Shun realize that he does deserve to be loved.

There is a beautiful scene where Shun discusses with Mio his family situation and how he doesn't want to go back to them. It cuts to their reflection on a TV screen and a picture of a young Mio and his mother beside it. A few seconds later Shun leaves and it cuts back to the TV screen and picture, with shun leaving Mio alone in the reflection. While Shun has the chance to reunite with his family, Mio never can. Something Shun doesn't seem to realize. It perfectly illustrates how Mio is still holding onto his past and how he is truly alone without Shun.

The cinematography put into this scene and the scene on the beach I mentioned earlier is phenomenal. The effort put into these scenes alone shows that this movie was made with a lot of love. Some other recuring symbolism is the two bracelets mio wears.  It is never outright stated, but it can be infered via flashbacks that these matching bracelets were worn by Mio and his mom since he was a child. There are several subtle frames  where mio is shown looking at them or gripping them as he is missing his mother and feeling distant from Shun.

Another recuring symbol is the two cats often being shown embracing eachother as they sleep. Something Mio wants and Shun resists. These cats are shown in this pose when mio is longing to sleep side by side with Shun and again shortly before the boys have sex for the first time.

Speaking of the sex scene, it is also done excellently. Shun turns Mio's attempts to get him in bed down repeatedly throughout the film, and while displeased, Mio accepts. It is only after both of them are ready do they engage in the act. And the sex scene makes no attempts at ignoring the basic requirements of anal sex all gay men face. It addresses them head on, and it is portrayed with consent for various acts being asked and comfort being asssed before proceeding. It is done tenderly without taking the romance out of the moment or fetishizing the two men. Since this is not a hentai nothing outright explicit is shown. Camera angles, cuts and strategic use of showing them in reflections are used to dance around the act. This is far less visual then most American produced content aimed at teens and should be considered acceptable for age rating the program was given.

By the end of the film, both Mio and Shun have healed from their traumas. Shun will return home to face his family, and Mio who was stuck living the past, finally let's go and has a new home with Shun. This is symbolized by him smiling as he bids farewell to his parents grave, shun by his side,  ready to leave their island sanctuary for the time being and sail into the future together.

I have covered most of what I wanted to adress in this review. I'd gladly analyze the entire film but I think you readers deserve to experience it fully for yourselves. I won't cover anymore of the plot but I'd like to briefly cover the main supporting cast of characters, as well as the cut content that hindered the movie.

While the supporting cast isnt the focus, they leave a strong impression. Shun's aunt serves as a wise adviser who provides shelter and jobs to lost souls in need. While her presence in the series is small, you can tell she truly cares for those she welcomes into her home and restaurant. Eri is the kind, big sister like friend we all deserve. Someone who teases us and wants what's best. She repeatedly tries to look out for both Shun and Mio, and pushes their relationship forward as best she can. Her and her girlfriend, Suzu, show the future Mio and Shun can have if they come together. They show that even amidst a judgemental society with subtler homophobia like Japan, two people can be in love and have a happy healthy relationship.

Then there is Sakurako, Shun's childhood friend and ex fiance,  arguably the most important supporting cast member. She brings Shun's past to the forefront. While he has secluded himself from his family and past she breaks into his sanctuary with the intent to make him face it. She views the island as his paradise with Mio and while she wants what's best for Shun, she can't help but resent him and his life with Mio. She supported Shun through their youth, even being his confidant in matters concerning his homosexuality, yet she held onto her childhood feelings of love for Shun even after he called off their engagement. This trip to see Shun is just as much for her to move on from their shared past and her feelings as it is to help Shun reconnect with his parents before it's too late.

There's this powerful scene where Sakurako steps into the water at night after a big fight with Shun. It's as if she's ready for the sea to take her away, giving into the pain she feels. But it is Mio who comes to her rescue. His pure love for Shun and wish for him to be happy and to reunite with his parents, even if it means Shun leaving him behind, speaks to her. And the scene takes on a new meaning. Instead of giving into her despair,  Sakurako's pain is washed away by the water. She sees that Mio's love for Shun is far purer then her love that was willing to live a lie

Sakurako is a character with many subtleties. Love, resentment, concern, relief, despair and even comedy can be seen through her actions. She knows Shun could never love her but was willing to accept their engagement. She knows Shun could never kiss her and yet they had sex. She proclaims she's not their to get back together with Shun, but clearly is testing Mio and still holding onto feelings for Shun. She knows shun and Mio are together and yet she wants a goodbye kiss from Shun. She's a girl full of contradictions, who puts up fronts for those around her. While she leaves the island, she proclaims she'll never come back and it's yours. Subtlety saying Shun belongs to Mio and they can have their life together.

Finally  I have only read one chapter of the manga as of now, but I encourage viewers to read the book as well.  Within the first chapter a lot of set up was skipped entirely.  Not to mention, the series is acually ongoing, with a sequel series currently being published. Now  a lot of the cut content offered insight into Shun and Mio's characters. Scenes focusing on Mio's mother and his situation after her death were left out, as well as details about Shun's life on the island and basic info about his character. To me the most unforgivable cut though, was this touching scene where Mio and Shun were walking back to Mio's foster home after their curry dinner and Mio pulls Shun aside to his secret sanctuary thay he shared with his mother. Together they stare at the sea as Mio proclaims he's giving this spot to Shun and tells him of his departure.  The anime equivolent scene on the bench also cuts a brief kiss that Mio gives Shun before parting.

What's weird about this cut scene is the anime shows Mio heading to this location later with no context.  Mio's flashlight goes out leaving him in the dark after his fight with shun and before his effort to find Sakurako. While the scene in the anime is symbolic of Mio's despair and loneliness and animated beautifully, it loses its meaning without this context.

Some other cut content also explains how Shun won an award and became a published author within the three year time skip. Only ever receiving a congratulatory letter from Mio.  While not crucial to the story, these scenes give context that heightens enjoyment. And with the movies short run time it's bizarre that content had to be cut. It's barely 58 minutes long. If it received a proper feature length runtime no content would have had to be cut.

In closing, if you enjoy lgbt content that doesn't fetishize lgbt people and treats its characters with respect, The Stranger By The Shore is a great movie to watch. 
It does not shy away from the issues we face or sex, but tackles them head on.
I'd say the characters and their struggles are highly relatable to LGBY people and broadly relatable to the general populous as well.  This story certainly spoke to me and helped me reavaluate my own feelings and past struggles.  I hope that  people of various ages can come across this story and relate to it. I think it could have a valuable impact on people questioning their sexuality. Everyone deserves the chance to fall in love and be loved back.


I highly encourage fans to check out the manga and the ongoing series for more content. Who knows, maybe enough support will get the sequel an anime series one day or an adaptation that portays the full content of the first book.

I try to keep it vague but there are spoilers. You've been warned

Have you ever felt like you're lost in this world? Like you don't know what you want for your life? Like you aren't good at anything?

Have you ever list someone? A family member? A pet? A lover?

If you have Ride Your Wave may be the movie for you. It can be hard to keep your head above water. To not be dragged down by your screw ups or losses. But we have to keep trying. To find what we're good at or passionate about. To move on from our losses. This is the ... story of Hinako, a girl who has to overcome these things and ride her next wave into a better tomorrow. While she is on her own journey and it is the central point of the movie, the other cast members all have to move on with her.

Kawamura has to stop chasing his best friend's memory and be himself. Youko has to learn own her feelings and uncovers her dream is to honor the person she lost by brining their dream to life. Minato spent his whole life trying to and failing and trying again until he succeeded in his goals. He wants to honor the person who saved him by saving others.

The film uses powerful imagery centered around surfing and marine life such as sea turtles. The theme reflected predominantly through the recuring song of the movie, Brand New Story. I encourage you to pay attention to the lyrics of the song and to look up the translation. It's a beautiful song with a powerful message. The song itself is used as a magic spell of sorts to summon Minato to Hinako. It's a special song for them that played in key moments of their history.

The animation is also fantastic. The water and surfing imagery is gorgeous. While this is foremost a character story, surfing is an important device in showcasing the characters. And water is a central component to this, to fire fighting and of course for Hinako to summon Minato.

Hinako is struggling to keep her head above water, both figuratively and literally. While the water and waves are representative of life's struggles and drowning in depression, Hinako also literally leaps into the water, submerging herself multiple times to be with Minato. But she can never hold on to him or physically feel his presence. And she can only hold her breath for so long before she has to come up for air. Rather symbolic for her struggle with her grief.


It is not until she learns of her childhood connection to Minato that she is able to begin moving on and uncovers her true purpose in life. This discovery leads to her finally unlocking his phone, symbolizes her finally unlocking her path forward. The movie climaxes with her sacrificing her connection to Minato in order to save a life. In that moment she is finally able to be true to herself and move on from her loss. She rides that wave all the way back to the ground and forward into her new life.

But even when she can no longer see Minato he will be there for her. Represented by her receiving one final message from him as the movie ends.

This movie has a powerful message and it may be able to reach you if your lost. Open your heart to the possibilities and ride your next wave into a new chapter.

This review will contain some spoilers.

So the dream arc is my favorite story arc of sailor moon. I even adore the supers adaptation of it. The second movie does an excellent job of adapting the remainder of the dream arc. It has beautiful animation and character designs, a beautiful soundtrack with some nostalgia thrown in and a fantastic story. The second movie is where the plot really starts moving forward.

So the dream arc offers some backstory and world building, highlights the individual guardians, with this second movie focusing on the outer guardians as well as some development for both mamoru and Usagi. Get prepared ... to learn more about the silver millennium, Mamo and the Golden Crystal. The Golden Crystal's role is quite different from the 90's anime and far more interesting. People have complained about mamo being useless for far too long. It's about time he gains the ability to truly stand with his love. It's too bad it took so long, we won't be seeing much of it in this movie or hereafter.

Now Nehelenia is a petty woman and I adore her and her circus. The Amazoness Quartetbis such a fun group and I'm thrilled to finally see them in all their guardian glory. The old anime redeemed them as well but made the bad choice to not reveal that they are sailor Guardians destined to fight with Chibiusa. It instead chose to lightly hint that they'll meet again and then never show it. Unlike in the supers arc adaptation, Nehelenia is completely defeated here and won't be an opponent in the stars arc. She also has no tragic backstory bit is instead quite similar to Maleficent, the wicked fairy, from Sleeping Beauty. While she doesn't have a tragic story this time around, she does offer an interesting perspective when paired with Queen Serenty.

Alas, for all this movie does right, it's tight run time hinders it. The film goes by at a rapid pace. You'll want to give it your full attention so you don't miss anything. Sadly the movie, much like crystal cuts some fun moments, as well as some backstory and explanatory content. If your left slightly confused by anything, I encourage you to give the manga a read to fill in the blanks. My honest oppinion though is that you'll comprehend everything fine.

For example, I believe in the manga the guardians visit their castles or at the very least we get a view of them. Each one has a fantastic design and we're a gift from Queen Serenity upon the birth of each guardian. The anime cuts the backstory and were just sort of told they have castles and need to channel their power to help sailor moon.

For those of you wondering, yes saturn has a transformation at last. And it is completely underwhelming. It's animated beautifully, there's just not really much to it. They could of kept it relatively the same but with a little more oomph. Like have her state on the crystal rocks around her or something. We waited years for this and will only see it once.

Helios and chibiusa are portrayed excellently here. Their romance is truly a highlight and a personal favorite of mine. The resolution to their character arcs is far stronger here and it it climaxes with a moment that heralds back to the iconic Usagi and Mamo moment in arc 1 where the silver crystal reveals itself and saves him. Only this is Chibiusa's moment to shine.

Now the soundtrack, anyone feeling nostalgic should definitly watch the credits. While the first film used the first ending of super s the second film used the second and it's just as fantastic as you'd think. It will make you want to dance like the guardians did in the old ed visual.. The other song played during the credits is another character song that can be found on the soundtrack. Please give it a listen.

Well that's it for now. The movies were fantastic despite their faults. Let's hope we see the stars arc soon. I'd be happy for wither a few more movies or a season. As long as it comes fast.

"Inside each of us is a star"

So the dream arc is my favorite story arc of sailor moon. I even adore the supers adaptation of it. The first movie does an excellent job of adapting the begining of the dream arc. It has beautiful animation and character designs, a beautiful soundtrack with some nostalgia thrown in and a fantastic story.

So the dream arc is generally considered as a fluffy and fun, light interlude to the stars arc where things get extremely dark. As a result the story is less serious and offers some backstory and world building, highlts the individual guardians, with this firts movie focusing on the inners and offers ... some fun character fanservice (not the lewd kind). Each guardian gets a chance to shine against the dead moon circus and pices of their past and dreams are revealed. It's basically what crystal was lacking do to its pacing problem, cuts and bad changes. If you love the inner guardians, you'll love the content this movie offers.

Alas, for all this movie does right, it's tight run time hinders it. The film goes by at a rapid pace. You'll want to give it your full attention so you don't miss anything. Sadly the movie, much like crystal cuts some fun moments, as well as some backstory and explanatory content. If your left slightly confused by anything, I encourage you to give the manga a read to fill in the blanks. My honest oppinion though is that you'll comprehend everything fine.

For example, I believe this will be the first time in crystal we see Rei's grandfather. Which is rather tragic considering he was supposed to have appeared at least once before. For those of you who are familiar with the 90's anime, the manga grandpa is quite different in both design and personality. Sadly Rei's arc also slightly suffers from not having had Cassablanca memories adapted into either anime story. It's a side story that greatly expand on her background and character. It would offer a little context to the information we're given in this movie for her background.

For those of you wondering, Helios and chibiusa are portrayed excellently here. Their romance is truly a highlight and a personal favorite of mine. The old anime dragged out his reveal for far too long but the dream arc quickly reveals him to be a young boy and not a horse. Hopefully this will appease those who took issue with their romance in the old anime. Id also like to point out that both him and chibiusa are centuries old, but in the bodies of a 10 year old and 13 year old (give or take a year or 2). Just want to shut that discussion down fast.

Now the soundtrack, anyone feeling nostalgic should definitly watch the credits. An update on Baby baby love plays after the first song. If you want those 90s chibiusa x Helios feels give it a listen. Then go on youtube and search sailor moon love is in ny heart for the english dub version. The original singer recently uploaded some clean performances for it and a few other songs she did. I also encourage you to check out the official sound track of the movie. It has some great character songs like Minako's I want to be an idol and a duet between chibiusa and Helios.

I'll see you over on part 2. I keep some of the review the same but switch out the parts that focused on part 1 for part 2.

A whisker away is one part Spirited Away, one part A Silent Voice and one part Garden of Words. What seems like a sweet and cute movie on the surface is actually hiding some dark connotations about depression and sucidal ideation.

I think a lot of people are brushing this movie off because they themselves haven't experienced a darkness like that in there lives. What starts off as a very on the surface idea of escapism takes on a deeper meaning in the second half where our mc meets several individuals who gave up there human lives and now regret their decision to abandon their lives ... and loved ones.

With great animation, amazing music, a compelling story and a surpringly deep and hopeful message A Whisker Away deserves appreciation. Im sure it will reach the people who need it most and everyone else can enjoy a sweet and whimsical fantasy

And for english dub watchers, Cherami Leigh and Johnny Yong Bosch deliver amazing performances as usual