Alice to Therese no Maboroshi Koujou

In the small rural town of Mifuse, time has crawled to a standstill. After an explosion at the city's steel mill, the townspeople realize they are trapped in a mysterious stasis—cutting them off from the rest of the world. With a local elite quick to declare the situation a punishment from God, the community adopts a variety of superstitions to preserve the delicate balance of their circumstances until normalcy is restored.

For middle school student Masamune Kikuiri and the other young people of Mifuse, returning to the real world has become nothing more than an illusion. Their senses have gone numb, and it has been years since they have shown any signs of aging. Masamune feels like he has become accustomed to his insecurities and empty existence. However, one day, his classmate Mutsumi Sagami guides him to the fifth furnace of the steel mill, where she shows him a feral young girl who resembles a wolf. This encounter proves to be the impetus in casting a light of change that dispels the shadows that have become Mifuse's reality.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Sagami, Mutsumi Main

Ueda, Reina Japanese

Kikuiri, Masamune Main

Enoki, Junya Japanese

Itsumi Main

Kuno, Misaki Japanese

Sagami, Mamoru Supporting

Satou, Setsuji Japanese

Sasakura, Daisuke Supporting

Yashiro, Taku Japanese

Hara, Hina Supporting

Kawase, Maki Japanese

Nitta, Atsushi Supporting

Hatanaka, Tasuku Japanese

Kikuiri, Tokimune Supporting

Hayashi, Kento Japanese

Kikuiri, Misato Supporting

Yukinari, Toa Japanese

Kikuiri, Akimune Supporting

Seto, Kouji Japanese

Kimura, Makoto Producer

Ootsuka, Manabu Producer, Planning

Kitsunai, Ryota Producer

Noda, Fuko Producer

Reviews

Sep 6, 2024

SCA_CriticalEye

Recommended

Critical:
A beautifully animated film that has a pretty engaging world with a lot of interesting concepts... though going in a somewhat odd and unfocused direction, with narrative beats getting lost of its own making and a few moments where character motivations are uncalled for. It's a coming-of-age story about change and it's an honest, intimate take on the whole romance plus world-ending crisis scenario. Give it a shot if you want a heartwarming, albeit sometimes confusing, film.

Personal:
The first thing that came to mind to me is that like Sonny Boy, it uses the fantasy world (though it bears saying it's more of a time-freeze ... / stuck in the SAME reality) to really hone down on themes surrounding the coming-of-age and inevitable change. The issue I have with this film is 1.) some of the interactions and how they approach certain shots and scenes are just straight up odd, and 2.) some of the moments that are supposed to be impactful aren't executed the best... sometimes, it's hard to really determine what's the point of the scene (how we got there, and where's the closure). It's the same issue with using narration alone to explain some of the most IMPORTANT narrative beats in the movie. If you're not paying attention, you can easily get lost.

I will admit, it's a much more grounded take on abstracting coming-of-age compared to Sonny Boy, where you really have to make the connections yourself. Maboroshi, however, is at least more clear in directing / connecting its themes to the viewer's mind.

I feel kinda meh to this one, as I feel like there's a lot to take in and appreciate, but I don't necessarily have a strong reaction to what unfolded. I will say that I enjoyed this MUCH MORE than something like Your Name, where I personally felt the melodrama / romance over there was just overbearing, incompatible with the scenario and its characters (maybe I'm not a spiritual person idk). This one, I can understand how we got there and how relationships developed. Not really saying that it was excellently done, but as a viewer, I enjoyed it more.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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May 15, 2024

MapleRose

Mixed Feelings

The music, art, and animation for this movie are great! The plot is intriguing with a hint of mystery, which makes you want to keep watching to see what happens next. I like the way the story is told, revealing little details a bit at a time. There is a moment midway through that makes you go "oh", when you start to realize what is happening/has happened to this town.

However, once you figure out the mystery (or when you get to the part where it solves it for you), that's kind of where the good part of the plot ended. Everything after the reveal, including ... the resolution, becomes messy, and actually kind of infuriating at times...

The characters themselves are not that interesting. The main male lead is kind of generic and boring, and the way their relationships unfolded felt rushed. I feel like the director wanted the viewer to feel emotional, but I just felt nothing (except maybe some frustration?)

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Jul 31, 2024

dplgngr811

Not Recommended

TL;DR: This is probably one of the most stupid ass half-baked movies to ever exist, period. Do not watch it if you value your time and if you have expectations just because it is MAPPA's work.

Let's keep it short. I watched the trailer when it released and was very excited. I didn't know anything about who the studio or the people making it were. I was just genuinely excited just by looking at the trailer. Then later I realized that it was MAPPA's work and was happy that it's going to be a masterpiece and OH BOY.

It's shit. It's fucked up.

The only good things ... about this movie are the art, the animation and the music. Nothing else.
The characters are shit. The plot is shit. I have never watched a movie in my entire life where you have so many hate-able characters. The girls are just so annoying and frustrating. They do these stupid things and I'm like "WHY?????". The only somewhat likeable character is the male MC and even he lets you down at certain moments. I sat there watching this movie till the end in dire hopes that at least the conclusion will be good, and they royally fucked it up. And that's when I lost it.

So, yea. Bad plot. Messed up pacing. Fucked up characters. No explanations. Zero ending. Don't watch.

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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'Alice to Therese no Maboroshi Koujou' Unveils Supporting Cast

The official website for the Alice to Therese no Maboroshi Koujou (Maboroshi) original anime movie revealed nine supporting cast members on Thursday. The movie will ...read more

Jul 12, 2023 7:38 PM by DatRandomDude | Discuss (0 comments)

	can someone explain this to me chee_tah - Oct 9	7 replies	by Kylvius »» Dec 8, 10:03 AM
	Poll: Alice to Therese no Maboroshi Koujou Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 ) deguy - Sep 25, 2023	57 replies	by Ranxomare »» Nov 1, 3:10 PM
	Who are "Alice" and "Therese"? PaninaManina - Sep 21	2 replies	by Thecrot »» Sep 21, 7:32 AM
	I have so many questions after watching it. RealNath - Jan 15	22 replies	by SuryaCoeg »» Aug 15, 2:59 AM
	Weathering with you On Crack wisnuyoga78 - May 22, 2023	15 replies	by Traxillia »» Jul 7, 8:38 AM