Sep 26, 2016
This movie already has dozens of reviews on this site alone, but the differences in opinion surrounding them baffle me, so I was prompted to write a review that will hands-down encourage anyone considering watching this movie to give it a try. In that regard, I firmly assert that it has earned the lofty 9.3 score it currently holds on this site at the time of writing this review.
First, the story: I WILL NOT GIVE SPOILERS, so rest assured. However, I will say that the story earns a 10/10 for the writing and thought put into it, regardless of my opinion on
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whether I liked the story or not. It holds all of the essential elements found in good storytelling. The pacing keeps the watcher engaged and doesn't leave questions unanswered, and at no point is there ever any "filler" scenes between the meat and potatoes of the story. Every event serves a purpose that ties the film together.
The art rated a 9/10 for me. There was nothing that made me think, "wow, they outdid themselves with that cut," or left an impression that will stick out in my mind, but given the realistic setting, that's fine. In the same breath, it certainly doesn't leave one wanting. For an anime, this is one of the better examples of animation quality.
The sound was the same as the art for me. It was all done very well, the effects, voice acting and the soundtrack, but it won't win awards for it. It feels natural though, and doesn't overshadow the art or story, which is probably a good thing.
The characters are well-written, especially the main duo. I kind of feel I can't adequately review them without spoilers though, so I will simply say that they were enjoyable and relatable and leave it at that.
I gave the enjoyment factor a no-questions 10/10 like I said earlier in the review. I can't wait to rewatch this movie. It sounds cheesy, but I laughed, I cried and I empathized with the characters. I even felt frustration when the characters felt it, and felt their desperation when they felt it. At several times I found myself holding my breath in anticipation, or full-on shouting at my computer for such and such character to do such and such thing. A culmination of everything put into this film snatched away my control over my own emotions and practically forced me to feel what it wanted me to. It was incredible.
Overall, I rate the film 10/10 mostly from the amount of enjoyment I received from it, and the quality/type of story it told. There were plenty of ways this movie could have fallen short given the type of story that it set out to tell, and I don't think it fell short at all in any of those ways. It skyrocketed into my top 5 stories I've seen in anime, and I highly recommend watching it if you are at all interested in the genres listed on it. Give it a watch, I am confident you will not be disappointed that you did.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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