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(Spoiler-free section)

I famously enjoy "boring" stories so take my review with that perspective.

By "boring" I mean stories that don't overload themselves with high-tension scenes. Rather, I enjoy a story that gently builds to the thematic question/thesis presented by the author. Seishun Buta Yarou wa Odekaka Sister no Yume wo Minai does just that. (+points)

Despite commending the story for that, this installment in the series feels out of place. The special formula that makes the Rascal Does Not Dream of XXXXX series so good is called Low-Low-Fiction, a splash of fantasy in an otherwise regular world—in the context of this series, adolescence syndrome. This installment ... feels out of place because adolescence syndrome is (almost) completely missing. Apart from the introductory scene and the post-credit scene, this movie functions more like a slice of life than the previous installments did. (-points)

The adolescence syndrome presented in the first and last scenes is entirely unrelated to the plot of the movie but is rather related to the plot of the announced next movie, Seishun Buta Yarou wa Randoseru Girl no Yume wo Minai, making this movie feel like a hype trailer for the next one. That could be a bad thing, but as a fan of the series and a reader of the novels, I am eager to see the continuation of the series in animation. I could commend this movie with or without the aforementioned scenes anyway. (+points)

So what can I commend this movie on anyway? Apart from a few jarring pieces of dialogue during the first-five minutes, the characters in this story retain the same soul they have in the series thus far. What's more, several side characters see time on screen to develop into fully-fledged members of the series. This does mean that Mai and Sakuta take a back seat more than usual. Still, this movie makes sure to throw in a healthy serving of them twos' unique flirting style. (+points)

I can also commend this movie for its directing. The scene direction in Rascal Does Not Dream of XXXXX has always been excellent, and this movie is no exception. I took particular notice of an extremely tense scene; I said, "Naw, this can't be happening right now," aloud during the scene. Without spoiling what happened, the scene could have easily been a mundane experience, but because of talented directing, that 10-minute span served as a powerful mini climax. (+points)

Finally, the one thing everyone cares about when watching anime, the animation. Unfortunately, it's different. Worse? Probably. The general animation quality falls in line with what one might expect from anime like this one, so I won't comment on that. The eyes, however, I must comment on. Aside from almost every character having a different eye shape than in previous installments, the characters' irises in this movie shift size in bizarre and distracting ways. Additionally, the pupils are often disformed, causing the eyes to look AI generated. I wish they had kept the art the same for the eyes. (-points)

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Now onto the content of the movie, the thematic question of the story—as interpreted by me—is, "Why do we have goals and when should we move past them?" Maybe I'm off the mark and just projecting. If you've seen the movie though, I'm sure you can agree with me. As for that theme, Kamoshida expresses it by illustrating the new Kaede's struggle to move past the old Kaede. Specifically she says, "You liked the old Kaede more," and, "I wish I had never come back [from being the old Kaede]." These quotes struck deep. They present the problems of dissatisfaction that many people face in their current self and their desire to go back. Particularly, a goal of the old Kaede was to attend the same high school as Sakuta. The new Kaede thusly spends much of the movie attempting to reach that goal. Since it's not her current-self's goal, however, working toward it physically hurts her (adolescence syndrome bruises). (+points)

I could talk about myself and my goals, but no one wants to hear that. If you've made it this far, you're in it for the review—not me. So, who can I recommend this movie to? If you're a fan of the series, you won't be disappointed with this movie. If you haven't enjoyed the series until now, you'd be better looking elsewhere.

Finally tabulation of the score: 5 + 5 - 2 = 8 points (median[1..10] + positive points - negative points = final score)

I love Yoru Sumino's work, so naturally, when I purchased this book, I had high hopes for it; however, the story leaves something to be desired. Yoru Sumino usually ends his stories up in the air—let the reader imagine where the story goes afterward. In this novel, however, he cuts the story way too short.
When reading this novel, I got the final page, read it, and thought to myself, the epilogue must clear all this up. It does not. The epilogue left me even more confused than before I read it. I want a sequel. I can't handle not knowing what happens after.
Despite that though, ... the story kept me turning pages until the very end. It's a intriguing story, but because the novel ends short of where I hoped it would, I can't give this story higher than a five. If a sequel comes out, I will definitely change my rating.