Where do I even begin with this review? Well, I guess I'll start with the fact that I skimmed the manga chapters that this film covered after Given, the series, finished airing; as such, I've noticed that there's a few Uenoyama/Mafuyu scenes that've been missed out in this film that were pretty cute. However, given the potential for further anime material, depending on the manga, I'll let that slide. Plus, this film seemed to want to center on Akihiko and Haruki's story, which I thought was just fine because I loved their story when I (briefly) came across it in the manga.
Something I noticed with this film was that it was in sharp contrast to the series, and that kind of storytelling was really interesting to partake in. Spoilers if you haven't seen the series, but Mafuyu's story was really dark while the love he found was quite innocent. With this film, it's the opposite. The conflicts these characters are going through are pretty typical, as far as romances are concerned, but the central romantic relationship was rife with adult experiences and emotions. It was an interesting comparison between the two romances in Given (though, I believe the manga is pursuing a third right now?).
I feel like I'm stating the obvious by reviewing the story in this series because it's so damn good, and it builds upon such powerful themes. Of course, in the series, you're getting themes about dependence and loss and self-discovery and love. In this film you get those themes, as well, but it does it in a totally different way. It explored Akihiko and Haruki in such an interesting way, and it made them into real people with realistic emotions and reactions. Plus, the overhanging message of this film is as good as Given has ever done.
Also, this film was an hour long. How they can pace it to tell a complete story without rushing it or sacrificing any substance is beyond me, but they did it. The music, of course, was poppin', but I think we all knew that. It wasn't as poppin' as the series, but I think that's appropriate because it's a reflection of what and who Mafuyu's music is being written for because it doesn't have to be about pain anymore.
I don't know what else to say besides Given is hella underrated for how well it delivers on everything. It's phenomenal at using music to represent people and how people use music to understand themselves. It's not afraid to put real people on screen and show you their lives. And if that isn't enough, the love stories it's able to tell are, honestly, the best I've seen in anime. That includes all the classic romance anime that are, inevitably, all the same.
If you haven't been exposed to Given yet, watch it. It's way more than a romance and way more than a music anime. It's got a lot of heart and a story that will fill your soul with music.
