The first thing that stood out to me in a negative way was how it was presented. Although it was advertised as a 1 hour special, the first half was a recap and the second was original content. So essentially, I was only watching 25 minutes of original content--which amounts to a typical anime episode. Why didn't they do what Made in Abyss did with its final episode--ie actually make an hour's worth of original content to have as much time as needed to tie some loose ends? I don't know. Speaking of which, the second thing that stood out negatively was how it actually ended. I won't spoil, but the latter half of the series didn't actually provide closure to the cast or its story. Instead, it introduced new concepts and questions that unless the show is planning a second season it would probably never answer.
That being said, there are still some positive things to say about the special. For one, the recap half of the special was well executed. Compared to most recaps, this was concise and engaging. The second half was just as engaging. While it didn't necessarily end the series, it did clear up some important questions such as why did Koito committed suicide and what happens to those who were brought back to life since those things have consequences. The new concepts it introduced was genuinely interesting and even the most surprising of reveals still made sense in context of the world they live in. I really hope that they have a second season or film so that they can bring everything to a close once and for all.
Overall, the special wasn't exactly the best but nevertheless it didn't ruin my experience with the show as a whole. I still encourage you to watch it, at least the latter half of it.
