Michael's Movie Grade: B+ An excellent animated romance film from Japan. To say this movie is really sentimental would be an understatement. This film pulls every sentimental trick in the romantic movie playbook and then some. However this works because the filmmakers are so sincere about the sentiment. The film never comes off as manipulative as it could have in lesser hands. Instead every emotion is come by honestly. Much of this is due to our two main characters. While they conform in some ways the clichés of the genre, they stand as their own characters very well. Their personalities are much more than one note and grow to truly care about them pretty quickly into the film and want nothing more than for them to achieve their dreams. The relationship between the two is also incredibly well handled. It grows naturally, never feeling rushed or in any way unbelievable. Because of this the emotional scenes hit home extremely well. While they may be nothing new or original, they work so well here it is easy not to care. Some of these scene may even hit those who normally don't care for romance movies, because they are executed so well. The humor in this film is excellent. I saw it in a packed theater and the audience laughed heartily at many of the jokes. Unfortunately a subplot involving another girl interested in our main male character doesn't quite work, but it is not too intrusive. This is an excellent movie that will even delight those who are neither fans of anime or romance. -Michael J. Ruhland
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