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Jul 3, 2021
A visual triumph for the beloved KyoAni team that sees the conclusion of one of my most heavily invested anime since I first discovered it. It's fair to say there was a lot riding on this film, not only to bring a resounding end for the anime's titular character but being the first film to be released after the devastating arson attack caries even more emotional weight for the creators and the eager fans wanting to see it. Regardless of my final opinion on Violet Evergarden: The Movie, I've never been more thankful as an anime fan to see such passion and dedication put in
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by the team who worked on the film, which makes it so much harder for me to act as a critic in this situation.
There is a lot that VE gets right straight out the gates: taking place shortly after the ending of "Violet Evergarden Gaiden: Eien to Jidou Shuki Ningyou" we are quickly brought up to date with previous characters of the show, establishing the critical change in time and technology after the war - a very interesting theme that serves as the main conflict/resolution of the film - and especially showing the character development of Violet up till this point. It's that last part where this film then proceeds on a downward spiral that in my opinion conflicts with everything KyoAni had set up with Violet up till this point. The writers of the show initially made a crucial change from it's respective source material, one that objectively did a much better job at establishing Violet as an independent character who had to face her own struggles separated from the only person she ever cared for.
By the end of the show Violet was in a content place, she'd lived past her previous life as a soldier, as Major Gilbert's weapon and had found resolution with his seeming demise. She had created a life for herself, one that Gilbert would have been happy for her. She'd changed and shaped so many lives around her, from friends to enemies, playwrights and singers, daughters, sisters, and even old commanders. Along the way, she even came to understand what it meant to love, how to cherish it, how to express that feeling on the behalf of others, as well as the pain and heartbreak it causes. Come the ending however, all of that seems to have been wasted on our heroin and results in one of the most cliché confessions I've ever seen, with a complete 180 for multiple characters development. That's the spoiler free version.
One of the major areas this film struggles with is the pacing. I was overjoyed when I first learnt of the 2hr 20min run time, believing it would get the chance to show us in depth the extent of Violet's character as well as some of it's more notable side characters which we haven't had much development from. Instead though this film decides to go on the very slow burn, and while every frame may be beautiful...it also takes forever to go anywhere....and when we finally do get there, I couldn't help but feel disappointed.
*MINOR SPOILERS*
The film essentially has three ongoing plots: The first plot is set during the present time and focusses on Anne's (The daughter from episode 10) granddaughter as she finds out what happened to VE in her final days as an Auto Memories Doll. The second plot focusses on sick boy Yurith who Violet writes letters for as his dying wish. The third plot has Violet discovering that Major Gilbert is in fact still alive. To put it bluntly, none of these plots really have much in common with the others, as the first one has no impact on the main characters, the second one is wasted by Violet's final decision, and the last one is only really focussed on in the second half of the film.
The first plot was certainly interesting if you are a fan of the world in which VE takes place, but really doesn't add to the theme of the film even though it tries. The second plot really feels more like a side story, which is strange considering the show has always been about discovering other people's stories and writing letters to convey their feelings. This is not to say that the film certainly doesn't lack emotion and even though I questioned Yurith's purpose in the film, I still couldn't help but tear up at his conclusion. Yet he doesn't get nearly as much development as other side characters we've come across before, and therefor doesn't carry much weight on the story as a whole.
*SPOILER END*
Most of the time however is focussed on Violet remembering and reminiscing her life with the Major, only to find out that he's been hiding on an Island this whole time which once again brings up the same conflict she had half way through the show. It feels in every essence like the writers were going back on how they initially set up her character. We see some interesting points, like Gilbert wanting to bury his past in order to protect Violet from the pain she suffered. It's also here however that the film seems most conflicted with the message it's trying to convey, as everything the film sets up for these characters completely and suddenly chances by the end, with very little resolution on top. It's hard to tell if this was what the writers always intended from when they gave us that original open ending in the series but I'd definitely take that conclusion over this one.
Another area where I feel like this film falls behind is the music. I love the soundtrack for VE, and even here it's hard not to love the subtle notes than blend beautifully with the gorgeous imagery. However there is nothing here that is unique compared to what we've heard before, no typewriter, no resounding scores, it's mostly the same melancholy tone that doesn't really change throughout the film. Everytime a letter was flying through the air, I just kept being reminded of the opening scene in the series and wished the music would catch up, but it never did. I also couldn't help but feel disappointed by the lack of resolution for the show's side characters: Claudia, Benedict, Cattleya, Luculia, and Iris just to name a few. None of them have any memorable moments, and even though we spend a lot of time with Claudia, I couldn't help but feel like the film missed a great opportunity with his character by the end. After all, he was the closest thing Violet had to a carer after Gilbert's departure.
It's a shame that for every moment this film get's right, it also takes two steps back. If the film had trusted it's audience and been just a bit braver to continue the journey it initially set up, this would have easily been great. It's not the resounding conclusion to Violet's story I was hoping for, but I take comfort in the knowledge that there are many fans who love KyoAni's work and especially love this film. I just wish I could have had that connection with Violet's story one last time.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Oct 31, 2019
Kiki's Delivery Service is a prime example of why I often disagree with most Ghibli fans about the meaning behind Miyazaki's films. While I do find enjoyment and moments of wonder in the beautiful art that is Studio Ghibli anime, sad to say more than not I am often left underwhelmed coming after all the praise that has followed these films.
KDS is very much a lighthearted, enjoyable and cute film about girl trying to find herself in an environment she is not familiar with....this is the basic premise for some of my favourite anime of all time. Yet what sets most films apart from
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this basic plot is how they handle the themes and characters even when there is little happening on screen. Liz and the Blue Bird is my prime example on how characters develop throughout the film and simply how audience resonation can turn a very simple story into a spectacle of the big screen.
While I certainly enjoyed this Ghibli work, I wouldn't say I resonated with the film as much as I was hoping to, nor did the characters develop in any meaningful way. I couldn't help but feel there was something seriously lacking, themes were never fully realized and characters were sorely lacking development, pretty much the same problems I had with Mirai yet that had an outstanding conclusion. Simply put, the film for the most part is sadly forgettable, there wasn't anything that stood out to me and while I'll rate it on a solid 7, I was just hoping more from the great anime legend.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Aug 22, 2019
There are many reasons as to why I love reading Yuri. Sure there are the terrible fan service ones with very cut and paste relationships (Looking at you NTR) or the one shot wonders with impressive art but disappointing stories or characters (Transparent Light Blue). However every now and then, one will creep up on my radar that I get swept away in by it's visuals, yet stay for a much more interesting story with thought provoking characters. Luminous=Blue is the prime example of why I love Yuri manga.
"How interesting can another Yuri slice of life be?" its no more slice of life than
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Doki Doki Literature Club is (Minus the traumatizing horror) I may be getting ahead of myself here, but very few manga at all have been able to grasp me within it's opening chapter and keep me from going to sleep that night until I either can't physically keep going or I run out of chapters to read (which is what happened here). Lets get down to the Basics.
Plot:
Luminous=Blue follows protagonist Kou Tarumizu, a young photographer who transfers to the school of her idol, only to learn said idol has hit a wall and the profound photography club has since been disbanded. She quickly befriends a pair of very conflicting girls after seeing how happy they looked together and asks to take pictures of them. That's how it starts. However she finds herself caught in a web of deceit and manipulation. "Wait that doesn’t sound like a cute romance!" because it really isn’t. There’s plenty of cute moments, but the ultra-detailed art contributes to both a very beautiful series and a deeply disturbing one, with plenty of room to fill in all the blanks with the lies told by the characters. I'd hesitate to say dark yet it's certainly provocative, and not in the fan service way. Basically, this is a love triangle story, but not at all what you think. This comes with some very strong material on being honest with your feelings, subversive manipulation, the way photos reveal our hidden emotions, and very raw framing of sexuality.
Characters:
Kou is a typical first year highschooler, burning with motivation and passion for the arts...and far too innocent for the world she's about to face. I can't express just how much I empathize with her. We all go through that transition phase, stepping into the next journey or segment of our lives and I think it's as important here. The story is framed through her lens, and this brings about a very different portrayal on typical Yuri relationships. Nene and Amane are the focus of Kou's photography interests, however amazing that first shot of them is though is only what their relationship use to be. I really like the fact they are ex's in the current story, with Amane constantly reminiscing what they had where Nene just wants to stay friends. Yet it's not that simple with Kou now thrown into the mix, and well.....that's all i'm willing to say outside the forums.
Art:
Need I say more about this? Manga's often have to strike a balance between the theme's it want to present, how easy it is to ready and how polished it wants to look. I can think of a number of manga that look amazing, yet are either impossible to understand whats going on or don't carry the themes the story tries to convey. Blue is the exception of this. Beautifully detailed, and expresses everything we need to see (and hides what we need to imagine). No frame is wasted.
We have been graced with good Yuri manga recently: Kase-san shows how you can have a good series with simply a strong foundation for a Yuri relationship, without making the slice of life moments dull. Bloom into You shows what happens when you put characters and story before fan service. After Hours develops a mature adult relationship with relatable characters and it's just so refreshing to read. You will just have to see why this one is so special since Luminous=Blue is a must read for Yuri lovers and one hell of a stepping stone for those wanting to get into it.
(After Final Edit)
I've had to seriously drop my previous score when the last chapter was released. What should have been a whole volume's worth atleast, the last chapter of this manga suddenly decides to wrap up what was a strongly progressing story with intimate developing characters. This was far too rushed. All the drama and character motivations were suddenly just swept aside in a quick confession of love, ending with the main characters literally holding hands and walking into the sunset. The manga did not take the time to actually develop the bond between Kou and Nene, nor did it justify Nene and Amane getting back together, or build upon any of the themes it started with. It's like this manga was seriously conflicted in the story it wanted to tell and instead of coming to any sound conclusion, it got hooked up within it's own love triangle and just decides this was what was always meant to happen?
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Aug 17, 2019
I have to admit, I fell in love with this series at first. I can only hope as time will tell that it will end that way too. As for everything else, the series is extremely lackluster. While the story aims to focus on two girls who try their luck at success within a sci fi music industry is noteworthy, besides that this anime is lacking emotional punch and meaningful character development.
I love seeing the musical duo of Carole and Tuesday perform. However it is undermined by lack of coefficient story and any meaningful drama. While they both have interesting backgrounds that pop up
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every now and then into side plots, they never have meaningful conclusions or any lasting impact on the characters.
These two love each other, yet that never comes to surface and there are very few themes running through the anime to keep it meaningful. The relationship between the titular characters also just feels underdeveloped. The series hasn't given them the chance to grow, it's just one song to the next. While the music is certainly the shows strongest aspect, we don't actually know what it is that drives these two on their musical journey unlike Hibike Euphonium. There are only so many episodes left, and yet I can't see it reaching any substantial conclusion. There is no weight to these characters actions and no story to be told and that pains me to say. I hope this series takes a drastic turn soon because right now I am tired of watching.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Apr 20, 2019
An anime that has one of my favourite episodes in the last decade, but overall doesn't necessarily entice me with the feels that I initially hoped going into it. That being said, I still think this is a solid anime that really depends on how you view it. A very interesting premise, relevant and strong themes, beautiful visuals, a whopping soundtrack....so why is it not a 10/10?
Ultimately, where this anime fell just short was within it's characters. From Violet to Claudia to the little girl in episode 10, every episode is designed to tell a story with Violet being the centre piece of the whole
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show. However, what they all lack in the end is depth. For the 1 episode protagonists, we never have enough time to become invested with their stories (episode 10 being the major exception) and this even extends to some of the main side characters who appear throughout the series. While a number certainly have interesting backgrounds, rarely does that come to light and often it feels irrelevant (episode 4 for example, Iris is useless after this point). Claudia being the exception whom has the best background and who's arc is based solely around redeeming himself for what he did to Violet during the war....why doesn't anyone else have interesting arcs like this?
The climatic story also falls short. When the chips are down and the series picks up with brewing threats and Violets past coming back to haunt her, the once episodic series tries to tie together lose ends and themes in a climatic finally that feels rushed and forced. The shows strongest elements were always with Violet helping others, learning their stories, understanding their emotions and the themes at hand. VE's special is a great example of Violet's personal journey mixed with a troubling situation that has serious issue's of war and love. While it was great seeing Violets past during the war, It didn't seem to live up to the small snippets of her violent upbringing in episode 1. That being said, I couldn't help but feel like Violet's character development was a shy bit shallow. While in the end she did grow, her journey didn't necessarily reflect her desire to understand what it is to feel except in the later episodes.
Yet I have to praise the show for a lot. I doubt the Art needs any mention, it's spectacular, stunning, gorgeous and encapsulates the world, theme and characters beautifully. This is what Kyoto is best at, and they've proved it time and time again from Hibike! Euphonium to A Silent Voice. The soundtrack is just as beautiful, with sorrow notes and a touch of classical (love the use of the typewriter in some songs) it evokes emotion's that drive many scenes and without it, the show wouldn't be the same. And tbh there are a lot of moments I really did enjoy within the anime (need I mention episode 10 again?) I just really hope that the movie version can encapsulate everything great about the series, condense it, put in some more character development and you have yourself one hell of an amazing anime. Until then, we have this and it's really not all that bad. Overhyped, but certainly not bad.
Reviewer’s Rating: 8
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Mar 23, 2019
What can I say? I certainly had higher hopes for this anime, and while there is certainly a lot I liked which made it enough to separate it from Slice of Life predecessors, there was also a lot it could have done better.
What I liked -
The Art, need I say more about this? Very few anime are able to capture it's art direction so close to it's story. It's not just gorgeous, it also ties directly with the anime's core themes, and every minute of it is undeniably beautiful.
I liked the relationship between the grandmother and the protagonist, while at first it was
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all sudden and just disconnected, it became clear that the story was as much about connecting with her family as it was finding friends and learning to love life. Out of all the characters, Kohaku had surprisingly the most development, and because of her I really liked the ending.
The themes are strong and relevant. Incorporating depression and emotions with visuals was as smart as it was bittersweet. This was done better in A Silent Voice, but it was interesting here never the less.
What it could have done better -
As good as the art is, I really wish that they played on this aspect more. Outside of seeing the contrast with the protagonist's monochromatic view and everyone else's, it really doesn't do much else even though it's core to the story.
While Kohaku was interesting, there really isn't much to define our protagonist, and even less so for it's secondary characters even though they are supposed to be the people who help Hitomi love life again. They were more bland than Violet Evergarden combined, no backstory, no personality outside the cliché, and they turned out exactly how you think they would. Also, the love triangles are so melodramatically boring.
The themes are strong and relevant, but rarely explored. The theme here is the story, but throughout the 13 episodes there is very little happening, even the protagonist has no idea whats going on or what she is supposed to do up until the end. It's themes are simply drowned by the excessive amount of irrelevant filler that make up this anime and it's a dire shame since it really had potential.
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Feb 8, 2019
(WARNING: RESIDENT EVIL FAN PRESENT)
With my mind fully on the RE2: Remake, I decided to give the animated series of Resident Evil another go. Tbh when I first watched Damnation, I really didn't think much of it, but I found myself pleasantly surprised by the quality of this film and its definitely the best out of any of the Resident Evil films. (It's not enough to make me forget Vendetta though my God what trash)
Not only does it provide some decent fan service for long time RE fans, but it also touches on some serious themes of war and causes, with you know zombies added
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into the mix. Some decent action scenes with solid animation, along with relevant themes and a story deeper than what you would expect from this kind of title.
However, I can't guarantee those who aren't RE films that this will persuade them to play some of the most classic horror survival games in the industry. There are problems with this film, It lacks any meaningful character development (atleast for the main cast) it's art direction and sound are minor at best and the story is actually good....for an RE game, but it doesn't reinvent the wheel here. The dialogue also feels very minimal, with our main hero Leon dishing out one liners and not saying much else....but hey, Hannigan is really cute in those glasses. I do think this was a missed opportunity somewhat to dive deeper into Leon and Ada Wong's characters in what is ultimately a set up for RE6. The story here has no relevancy within the RE timeline, so really this should have focused more on the characters personal conflicts, something they tried yet completely fucked up in Vendetta.
Overall, not really much to say. RE fans shouldn't give this a miss, and those who aren't will probably think this is another mediocre 3D animation action pictures.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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Jul 3, 2018
An Actual Review of one of the most overlooked films in history. When I originally wrote this, I stopped questioning what films I would review as to me it didn't matter. If I'm writing about it that means I genuinely took time out of what little life I have just to mention it, I could easily be focusing on my course assignments right now. Instead I decided to watch an Anime of which very few people will ever care about and even less so will care about this review. I'm writing this because as soppy and as cliché as it's title may be, Anthem of
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the Heart is genuinely a masterpiece of the coming of age genre in not just Anime, but film making as a whole.
When I told a dear friend of mine the synopsis for the film, her only reply was "Oh that is so cliché" and she isn't wrong. That does not mean the film had no heart, far from it. Anthem of the Heart simply resonates with passion, the burning of youth with characters who don't just say what they feel but show it. If Hibike! Euphoniun and A Silent Voice express emotions through sound, then Anthem of the Heart fills those emotions with words. It's as much as an enduring tale of adolescents as any, filled with tear jerking moments of thunderous catharsis and grounded in it's harsh reality. The Trauma, conflict and pain for longing. A story that depicts the bonds between people, and beloved music will feel your heart with emotion. Much like A Silent Voice, we witness the beautiful story of a girl trying to find her voice.
The film opens with a young and naïve Jun Naruse with flights of medieval fantasy, witnessing and then telling her mother about her unfaithful father, soon stops talking all together after realising the pain she has caused to the people she loves. Come present day, she is called upon to help produce a musical with Takumi Sakagami, a generally well-liked boy who never seems to show much interest in anything. Natsuki Nitou, the straight-laced girl who has some kind of past with Takumi. And Daiki Tasaki, the former baseball ace whose blown elbow has left him a bitter relic on the team's sidelines. None of these four are interested in designing a performance, much less with each other - but when Jun witnesses Takumi singing a silly little song about eggs and words, she begins think that music may be a way to let free the feelings trapped in her heart. Takumi is caring and understanding when she tells him via text message about her curse, and how much pain she feels when she talks. In Jun's fantastical mind, he's a prince and a savior. Takumi friendship leads her to interact more with everyone around her. She’s beautifully animated and even without talking her expressions through body language are just endearing. Her reactions are just adorable and bring a much-needed light heartedness to scenes that made me cry...and so we have Anthem of the Heart.
Anime lovers are no strangers to ridiculous plots, and as absurd as the plot sounds, you might be forgiven thinking this is nothing more than a sweet high school fantasy movie. Yet the real life implications, the tare between what is fantasy and what is real, makes this a beautiful and heart wrenching tale that much like it's protagonist is screaming to have that story told. We see a quiet withdrawn girl who is unable to communicate using normal methods and the judgement and assumptions made about her by the people around her, the same people that she comes to call her friends. Through the painful scenes of her trying to express her thoughts, eventually and as soppy as it sounds, Jun realises she can express her feelings through singing. This brings out the more light hearted and most emotional moments throughout the film.
To me it never mattered when the story became melodramatic at times as the film blends Fantasy-Reality all too well. At times Jun's personal fantasy as childish as it also begins tarring her apart like her views on romance. Throughout the movie, she was always genuine about her feelings but was also in love with the idea of love. The reality which she was so afraid of however becomes more beautiful as the world opens up to her. It certainly makes the "be careful watch you wish for" story all the more fresh with it's juxtaposed magic and reality dynamic. Some of the ways the film uses to convey emotions through expression can be heavy handed, as beautiful as it is not everything has to be expressed. Sometimes the best option can be to just have it left unsaid, which is a weird complaint about an coming of age Anime of self expression. Yet on the other hand there's a quiet loneliness to many of the sequences here that show how real it is, the film isn't afraid to go where many adolescent dramas do not. It makes the more beautiful moments stand out.
As fantasy as her cure is, Jun's problems are very much real and I feel her despair in every scene. Over the small and heartfelt moments, we see how each character struggles with the expression of their feelings, and as they naturally grow to care for each other we see the realistic development of their characters growth. It never spares in showing the best and yet the worst in people. The most surprising character is actually the hot headed baseball ace Daiki, who speaks out against Jun's inability to speak and his disinterest in helping. As his insecurities are revealed, he asks Jun for forgiveness and gradually grows to love her for who she is...something she has never experienced before. I especially love the final scene of this film as it shows just how much the characters develop. Through a heart warming sequence, we see the cast's accomplishment the morning after. As they begin to reminisce the past few weeks, we see Daiki confess his feelings for Jun and her expression is just one of awe. The film is much as about learning to express our thoughts and feelings as it is coming to terms with emotional burdens, and it's enduring to watch. Its surprising in it's revelation of how often the words we speak can be so violent and painful, and it's characters don't refrain from showing unhappiness, pettiness or depression. Anohana also portrayed this perfectly with it's characters, and i enjoyed those throwbacks here.
The music is not only wonderful to hear but players important roles in character dynamics. It's Jun first listening to Takumi that gets her to open up, in one scene in particular she tells him she wished the ending of the story was more happy. Here was get a beautiful rendition of "Over the Rainbow", a song that I hadn't heard since my childhood. It's perfectly used to convey it's emotional truth. I’ve always been fond of music being used to convey feelings especially in film (not in a Katy Perry pop song) and it’s nice to see a series that makes such good use of it to solve real problems, like those that Jun faces. While there is no 7 minute Euphonium solo, it doesn't need to have one. During it's emotional climax's, the film often lets characters actions and performances do the expression while the soundtrack carries the emotion throughout.
No like i mentioned before the film is not flawless, but even it's flaws just work for the portrayal of its characters. It's sincere with it's feelings and in its execution. The characters, thoughts and feelings all feel real. A small story with grace, It's a simple and enduring little film, that deserves to be heard.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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Feb 11, 2017
I strongly believe that a film can have a decent theme and a strong underlying tone and yet even while not a lot actually happens it can still be a very good film, 5 centremeters per second is a good example of this. Sadly Tamako's love story is not. I really wanted to enjoy this film more than I did. I should point out that I did not watch the TV-show but really it shouldn't need to rely on it. One of the problems I have is that there is very little interaction between Tamako and Mochizou, some fans would say "If you want to
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see more of their friendship you should watch the show!" but if the film is suppose to be about them and the drama that ensues then I expect to see them actually connect with each other. Even if they did in the show it doesn't change the fact its not believable or enjoyable here.
I really want to rate it higher, but seriously this could have been a much better shorter movie since almost nothing happens between the 20min mark and the ending. I loved the characters, all of them were believable and all of them were pretty unique, its the pacing and focus which really makes this fall apart.
The plot summary gets half of it right, the film isn't about Mochizou trying to confess his love for Tamako, it's about Tamako trying to come to the reality of this change in her life (Which is relatable) How does she do this? By practicing trying to throw a Baton in the air and Mochi making...oh and she occasionally talks to her friends and even rarer Mochizou is in the movie! I was this close to doing a Gigguk and shouting "Motha Fucking Mochi!"
While having that part of Tamako life their gives her character, it most certainly shouldn't be the focus of the movie and it makes it feel just so...boring. Honestly very little surprised me in this movie sadly, some of the best bits were when Tamako hanged out with her wacky friends.
What we don't get is interaction between Mochizou and Tamako who are suppose to be best friends...but Tamako spends nearly the entire movie without talking to him! While I liked the symbolism of the use of the telephone cups here and how it represented their friendship, it wasn't nearly enough to be a saving grace. Just like their friendship, Mochizou is criminally underdeveloped, the film heavily focuses on Tamako doing...well, nothing.
I didn't mind this movie was childish, hell its one of the things I enjoyed about it, reminded me of my adolescences and the way Tamako tries to solve her problem is adorable. This only happens in the last 15 minutes of the film however and it was just so disappointing throughout. if the film focused more on that, with actual interacting between the 2 main characters then it would have been all the better for it.
(Post Review coming)
Reviewer’s Rating: 6
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Jan 8, 2017
No one has any idea how much I want to rate this higher. I went to 5 different stores across London to find all 7 of these because I really wanted to read it. I haven't seen the film yet which Is what sparked my interest in A Silent Voice, that and Your Name. There are moments in this where I'm thinking this is 10/10 material! I read the thirst 3 Last night, and spent the whole rest of this day reading the last 4, now I'm emotionally distraught because I can't stop thinking about it. Well really I keep thinking about why I kept
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reading this even after it's disastrous pacing, that reason was Nishimiya Shouko.
(SPOILERS)
Despite the whole series existing because of her and the only reason Ishida is on his path of redemption is because of her. She is the best...and completely under developed character in this manga. I hope to God the film focuses more on her and Ishida and not...the making of the movie. Now you are all going to start by saying "Its not a romance! You didn't get it", no you are right that the story is not just so Ishida can have a romance with Shouko, but that doesn't mean they can't love each other. The sad thing is, Shouko goes throughout the manga unexpressed, her voice is silent and I mean that both literally and metaphorically.
The side characters (most of who are just a massive time waste, they only stand out on rare occasions, yes I understand they all represent something in Shoko's life but the story focuses way to heavily on them. It loses the whole plot all together after V3. Shokou's sis was one of the redeeming characters who had a believable friendship with Ishida) all have their motives and reasons expressed, but Shouko never gets that. There were so many moments - especially the tear jerking scene when Ishida wakes up to find her - where she could have explained why she forgave Ishida, why she put up with all the shit she went through, and maybe tell Ishida what she really thinks. But no, it never happens, she's a loving character who never gets the characterization as the side characters. To me, the manga ended with Ishida after he woke up and Shokou on the bridge if only Shokou was allowed to express herself properly. Some would argue that was the authors creative Genius, it represents her character of how she never allowed to have a voice. The story makes out that it was Ishida was the first one to hear her, but if he really did...then he would have gone with her to Tokyo to continue his path of redemption.
If the story actually focused on Ishida and Shokou after the chapter Moon (V3) and instead of mostly bad filler between the ending of V3 and Shokou's attempted suicide in V5 then not only would this be more enjoyable, it would actually be more realistic and make more sense! Seriously so many people seem to forget the SERIOUS LACK OF INTERACTION BETWEEN ISHIDA AND SHOKOU BETWEEN THE ENDINGS OF V3-V5. V6 Should have entirely focused on Shokou, but it doesn't sadly, instead it focuses on all the side characters who get more focus than the 2 main characters. I practically cherish every single damn moment between those 2 because of how actually rare it is. If its not suppose to be a romance, then its a slice of life, but these 2 so rarely have moments together and moments where they connect, it's just heartbreaking in the wasted potential and development, its not good writing.
I wouldn't be so empty, so disappointed if I didn't love this manga, there were so many moments I loved but there were also moments which didn't make sense, pacing and focus which could have been done better, and characters who deserved a voice.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
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