This is the first film that I've seen by Naoko Yamada and while in some ways I'm impressed in others I think it was gallant failure.
Starting with the good, like most modern Japanese anime it looks great and at times simply stunning. The voice actors do a great job and at over two hours it's great value for money. It might also be worth mentioning at the screening I went to the cinema was about half full, which is a good turn out for a sub-titled animated feature.
Unfortunately it's not a film that I particularly want to watch again and there a number of reasons for that. While I'm aware that it's based on a manga, it feels too long and I'm sorry to say depressing. Most of the characters are people that you wouldn't want to spend much time with and there is maybe only one scene that could be called funny. Also just because it's long doesn't mean that all the conflicts are going to be resolved.
Don't get me wrong if you're an anime fan you're probably going to like this, but I can't see it appealing to a wider audience.
Starting with the good, like most modern Japanese anime it looks great and at times simply stunning. The voice actors do a great job and at over two hours it's great value for money. It might also be worth mentioning at the screening I went to the cinema was about half full, which is a good turn out for a sub-titled animated feature.
Unfortunately it's not a film that I particularly want to watch again and there a number of reasons for that. While I'm aware that it's based on a manga, it feels too long and I'm sorry to say depressing. Most of the characters are people that you wouldn't want to spend much time with and there is maybe only one scene that could be called funny. Also just because it's long doesn't mean that all the conflicts are going to be resolved.
Don't get me wrong if you're an anime fan you're probably going to like this, but I can't see it appealing to a wider audience.