Kimagure orenji rôdo: Ano hi ni kaeritai

This feature was produced and set almost immediately after the end of the TV series, and released subtitled: "I Want to Return to That Day." The psychic fantasy and silly comedy elements which made the series such fun are now gone, and instead the movie goes straight for the heartstrings. Kyosuke must confront his feelings for both Hikaru and Madoka and deal with the relationship fallout as the friendly triangle at the center of the series comes apart, with jealousy, hurt feelings and recriminations flying in all directions. The familiar settings - the famous staircase, the ABCD diner, Green House, Madoka's house etc. - become emotional battlefields as the innocent fun of the series comes to its inevitable end. It is surprisingly powerful stuff coming on the heels of such a likable and rather lightweight series. As with any anime, liberal use of pathetic fallacy is made, as dramatic pauses are punctuated with gusts of wind and rainstorms break out just as tears well up in a character's eyes. Good looking and well crafted, this is one of the best and most famous post-series anime features and must viewing for fans of the series who were left wondering how things would turn out.

After watching the whole series, and after have so many fun, I knew it wasn't to be a good end to the characters and your frienships. But in this movie, it happens to be so sad ... anyone who have some affection by the characters will certainly cry and above all you will have so much melancholy. It will mark you.

This is probably best seen if you've at least watched the OAV series of Kimagure Orange Road (better if you've seen the actual series). It is a very serious ending to a whimsical television series. It is very mature in how it treats the relationship. I cried.

You know for a series called 'Whimsical Orange Road' the first KOR movie 'I Want To Return To That Day' is downright depressing. The only purpose of this movie is to solve once and for all the romantic triangle of the TV and OAV series, and boy does it do it.

I remember watching this movie for the first time in a crowded auditorium with a bunch of Otaku around me. It got to the climactic moment where Kyosuke is attempting to finally voice his feelings to Madoka and all of us were chanting 'Say it! Say it! Say it!' none of us expecting him to actually do it. And then he said it. We were stunned.

For fans of the series be warned, this movie is very low on the humour and very high on the drama. Not once in this entire film is Kyosuke's ESP even /mentioned/. It is entirely a dramatic movie with a /very/ bittersweet ending.

Hikaru fans may not want to watch at all.

Well, I cried at the end of this movie too. And I'm a guy.

Though the 2nd movie (Shin KOR Ano Natsu ni Hajimaru/Summer's Beginning) does reconcile a lot of the situations caused in this movie, Ano hi ni kaeritai is all the ending that's necessary to this series. If you're a fan of romance stories, this is certainly one to watch, as it's beautiful, atmospheric almost to the point of unbearability, and very honest. Sure, the animation's a bit dated, but I've yet to see any American animated feature attempt this with even the least bit of seriousness.

Well worth your time, and I guarantee you'll never resort to WB teen soaps ever again!