O Espelho do Castelo Solitário

7 Outcast middle schoolers find a gateway to a magical castle in the mirror. They are told that in the castle there is a hidden key to a room. If any of them are able to get into that room they will be granted a wish.

OK, there is a lot of nits to pick in this story. First, the kids are told of this magic, yet they don't really concern themselves with finding the key. Most of the story they just use the magical castle to hang out. They don't go on magical adventures in an enchanted castle, they just eat food and occasionally play some board games.

The 7 kids always feel like they are 3 steps behind the audience. They try to unravel pieces of the mystery that logically could have been figured out in a 5-minute conversation. And I get it, they are socially awkward middle schoolers, they wouldn't make the most logical decisions. But it doesn't make it any less frustrating.

But at the same time, the audience is given enough clues to solve the mystery for themselves. There is information hidden from us that makes it impossible to figure out where the key is.

With those problems in mind...why do I like this movie?

If you are suffering through the slice of life drama, and waiting for the movie to get good, stick around. The movie has an emotionally cathartic ending that makes the whole runtime worth the wait.

I work as a teacher, and the scenes with the middle school bullying are portrayed all too real. And as one who was also once an awkward middle schooler I can still empathize with the plight of our protagonists. They are problems that exist in schools today and will continue to exist as long as teenagers are all grouped together.

Despite the logic of the film not always adding up, the emotional beats strike a chord that resonates deep within me.

When I reviewed "Drifting Home" last year, I said that when it comes to the fantasy genre, anime movies have a lot to offer. Unfortunately, that movie didn't showcase that potential.

But this movie certainly did.

I had such a magical experience with this movie. This is one of those mysteries where the movie is pretty simple in the first 90 minutes. It builds its plot points but it keeps it pretty slow and simple. It does this in a way that it keeps you interested in the story, but just barely. And then the last 30 minutes of the movie COMPLETELY change it. A lot of information is thrown at you until the entire puzzle is completed in your brain. And it's a lot of fun. Remember Astra: Lost in Space? Yup just like that. It's been such a long time since I've seen a mystery like that.

This type of structure is risky though. Because if you stretch out the movie too much, the final act can be a bit too late. This movie though, I thought handled it pretty well. I believe the first 90 minutes, while being slow, were important for that final payoff and for the overall mystery.

And the final act doesn't just provide answers. It really makes you care about these characters and because of that, you walk out completely satisfied. I just LOVED the final act of this movie. The animation by A1 Pictures is nice but towards the end, it's actually quite brilliant. Similarly, the soundtrack in that final sequence was outstanding.

I do think that not all the characters were necessary. They could have merged a few of them into one. But overall though, that final act really blew away all those thoughts. But I'm still confused about just 1 or 2 things, I think I might catch them on a re-watch.

In the end, I just adored this movie. "When Marnie Was There" is my personal favourite mystery movie in anime. But this movie was pretty damn good. If it comes to theatres in your region, please go and watch it. It'll be a beautiful experience.

It's lovely in every aspect. The story's engaging plot, captivating features, beautiful instrumentals, smooth flow of events, and intricate complexity hold my attention completely. I admire how they effectively convey the main character's struggle to break free from confinement, the loyalty exhibited by the members, and - wait, does the male lead actually remember everything? I began watching without any expectations and found myself completely engrossed. I'm curious to learn more about how the characters met in real life and the origins of the castle. I have so many questions, but they only serve to increase my desire to rewatch it.

I find myself surprised. I've certainly seen other films that were marked with a notably soft tone, whether it worked in their favor or not. This is so gentle in its dispensation that it nearly sails past unremarked, and that includes Hara Keiichi's direction, Fuuki Harumi's score, and to be honest even the animation, as seen in the basic movements of characters. As it was the English dub that I found to watch (Japanese audio with English subtitles was regrettably unavailable) I can only trust that the dubbing script is a faithful translation of the dialogue in Maruo Miho's adapted screenplay, but one way or another, even the dubbed voice acting is curiously placid if not altogether flat, as if the voice director had instructed their cast to restrain their performances as heavily as possible. All this, even with themes of vicious bullying and cruelty among or targeting schoolchildren, and finding confidence and camaraderie in a new group of friends, and a forewarned aspect of great peril for the characters involved. I thought this might change as the length advanced, yet it's not until the third act that the tone shifts in any way, not least with crescendos in the music.

None of this is a mark against the picture so severe as to wholly dampen the viewing experience, but the impact that it should be having is emphatically diminished. It's not until the third act - when the music swells, when we see the lives of the characters fully laid bare, and when the drama is at its peak - that the movie seems to be operating at the level that it should have all along. It's lovely all the while, yes, with a story that's compelling and should be more so, and with animation that pretty well meets the modern standard for Japanese studios. Though some odds and ends are an exception with curious, unnatural movement, at large the character designs are excellent, there's splendid detail in every background and every active element, and even the infusion of 3D rendering into the predominant 2D style is handled well. And still, following the climax, the feature returns to its pointedly even-keeled tenor for the last stretch, allowing the plot to resolve as relatively passively as it began. There's much to appreciate in these two hours, but 'Lonely castle in the mirror' is simply never as strong or meaningful as it should be.

I like it. It's enjoyable, and worthwhile. It doesn't nearly meet its full potential, however, and I'm hard-pressed to give an especial recommendation; in every regard I believe the title really needed to zero in on the emotional weight of the narrative. Check it out if you have the chance to watch, but don't go out of your way and temper your expectations, and maybe that's the best way to get the most out of 'Lonely castle in the mirror.'

No pun intended - obviously time is always an issue, but it seems that time spend behind the mirror ... is not used to the fullest effect. What is .. key to that? Well exactly that one might answer. But more puns aside, the movie has a serious theme and it is about bullying - about mobbing, about what goes on in schools, no matter who you are and when you went to school.

Hopefully you never had to experience it, but I think most of us had some experience with it. Some more, some less so. The movie packs this all in a fairy tale setting - and with quite the understanding mother to say the least. That doesn't happen to often. Neither in reality nor in the movies. So good for this and good for us.

Great animation, really tight story and what an ending ... you may choke a little bit! You may also have guessed some of it - especially things/persons that can't be missed ... and with this last pun I let you go ... into a (hopefully) better future.