Review by jace-rynearson

I'm not gonna say this is a great movie. It kind of suffers from the same standard sins of plenty of anime out there, some jokes don't always hit, parts seem taken from a basic "how to make a successful anime" guide, over-stylised action, and the writing sometimes suffers from first-draft syndrome with a visible lack of polish. However, I'd also be lying if I said I didn't enjoy it.

The animation and music are both incredibly gorgeous. Not exactly on the level of Studio Ghibli, but it's not really trying to be, it feels like it's more often trying to be it's own way. I also found myself interested in the plot throughout despite the aforementioned shortcomings, and some of the characters ended up growing on me. I also enjoyed the tone, which managed to stay consistently emotional throughout.

So, is it a perfect movie? No, especially when compared to the aforementioned Studio Ghibli. But is it an enjoyable one? I think so. Not for everyone, but not terrible. I certainly found myself enjoying it much more than Sword Art Online.