Orange: Mirai

Orange. Orange. Orange. You know when I first saw this show, I didn't really care for it. I used to roll my eyes when people gushed about it because I couldn't figure out why it was so well liked. This movie has given me a new found respect for the show because frankly it made the show and its events make a lot more sense. It also helped that I went though the show again before watching the movie. Now from here on out, there's spoilers so you are warned. Most of the movie is flashback of events from the new timeline of the story fromSuwa's point of view. What really shines is the last like 25 minutes or so that's basically epilogue. Spoilers: It begins with Kakeru asking Naho to go to a shrine with her and she says yes. They pray together and the other 4 are there as well, but not with Naho and Kakeru. You find out that this is where Suwa actually convinced Naho to be with him. The show made it seem like in the original timeline, she started to fall for Suwa before Kakeru's death after he confessed at New Years. That wasn't the case. While she was always very close to Suwa, she didn't start falling for him until the second time he confessed and basically proposes to her. Past Suwa says he's a horrible person for taking advantage of Naho while in a fragile emotional state after Kakeru's death. The others try to cheer him up and say he's a good guy and was only being Kakeru's substitute. In my opinion, that would have been true for new timeline Suwa. If Kakeru had still died then he would have been Kakeru's substitute, but only because of the influence on this timeline brought by the letters. Original timeline Suwa did it for his own selfish purposes and nothing more. In the show, Future Suwa even says that if Kakeru had lived, Naho would have rejected him. (Sorry, SuwaxNaho shippers, the only conceivable timeline where Naho would be with Suwa is one where Kakeru dies.) Free from this, Suwa is now able to walk down his own path. Skip ahead to 10 years in the future. They all meet on the same hill and now Kakeru and Naho are married with a child named Haru who loves Uncle Suwa. They laugh and have a good ole time at a picnic. It ends with them looking at the sunset and them all agreeing to all send letters to a 3rd timeline where Kakeru will tell himself that he's happy and to not let the depression burden him. It doesn't show if they actually send letters though. Jump back to the original timeline where Suwa awakens to find Naho crying. Now at this point with the fact that original timeline Suwa was guilty about how he got Naho, it shows that their marriage might not be as great as it showed in the show. Naho is crying because she was dreaming about Kakeru. The way she says it, she might have been dreaming about the new timeline, but that's not clear. Suwa says he was dreaming about it as well then looks annoyed and goes back to sleep. Not even bothering to comfort his wife as she sobs. I had this theory that people blasted me for. I believe that Future Naho still had feelings for Kakeru and she regretted not being able to reconcile with him. I think this movie adds credence to that theory. It ends with what I assume to be the 2nd timeline where its morning of the first day of school at Naho's house and you see a future letter waiting for her. End Spoilers All in all, this was a pretty good epilogue movie for a decent series. Answered a lot of questions for me as well. This will probably get pounded by Suwa fans, but it makes sense that Naho and Kakeru are together. They were destined to be, not Suwa and Naho.

Orange was one of the better series from 2016 and really showcased it's drama and story elements. That's where this film comes into play. It takes place after the main series and brings us a look at what we all wanted to see at the end of the TV series. Orange is a series where time travel is a predominant part of the plot. It allows for speculation and creates an overall very emotional watch in the form of regret and changing the future to make a better outcome. While the plot device causes holes, it works well to create tension and suspence if youcan get passed it. The production quality of Orange: Mirai is as expected. A familiar yet, unique art style that works well with the characters and environments. The camera is superb once again with great angles and sometimes incredible shots! The character designs are the same as before and there are a few times when there are slightly lower quality facial features, just like the show. But I digress, the animation was once again, consistent and of high quality. The environments are also truly beautiful and immersive, one of the highlights of this film and the show. The characters have already been well developed at this point and the film continues to do so even more up until the end where we get to see what we wanted the whole time. Everything is tied in a great big knot by the end of Orange: Mirai which I am happy about. The anime ending is good and it works, but the ending here truly gives us a great sense of satisfaction and tear inducing happiness. In conclusion, this is well worth the watch if you are a fan of the series or if you are hungering for an even better continuation with a statisfactory ending. The one gigantic thing I took away from this.. is a quote. "Hanging in there, living, is the toughest thing there is."

the original anime series included. I found this movie completely awful and it brought nothing but pain & sorrow to my eyes (and heart). I mean the anime was also pretty fucked up to begin with, but the movie is so much... worse. One thing the movie does is to show a bit more of the process of sending the letters and how the 26 yo versions of themselves are feeling after Kakeru's death etc. But that's about it. It was also cringe at some parts as it made me facepalm lots on multiple situations, but let's notget into that just yet. But, as a Suwa fan (and not only), it sucked. I honestly watched this to bring me some closure about that ending, but it just made it more messed up instead. If the anime finale can be called a win-win for the both lead MCs, the movie just throws that into oblivion. We learn that at the end of the anime, Naho ends up with Suwa (in the "original" world, the one in which Kakeru dies); Naho ends up with Kakeru in a parallel world. Let's talk about the original world first. Suwa keeps acting really as if he commited an atrocious crime marrying Naho when she was vulnerable after Kakeru's death (pretty sure few years passed in-between those events but plot). He keeps repeating that he stole Naho from Kakeru and that he's a really bad person. In the end, it's not as if Naho is handicapped (or is she??) and she can't decide for herself, it's not like he compelled her to marry him against her will. Still, they don't seem happy together at all. Suwa knows that Naho would have chosen Kakeru over him at anytime; he deserved so much better considering him and Hagita were the only likeable characters. Takako and Azo were decent, I guess, they weren't developed at all so there's not much to be said, I guess. Kakeru and Naho were really annoying and made no sense at all (almost) all the time, especially Naho. Now about the parallel world... Seems Naho and Kakeru are married and they have a child. Suwa is single, and his happiness, aspirations and pretty much life plainly resumes to Kakeru and Naho's relationship. Hey, at least their baby likes him, heh. Right, because that was what I wanted to see. I swear, the one and only good/funny part in this movie was Azu and Hagita finally getting together. Naho cries more times than you can blink, we got used to it, but here's taken to the extreme. The Bermude thing theory still left unspoken, almost as if it didn't exist anymore. The parallel universe showcases all of them looking at the orange sunset, but with no regrets this time because they managed to save Kakeru. Now, on to the real shit. And that's the ending of the movie we're talking about. I start by saying that I was expecting something else. Both Suwa and Naho have had the same dream in which Kakeru is saved. You may think that now that they know the letters have reached their purpose, they feel a bit of relief and have a closure of some kind and maybe enjoy their lives together. Buuuuut, that's not about it. Instead, Naho seems melancholic, sad, depressed???. From my point of view, because we can only speculate her feelings solely based on her facial expressions most of the time (very few cases she explains what she's actually feeling, not much introspection tho), it seems she wished she had been in that alternate universe, basically regretting her whole life for the past 10 years. Of course she starts crying again (how couldn't she spare this occasion!?); Suwa doesn't even try comforting her anymore, she just leaves her be. He seemed as if he was grieving on his own, blaming himself for "stealing" Kakeru's life, taking advantage of his death... things like this, whatever. In this case, I don't get why he married her in the first place, but that's a tale for another time. One scene that really conflicted me and made my mind go woosh as it didn't make any actual sense to me was the one from the car in which Naho tells Suwa she would have still married him even if Kakeru was still alive. Come on... You can't do this (she still did it). Not only that's a big lie she was aware of, that sounds like insulting someone's intelligence to me. Naho also said she was "thrilled" when Suwa confessed to her on New Years, but it's later shown that she pushes him away, saying she likes Kakeru, rejecting him. Another wtf-facepalm worthy moment. Only made me feel pity for Suwa, a g a i n, poor guy. One thing I feel it made me give this movie +1 point was the part about future Suwa telling his past self to choose his future as he pleases. That was one of the only scenes that I actually enjoyed in this mass of shame-worthy scenes for Suwa. (As the movie is supposed to be focusing on Suwa's point of view regarding all that happened and also his feelings; at least that's the way I tried to think of it). All in all, to me, it was a really really bad experience and I felt it was not worth my time, the only thing doing is putting salt on the wound. Guess the anime ending was slightly better (I didn't like that either, but... I feel I could accept it more as it was more opened to everyone's preferences). Almost had a stroke at some parts and was overall left with a bad taste. Well, I didn't intend on writing a novel here, but it looks like I (almost) did. Guess that can't be helped. Just wanted to blow off some steam that has accumulated once watching the Orange anime (really). And, to my disappointment, this movie amplified it. If you really want to complete this series (good luck, you'll need it), there are just a few parts of new content as half of the movie is just recap of the anime. But you'd be better off without watching it, trust me.

I may never write here again, but after seeing some reviews not recommending the movie, I decided to talk a little. If you've already watched Orange and loved the anime, I urge you to keep reading, otherwise I appreciate your attention this far. This is not a review, but I want to write this text with all my heart. I remember watching the anime weekly, and every time I ended the day crying, it was an anime that left a deep impression on me and remains one of my favorites. Because of that I was afraid to watch this movie, look, only after more than 5years did I get the courage. And I really don't regret it, having waited these years made me watch with a feeling of nostalgia and happiness to see them all again as if it were the first time. One of the things I like most about anime, which I wanted in real life, is a group with very strong friendships, and here we find a group that is very loyal to each other. It's such an honest relationship, always thinking about each other's well-being. I wish that one day I find myself in a place where I belong, like Kakeru. Seeing the Naho-Suwa-Kakeru relationship is something indescribable, I hate falling in love, and last year I confessed, even though I knew I would be rejected I wanted to express my feelings, but I wanted the friendship to continue, like in Orange... But this it didn't happen and nowadays we pretend we don't exist in each other's lives, and that hurts me and will hurt for a long time. Orange's story is simple but charismatic. Art is not incomparable, but it is perfect. The songs fit the context of the anime, and I listen to them routinely. The atmosphere of the whole set is beautiful, and each scene etched in my heart the feelings that Orange makes us feel. I just wanted to say that Orange is a very special anime for me, and I hope that you who are reading this feel the same way. Thanks for your attention so far, I don't know much what to say about the movie, that's why I said it wouldn't be a review, because I can't convey all my feelings with just words. Please just watch and feel, it's a pain I'll never forget, and a happiness I'll try to seek. Have a great day!