Like Efinate, I had been waiting two years for this production to become available. And when I found it was a recent addition to the HIDIVE collection, I queued it up for the first weekend … three harsh days of anticipation. I wondered how those five high school girls would be presented, for I had this gut instinct that Kinmoza Movie: Thank You! would be the last one would see of those English gals Alice and Karen and their pals from Japan Shino, Youko, and Aya.
The first thing that struck me was the maturity of the five girls who got into those crazy adventures over the confusion two cultures could create. The 2013 and 2015 seasons of twelve episodes each and the 2016 OVA Pretty Days. There was little of that, other than Shino's fixation on blonde haired girls and Alice's obsession over huge statues of Buddha. But the story covers the last six months of high school. The short burst manga-style comic jabs centered around activities as the school trip (this one to Kyoto, though Shino was holding out for a trip to England ... how K-On!! of her!), those nasty final exams (complete with the visit to the billboard displaying those successful candidates seeking university entrance ... the only case I know that 'when your number is up' can be a good thing), and graduation. And the poignancy of separation after the diploma is in your hand.
Thank You! is framed with sequences at beginning and end of the movie with Alice back home in England. Then, suddenly Shino comes to visit. Why? The answer is tabled till the last portion of the movie as the two girls reminisce over the closing months of school in Japan. Karen has become acclimated to life in Japan, and she plans to continue college in Japan. She is stalked by Honoka, a shy girl who only wishes to be her friend. Though clumsy at it, and bungling often, Honoka is pressed to avow her affection for Karen, thus creating a third pairing of friends, Aline-Shino, Youko-Aya, and now Karen-Honoka. This would settle any matters of Karen being that third-fifth- wheel.
The one complaint I would have for this movie is the lack of emotion at the graduation ceremony. True, Aya is a well-spring of tears (for which Karen has given her a roll of toilet paper), but it seems that the reality of graduation comes at the very end. Alice will return to England, followed by Shino, who, despite her lack of skill in learning English, is now ready to master the language at an English college. Karen, Aya, and Youko struggle to gain college admittance, and there is more tension for this than the graduation ceremony. Yes, there were emotional scenes, but it seemed all so lightweight.
The final section deals with a surprise visit to England of Karen, Youko, and Aya who reveal their plans to continue their education in Japan, but that it was important for the five girls to be together again, knowing that technology will allow for long-distance visual chats. Then a final salute to the seasons of Kinmoza played to the tune of 'Pomp and Circumstance.' Then fade-to-black, offering nothing more than the message that was the title of this movie.
Knowing that this was it for Kinmoza fans, the animation was more polished than the faded pastel coloration of the original seasons and OVA. There was a deepened hue and a more defined edge to the character design. For the end result was to see these five girls (hey, throw in Honoka and make it six!) develop into the young women they would become. A fitting tribute to one of the best iyashikei series I've watched and now am sad to think all you have are the re-runs.
And this in the Sea of Anime where you will find an abundance of also-rans, pure knock-offs, and the rare selection that might just rival such a gem as Kiniro Mosaic.
