jmaddio

This is probably the best film made from an anime series I've ever seen. I began watching the initial series because the animation was outstanding, and the music was equally brilliant. The story is a very slow burn and requires a lot of imagination and emotional investment in order to achieve its aims, but if you're willing to really focus on the characters, inhabit their minds and their world, and follow Violet's journey with attention and suspended disbelief, it pays off big in the end. The series as a whole, and the film in particular, are extremely cathartic and achieve a happy ending without being facile. Just really great storytelling.