I really love the movie, even more the second time I watched it. The acting was exquisite. The cinematography is gorgeous. I really like the play with the camera, how it sometimes goes from clear, distant third POV to a more intimate POV (like when we are left in the hallway at the parlor as some sort of driver in the getaway car). Kiritani’s downward spiral, the injustice around it, makes it a heart-wrenching watch on its own; the revelation later on is a kick to the feels. I was surprised by how thematically tight the movie is. Like many others, I was a bit disappointed by the ending, but after watching it again, I think I understand the ending better. With that said, I do hope there’s a creator’s commentary on the DVD where they explain some of their choices, with the ending being the center of it.

The movie was originally a manga, and overall they are very similar. Some changes, like the POV-change, were very well done and added to the narrative, in my opinion. For example, in the manga, we get a lot of the story from Kai through internal monologue whereas in the movie he is made a mystery to be figured out with lots of clues dropped along the way.

It seems like many people have watched the movie with little to no subs, and it’s a bit of a shame because you’ll miss out on a lot. There are a lot of clues and cues in the dialogue that pay off in the end and add to the angst and heartache. The importance of words and their meanings are even highlighted in the opening of the movie and then in the middle of it too.

It’s not a movie for everyone. It’s thematically dark with only glimmers of hope. The characters might not be to everyone’s taste either. But as I said, I love it, and will most likely watch it many more times.