Love or hate it, but I adored it.

As in many Japanese storytelling, this felt real, with many many layers and subtleties. In my experience Japan is never afraid to go outside the box with flawed characters and dark tropes, or tell a story others might not be brave enough to.
The acting is superb, and the character complexities are subtle. I can see why the boldness of narration in this story might trigger people to be mad and leave a lower rating, but sticking with this show to the end, looking behind a character's exterior to the emotions lying underneath each interaction, will bring all its light and beauty to the forefront. As I read recently, you'd rather a piece of art provoke 1/10s and 10/10s than all 5s.
As with reality, people are flawed. There are misunderstandings, nerves and social pressure getting in the way of honest communication, weird and creepy sides to us we rather others not see, insecurities and a lack of awareness of our own shortcomings. If you want an escape from reality with fluffy characters and story, this isn't it. Personally I find happy stories off-putting unless there's a journey to get there. These are people you might be able to relate to that we can empathize with. It explores neurodiversity and potentially slight personality disabilities in a way I've not seen. Lighting, scenery, settings and music all play a part in feeling enclosed within their story and evoking our senses. The subtleties behind the conversations, but also the tones of voice, the nuanced expressions - they stick with you to the point where I think rewatching you would pick up on so much more.

There's probably more I could say, but I hope you give it a go. It deserves the spotlight. I'm a sucker for subtle art, one that doesn't feel pressured to scream to the masses, one where the characters are followed through properly. 10/10, go watch it 💛 it's stuck with me all day.
Looking forward to the movie.

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