Great adaptation of a deep and beautiful manga which is centred around a group of high schoolers. The source material is honestly wonderful and even though the movie does not surpass it, it does an amazing job in showcasing the story which features some heavy themes. The fantasy twist in the background of the story is poetic and simple to understand. Its implications are profound.

The acting is solid and the friendship between the characters is totally believable. The romance is sweet and the chemistry between the leads is compelling as well. Overall, the ensemble cast does a great job and they are together one of the highlight of the film. Due to my attachment to this band of youngsters, I would even have loved to see a bit more of development for some of their storylines.

The directing was pretty standard for the genre: nothing really innovative but delivering what is needed for the melancholy of the narrative. The soundtrack was pretty good and provided an extra layer of feeling and sorrowfulness totally in line with the tone of the show.

I would of course recommend this to people who like the manga from which the movie is adapted, but also to everyone searching for a great friendship story with a fantasy twist and which is deeper and more meaningful than your average shojo story. However be aware that given the topics tackled on, it is sadder than you might think but very impactful.