This review may contain spoilers
Typical High School Drama with One Bright Spot
The story itself is a pretty straightforward high school romance drama, and while it’s easy to follow, it doesn’t really stand out or leave a strong impression beyond the usual love triangle setup. I never really dove into the manga or anime and so I didn't know what to expect.
Mackenyu’s portrayal of Toji Kazuya was easily the highlight for me. He had this calm, natural presence that made his character feel more believable. Even in simpler scenes, he kept things grounded and consistent, and honestly he was the main reason the movie stayed watchable from start to finish. His character also had that common trope where Toji avoids Adachi Momo to “protect” her, and while it is meant to feel dignified and selfless, it’s honestly a writing choice that gets old. It creates unnecessary distance and misunderstandings that just drag the story instead of adding meaningful tension.
On the other hand, I really didn’t enjoy Kei Inoo as Okayasu Kairi. His performance felt very over the top in a way that didn’t fit the tone of the story for me. Instead of coming across as charming or fun, it often felt more irritating and distracting. Because of that, a lot of the love triangle drama didn’t really land. Rather than feeling torn between the characters, I ended up disengaged during his scenes, which made parts of the story feel weaker than they should have been. It felt like the performance pulled me out of the movie instead of drawing me into it.
Mackenyu’s portrayal of Toji Kazuya was easily the highlight for me. He had this calm, natural presence that made his character feel more believable. Even in simpler scenes, he kept things grounded and consistent, and honestly he was the main reason the movie stayed watchable from start to finish. His character also had that common trope where Toji avoids Adachi Momo to “protect” her, and while it is meant to feel dignified and selfless, it’s honestly a writing choice that gets old. It creates unnecessary distance and misunderstandings that just drag the story instead of adding meaningful tension.
On the other hand, I really didn’t enjoy Kei Inoo as Okayasu Kairi. His performance felt very over the top in a way that didn’t fit the tone of the story for me. Instead of coming across as charming or fun, it often felt more irritating and distracting. Because of that, a lot of the love triangle drama didn’t really land. Rather than feeling torn between the characters, I ended up disengaged during his scenes, which made parts of the story feel weaker than they should have been. It felt like the performance pulled me out of the movie instead of drawing me into it.
Was this review helpful to you?
